Edward Greenspon
Encyclopedia
Edward Greenspon is vice president, business development for Star Media Group, a division of Torstar Corp. Before that, he was the editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail
newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
for seven years. In 2002, he assumed the position at a turning point in the paper's history, and, during his tenure, he instituted several sectional revamps, launched new web sites and maintained circulation levels. On May 25, 2009, he was replaced by John Stackhouse
.
Greenspon is a former managing editor of the Globe's Report on Business Section and was the Globe's Ottawa bureau chief before becoming editor-in-chief. He was the founding editor of globeandmail.com. He is the father of three children: Bailey, Joshua and Jacob. In February 2009, his son Jacob was pushed onto a subway track by a random attacker in a well publicized incident in Toronto. His son survived with injuries, losing some toes.
on March 26, 1957. His father, Mortimer Greenspon, was an insurance agent and financial planner while his mother, Rosalie, was a teacher. Edward Greenspon's first job was as a paperboy
for the now defunct Montreal Star
. Greenspon's interest in journalism began as the Watergate scandal broke. Inspired by Bob Woodward
and Carl Bernstein
, he chose to go to Ottawa
and study journalism
and political science
at Carleton University
.
. While living on campus he worked for the residence newspaper, The Resin. Greenspon broke a story of corruption with the residence student government. He exposed student officials who misappropriated student fees to buy champagne, lobsters, and cigars. The story was soon picked up by the Ottawa Citizen
. Later, the disgraced treasurer was denied a job at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS) after a background check revealed the article in the Citizen. Greenspon graduated from Carleton in 1979 with honours.
After stints with papers in Western Canada, Greenspon went on to study with the assistance of a Commonwealth Scholarship at the London School of Economics
in England
. He received his masters degree in politics and government in 1985.
in 1986 as a reporter for the paper's Report on Business section. He soon found himself back in London
as the Globe's first European business correspondent.
With the collapse of communism, he and his colleagues in the London bureau spent most of the 1989 to 1991 period in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. In 1991, Greenspon returned to Canada and became the managing editor of the Report on Business
section and then deputy managing editor of the newspaper. Following his lifelong fascination with politics, Greenspon became the Ottawa bureau chief and associate editor of the paper in 1993, a position he held for more than six years.
In 1996, Greenspon partnered with Anthony Wilson-Smith to write the well-received book Double Vision. The work is a thorough analysis of the first three years, from 1993–1996, of the Liberal government led by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
and Finance Minister Paul Martin
and received the Douglas Purvis Prize for excellence in public policy writing.
In 1999, at the height of a newspaper war in Canada, Greenspon was asked to commute to Toronto to manage the newsroom in the capacity of executive news editor. During this period, he became the founding editor for the Globe' s internet site, www.theglobeandmail.com, and encouraged the paper to heavily invest in the soon to be very important internet news market.
In late 2000, he returned to Ottawa as political editor and columnist in time for his third national election campaign and co-wrote a second book called Searching for Certainty: Inside the New Canadian Mindset with pollster Darrell Bricker. Greenspon won the Hyman Solomon Award for his contributions to public policy writing.
In 2002, Greenspon accepted a position as the new editor-in-chief of the Globe and moved to Toronto
. As chief editor, Greenspon instituted several changes to the paper, including a revamped Report on Business section, more investigative journalism, expanded politics coverage, and a new Science and Technology page. In 2007, he led a major redesign of The Globe that introduced the Globe Life section as well as placing a greater emphasis on investigative journalism and web-print integration. During his tenure, The Globe led every year in the number of National Newspaper Awards and won the Michener Award for Public Service Journalism in an unprecedented three out of four years for stories about the sponsorship scandal, foot-dragging over introduction of the anti-breast cancer drug, Herceptin, and Afghan detainees. He also locked horns with former Brian Mulroney in revealing secret cash payments the former Prime Minister had received from German-Canadian businessman, Karl-Heinz Schreiber.
On May 25, 2009, Greenspon was fired as editor-in-chief during a meeting with Globe publisher Phillip Crawley. The reasons why were never made clear. He was replaced by John Stackhouse
. He subsequently headed up a 10-person panel for the Canadian International Council that produced a major report called 'Open Canada: A Global Positioning Strategy for a Networked Age' before joining Star Media Group in 2010.
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for seven years. In 2002, he assumed the position at a turning point in the paper's history, and, during his tenure, he instituted several sectional revamps, launched new web sites and maintained circulation levels. On May 25, 2009, he was replaced by John Stackhouse
John Stackhouse (Globe and Mail)
John Stackhouse is a Canadian journalist and author. He was the editor of the Globe and Mail's Report on Business section and, on May 25, 2009, he was promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper....
.
Greenspon is a former managing editor of the Globe's Report on Business Section and was the Globe's Ottawa bureau chief before becoming editor-in-chief. He was the founding editor of globeandmail.com. He is the father of three children: Bailey, Joshua and Jacob. In February 2009, his son Jacob was pushed onto a subway track by a random attacker in a well publicized incident in Toronto. His son survived with injuries, losing some toes.
