Toronto Star

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 11, 2009) - Toronto Star Publisher John Cruickshank announced today that Michael Cooke has been appointed as Editor of the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper, and its website, thestar.com, effective March 1, 2009.

Mr. Cooke, who previously worked at the Star, has had a distinguished career as a senior editor for newspapers both in Canada and the United States.

He currently is Editor-in-Chief of the Chicago Sun-Times, which has one of the largest newspaper readerships in the United States. He has also served as Vice-President of Editorial for the Chicago Sun-Times News Group, overseeing more than 100 titles and editions.

Mr. Cooke is also a former Editor-in-Chief of the New York Daily News, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Vancouver Province, a former Managing Editor of the Edmonton Journal and a former Co-Managing Editor of the Montreal Gazette. He worked at the Toronto Star from 1974 to 1977, where he became Assistant National Editor.

Born and raised in England, Mr. Cooke started his career as an apprentice reporter and later worked on newspapers in London and Bristol before immigrating to Canada.

"I have known Michael for 30 years and worked in a rewarding professional partnership with him in Chicago and Vancouver," Mr. Cruickshank said. "He is a proven newsroom leader with exceptional creative talents. His first job in Canada was at the Star and as long as I've known him he has dreamed of coming back. He's an intensely competitive journalist and is passionate about this newspaper's enduring values and principles."

About the Toronto Star and thestar.com

The Toronto Star, founded in 1892, is read in print and online (thestar.com) by 2.9 million readers every week. The Toronto Star is a division of Star Media Group, which includes Toronto.com, Torstar Syndication Services, Shop TV, Eye Weekly, Sway Magazine, Desi Life and The Canadian Immigrant. Star Media Group also includes the jointly owned Metro free daily newspapers in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Halifax, and the Chinese language newspaper Sing Tao. Star Media Group is a division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, which is a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation.