Western Standard staff to try and make a go of it as an online publication

[This post has been updated.]

Former staffers of the Western Standard magazine -- although not Publisher Ezra Levant -- are intent on making a go of publishing the magazine online. This was revealed in a e-letter from Levant who says he is "moving on to other projects" but wishes Matthew Johnston (one of the founders of the magazine and its associate publisher) and others well in their endeavour.

The Standard suspended publication of its print magazine recently, after four years. The reason given was that there was simply not enough support for it, even though the magazine said it was on track to book $1 million in revenue this year.

Working with other long-time Western Standard staff like writer Kevin Steel and sales manager Josh Frederick, they're going to try to make a go of it online — and I wish them good luck. They loved the magazine and I'm sure they'll do a great job of the new venture.I'm moving on to other projects, but Matthew and his team have invited me to continue to blog from time to time on the site, and I'm sure I will.

[UPDATE] A posting by Levant on the Standard's Shotgun blog on Sunday said that the blog and the magazine's website has been sold to the members of the team that wants to carry on. The magazine has also made arrangements with Maclean's magazine to fulfill part of its outstanding subscription liabilities. Every Standard subscriber will get six free issues of Maclean's and a "special offer" if they want to continue. And the parent corporation of the Standard is staying in business so that Levant can fight the human rights complaint that was brought against the magazine for publishing the so-called "Danish cartoons".

Finally, I should mention that the corporate entity that published the magazine still exists, and I am still president of it. The reason that's important is because we intend to fight the human rights complaints that have been filed against us over the cartoon kerfuffle. (Here's the hand-scratched complaint; here's our reply.) The formal "investigation" begins next month, and I'll be there.