Hollinger Inc. was a Canadian media company based in Toronto which was established in 1985 by businessman Conrad Black. At one time, the company was the third-largest media empire in the world. In 1996, through stock purchases, it took over control of Southam Inc., at the time, Canada's largest newspaper chain and a newswire service. It sold its Canadian newspaper holdings to Canwest Global Communications Inc., in August 2000, which included the company's flagship national newspaper, the recently formed National Post. Hollinger, through its subsidiary Hollinger International, continued to own newspapers in the United States, including the Chicago Sun-Times. The company went bankrupt in 2007 and was delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange in August 2008.
History
Hollinger Inc. was used by Conrad Black as a holding company for his media interests after he acquired control of The Daily Telegraph in 1986. The company took its name from Hollinger Gold Mines, which started in 1909 and later became Hollinger Mines, owner of one of the world's largest gold mines near Timmins, Ontario. It was acquired by E.P. Taylor's conglomerate, Argus Corporation. Black took control of Argus in 1978, and he sold off its assets by 1985.
Hollinger Inc. was controlled by Canadian-based Ravelston Corporation