Scottish newspaper circulation continues to fall

Friday, 17 August 2012 22:20

The Scottish newspaper industry has suffered a further steep decline in circulation following the publication of the latest year on year figures.

Reported by allmediascotland.com, figures for all of Scotland’s leading national titles suffered sharp declines with the Sunday Mail falling by over one quarter compared to its July 2011 total.

However, neither the Herald not the Sunday Herald appeared on the list after it emerged both had requested they be re-designated regional titles.

The re-designation means that neither will be included in the monthly survey from now on but will instead be included in the six month list.

The Herald rivals, Scotland on Sunday and the Scotsman suffered drops of 15.2% and 12.3% respectively. Scotland on Sunday circulation has now dropped to below 40,000 and The Scotsman enjoys a circulation of just 33,673.

The Sunday Post saw a circulation fall of 19.2% taking it to 185,884 whilst the Sunday Mail’s drop of 25.2% means its circulation now stands at 282,073.

Once Scotland biggest selling paper, the Daily Record experienced a decline of 10.2%, bringing its circulation down to 247,041.

Of the group, the Scottish Sun experienced the smallest fall registering a drop of 5.5%. Its circulation of 297,123 means the paper remains the biggest selling daily in Scotland.

The steepness of the drop in Sunday titles is thought to be down to a spike in sales in July last year caused by the closure of the News of the World.

For a more in depth look at newspaper circulation figures in Scotland visit allmediascotland.com

Comments

# Clydebuilt 2012-08-17 22:39

With Marcus Gardham in post as the herald's Political Editor their circulation figures are set for a further dive.

Increase the readership of Newsnetscotland .com
(Email articles to contacts)

Reduce the readership of The Herald
(boycott it)

# Talorgan 2012-08-19 22:12

Quoting Clydebuilt:

Reduce the readership of The Herald
(boycott it)

Boycott all unionist media!

# cjmasta 2012-08-18 01:34

I cannot see a time where I will forgive and forget what the media has done to this country. Unfortunetly there are many who are mislead across the world daily by the msm who serve their political ideologies and abuse their power which could be used in far more fair and productive ways.
Anyone else think the labour party and their lapdog media chums could fit quite comfortably into the hysterical style of politics that the US suffers from?

# EricF 2012-08-18 07:46

Gardham's move from a national daily to a small regional paper shows the extent of his own personal decline.

# weegie38 2012-08-18 08:21

Quoting EricF:

Gardham's move from a national daily to a small regional paper shows the extent of his own personal decline.

I have successfully avoided the Herald website completely since Gardham's appointment.
But the decision of the two Scottish broadsheets to redefine themselves as regional papers reveals much about the psyche of Unionists. They constantly repeat the "too wee, too por, too stupid" mantra because it describes THEM to a T. Scotland's basic problem is that in many fields of civic life, mediocrity gets to rise to the top, because much of the Union's civic life is built around patronage, not ability.

Had the Scotsman or Herald in the 1990 been taken over by people with any sort of talent, they'd have adopted a politically neutral or even overtly nationalist stance, and moved forward. Heck they could even rival papers like the Irish Times now (circulation around 100,000, more than the Herald & Scotsman put together in a smaller country!)
Instead they appointed the likes of Andrew Neil and Charles McGhee. Hell mend them.

Incidentally, Wikipedia entry on the Herald lists it as an SNP-supporting paper. WTF?

# McHaggis 2012-08-18 08:40

I'm not so sure you could lay the blame squarely on Labour.

The Scotsman is an overtly Tory paper, but given their standing in Scotland just now the editorial line clearly favours Labour as the only pro-union party with any clout whatsoever.

So, its really not Labour that defines the MSM position, but unionism.

As for wikipedia, I recall vaguely that The Scotsman had an ongoing battle a few years back overturning a contributor who regularly updated their entry noting the blatant unionist position.

Back 10 or 20 years ago, if The Herald or The Scotsman had taken a pro-indy line, I suspect neither would be in the position they find themselves now.

The Scotsman has now completed its descent into tabloid farce and could never now be considered a 'quality' newspaper.

# Marian 2012-08-18 09:31

Could someone explain why it is that the Scots newspapers are all seemingly quite happy to lose readership by alienating the 35% or more of the Scots electorate that support independence?

# Juteman 2012-08-18 10:13

Just like Pravda in Soviet Russia, profit isn't the motive. Controlling the flow of informatiob is vital to keep the system working.
Unfortunately, most folk still believe what they read in newspapers, and watch on TV.

