CanWest Global Communication Corp. dropped out of The Canadian Press national news organization in 2007, and now Sun Media Corp. is following in its footsteps. Quebecor-owned Sun Media has given notice that it plans to pull out of The Canadian Press and form its own news-gathering service.

Canadian Press executive editor Gerry Arnold told the Globe that is was already planning to restructure it co-operative configuration in which none of the news papers will be a part of the cooperative anymore. Instead, they will now function as commercial customers of the agency and will buy services.

"[Sun Media] are still going to need an array of services," he said. "I don't think there is any doubt about that. I'm quite confident we'll be able to sell them things."

Isabelle Dessureault, Quebecor spokeswoman, said that the millions of dollars which were being spent on CP membership will now be utilized within the company. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau believed that his company would now be able to create its own network "far superior to what the other groups have, because it will be driven by our own employees."