Early life
Greenspon was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on March 26, 1957. His father, Mortimer Greenspon, was an insurance agent and financial planner while his mother, Rosalie, was a teacher. Edward Greenspon's first job was as a paperboy
Paperboy
A paperboy is the general name for a person employed by a newspaper, They are often used around the office to run low end errands. They make copies and distribute them. Paperboys traditionally were and are still often portrayed on television and movies as preteen boys, often on a bicycle...
for the now defunct Montreal Star
Montreal Star
The Montreal Star was an English-language Canadian newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It folded in 1979 following an eight-month pressmen's strike....
. Greenspon's interest in journalism began as the Watergate scandal broke. Inspired by Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
and Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein is an American investigative journalist who, at The Washington Post, teamed up with Bob Woodward; the two did the majority of the most important news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations, the indictment of a vast number of...
, he chose to go to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and study journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
.
Education
Greenspon began his journalism career at Carleton UniversityCarleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
. While living on campus he worked for the residence newspaper, The Resin. Greenspon broke a story of corruption with the residence student government. He exposed student officials who misappropriated student fees to buy champagne, lobsters, and cigars. The story was soon picked up by the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
. Later, the disgraced treasurer was denied a job at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS) after a background check revealed the article in the Citizen. Greenspon graduated from Carleton in 1979 with honours.
After stints with papers in Western Canada, Greenspon went on to study with the assistance of a Commonwealth Scholarship at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He received his masters degree in politics and government in 1985.
The Globe and Mail
Greenspon began working at The Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
in 1986 as a reporter for the paper's Report on Business section. He soon found himself back in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as the Globe's first European business correspondent.
With the collapse of communism, he and his colleagues in the London bureau spent most of the 1989 to 1991 period in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. In 1991, Greenspon returned to Canada and became the managing editor of the Report on Business
Report on Business
Report on Business, commonly referred to as simply ROB, is the financial section of The Globe and Mail, a large Toronto-based Canadian newspaper. It is the most lengthy completion of economic news in Canada, and is considered an integral part of the newspaper...
section and then deputy managing editor of the newspaper. Following his lifelong fascination with politics, Greenspon became the Ottawa bureau chief and associate editor of the paper in 1993, a position he held for more than six years.
In 1996, Greenspon partnered with Anthony Wilson-Smith to write the well-received book Double Vision. The work is a thorough analysis of the first three years, from 1993–1996, of the Liberal government led by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
and Finance Minister Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
and received the Douglas Purvis Prize for excellence in public policy writing.
In 1999, at the height of a newspaper war in Canada, Greenspon was asked to commute to Toronto to manage the newsroom in the capacity of executive news editor. During this period, he became the founding editor for the Globe
In late 2000, he returned to Ottawa as political editor and columnist in time for his third national election campaign and co-wrote a second book called Searching for Certainty: Inside the New Canadian Mindset with pollster Darrell Bricker. Greenspon won the Hyman Solomon Award for his contributions to public policy writing.
In 2002, Greenspon accepted a position as the new editor-in-chief of the Globe and moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. As chief editor, Greenspon instituted several changes to the paper, including a revamped Report on Business section, more investigative journalism, expanded politics coverage, and a new Science and Technology page. In 2007, he led a major redesign of The Globe that introduced the Globe Life section as well as placing a greater emphasis on investigative journalism and web-print integration. During his tenure, The Globe led every year in the number of National Newspaper Awards and won the Michener Award for Public Service Journalism in an unprecedented three out of four years for stories about the sponsorship scandal, foot-dragging over introduction of the anti-breast cancer drug, Herceptin, and Afghan detainees. He also locked horns with former Brian Mulroney in revealing secret cash payments the former Prime Minister had received from German-Canadian businessman, Karl-Heinz Schreiber.
On May 25, 2009, Greenspon was fired as editor-in-chief during a meeting with Globe publisher Phillip Crawley. The reasons why were never made clear. He was replaced by John Stackhouse
John Stackhouse (Globe and Mail)
John Stackhouse is a Canadian journalist and author. He was the editor of the Globe and Mail's Report on Business section and, on May 25, 2009, he was promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper....
. He subsequently headed up a 10-person panel for the Canadian International Council that produced a major report called 'Open Canada: A Global Positioning Strategy for a Networked Age' before joining Star Media Group in 2010.
Major work
- Double Vision, by Edward Greenspon and Anthony Wilson-Smith, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
1996, Doubleday Canada publishers, ISBN 0-385-25613-2. - Open Canada: A Global Positioning Strategy for a Networked Age, by Edward Greenpson, 2010, Canadian International CouncilCanadian International CouncilThe Canadian International Council / Conseil International du Canada is a non-partisan, nationwide council established to strengthen Canada's role in international affairs...
, ISBN 978-0-9866175-1-5 (online)