Douglas Creighton & Peter Worthington Founders of the Toronto Sun
Creighton & Worthington: Founders of The Toronto Sun and Champions of Canadian Journalism
On my walk through Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the final resting place of two trailblazing newsmen who helped reshape Canadian media—Douglas Creighton and Peter Worthington.
Their story begins in 1971, when the venerable Toronto Telegram abruptly shut its doors. Undeterred, a group of laid-off employees, led by Creighton and Worthington, launched a bold plan. The very next day, a brand-new tabloid hit the streets: The Toronto Sun. With its punchy format, populist voice, and gritty, streetwise tone, it quickly earned a loyal readership—and the nickname “the little paper that could.”
John Bassett Sr., Publisher signs off on his beloved paper, The Toronto Telegram on Saturday October 30, 1971. Two days later, Monday November 1, 1971, Creighton and Worthington launched The Toronto Sun.
Over the next two decades, The Sun expanded to Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa, becoming the foundation of a national chain under the Sun Media banner. At the core of its success were Creighton, the steady-handed publisher, and Worthington, the fearless editor and decorated veteran of both the Second World War and the Korean War—never one to back away from a good fight, especially in print.
But Creighton’s influence extended beyond the newsroom. One of his more unexpected contributions to Canadian culture came when he encouraged a then-unknown circulation employee, John McDermott, to pursue his remarkable singing voice. After hearing McDermott perform Danny Boy at a staff party, Creighton urged him to share his gift with the world. That nudge helped launch McDermott’s celebrated international music career.
Singer and recording artist, John McDermott worked at The Toronto Sun in the circulation department.
Douglas Creighton passed away on January 6, 2004, at the age of 75. His longtime partner in publishing, Peter Worthington, died on May 12, 2013, at 86.
1928-2004 (Douglas)
1927-2013 (Peter)
