Snowboard Canada publisher SBC Media files for bankruptcy

SBC Media, which published a number of action sports media properties for snow, skating, surf and sand and prided itself on being rider-owned, driven, managed and staffed by passionate, dedicated board sports lifers, filed for bankruptcy Monday after more than 20 years. The company published titles such as Snowboard Canada, SBC Skier, SBC Surf, SBC Skateboard, SBC Wakeboard and Windsport. 
The privately held, Toronto-based company, with a staff of fewer than 50 producing seven periodicals and annuals had received some additional funding from investors last year, but the tap was apparently turned off quite suddenly. 

“We were surprised,” says Scott Birke, group editorial director for SBC Media. “We underwent a refocusing last year to offer more options to our partners and advertisers.” The initial realignment involved a heavier digital content approach. Under the reinvestment, SBC’s publications went through a restructuring and had one year to grow the business. “We were moving in a positive trajectory. So it came as a surprise when they withdrew their support earlier than we thought,” admits Birke. He told Transworld Business that though there has been some interest in buying individual publications, he didn't see SBC continuing as a company.