# xyz 2012-08-18 10:34

Maybe because they hate Scotland and they hate the causes of Scotland .. It's a LabourCon thing.

I read somewhere out there that there were moves afoot to support dying ?regional? newspapers using taxes .. using a proportion of the BBC License fee. Maybe these papers are just clinging on, holding out for some subsidy.... and who will decide which papers should be supported? The BBC license fee is a reserved matter so I would think that newspapers must impress their new masters in London in order to get any public funding.

here it is: news.bbc.co.uk/.../8102179.stm

Looks like channel four will have to make themselves worthy of public funds .. I wonder in which way they are doing that now?

# Colonel Kurtz 2012-08-18 11:10

Hi xyz, C4 has always been publicy funded since its inception. Its classed as a publicly owned organisation which also gets income via adverts and other comercial activities.

# xyz 2012-08-18 16:16

Thanks for the info ... I hardly catch channel 4 news these days so although public funding would lead me to suspect foul unionist deeds I can't really comment. .. :)

# 1820 2012-08-18 12:54

I find it very annoying that First Scotrail, who receive massive public subsidies, stock The Scotsman as their complementary 'quality' of choice in first class. Having said that what other comic could replace it?

# baldelectrician 2012-08-19 15:41

Quoting 1820:

I find it very annoying that First Scotrail, who receive massive public subsidies, stock The Scotsman as their complementary 'quality' of choice in first class. Having said that what other comic could replace it?

They have even less choice now the Dandy has ceased

# mudfries 2012-08-18 21:10

I'm sorry for any working class person who might lose his or her job in the print industry, i'm pretty sure they are not all unionist voters, but I'm glad to see more and more people in Scotland get their info online and dont buy newspapers that spout unionist propaganda etc everyday, these rags have done a lot of damage to Scotland and its people for decades, one day people will look back in disbelief at the lies and misinformation they have printed over the years to keep Scotland under control of the London partys.

# Macart 2012-08-20 12:20

Much appreciated mudfries and I can certainly vouch for a good number in my own press hall who will be voting YES. Its worth remembering that thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of pounds are tied up in the print industry. Believe me when I say that production contacts in the industry can be just as unhappy with publishers and editorial staff as you folks.

The press should always be fought and challenged on the facts, but be careful what you wish for when the mood turns to trash all press and print. You lose all the hard working wage packets and the publishers and editorial will still be spewing their message online.

# colin8652 2012-08-19 17:19

I have not bought a paper for months and will continue to boycott them until a paper breaks ranks and becomes Pro SCOTLAND

# Bob Kingdom of Fife 2012-08-19 22:20

Personally speaking i log into this site for news , the truth , and good journalism devoid of a ' unionist agenda ' if the msn are in trouble , then they are the perpetrater's of their ' own ' demise, Alba Gu Brath.

# Onwards 2012-08-20 06:51

Readerships may be decreasing, but unfortunately, the newspapers political influence is still strong - with front pages functioning as free advertising to passers-by every day in the run up to an election.
A billboard campaign with the same audience reach would cost many thousands.

# Embradon 2012-08-20 14:32

Quite so Onwards. But how can the Oatcake Liberation Front in Nairn afford this sort of advertising?
wingsland.podgamer.com/.../
First the oatcakes - then the nation?

# Breeks 2012-08-20 15:33

I'm surprised the falling readership isn't tooted up in the MSM as evidence of Scotland's crumbling literacy blamed upon the SNP.

What a choice for the Nation Embradon! Nairns Oatcakes or Camerons breadcrumbs, - now which did the First Minister have for breakfast?

# Davy 2012-08-20 18:18

Quoting Embradon:

Quite so Onwards. But how can the Oatcake Liberation Front in Nairn afford this sort of advertising?
wingsland.podgamer.com/.../
First the oatcakes - then the nation?

And here is the classic example of asking the wrong question ?, it is not the type or make of oatcakes being used that is important, its what you eat them with thats important.

And the answer always is "STOVIES".
And that is our next campaign message, when we get independence all "STOVIES" will be free, but bring your own oatcakes.

If you can't get independence with free "STOVIES" you never will.

# gus1940 2012-08-21 08:33

It is becoming increasingly obvious that following Magnus Gardham 's arrival at The Herald the paper has embarked on a breakneck rush to join The Scotsman at the bottom of the journalistic barrel and is now determined to be just another propaganda rag for The Union churning out biased opinion masquerading as news and deluging us with all the old chestnuts of Too Wee, Too Poor and Too Stupid..

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Scottish newspaper circulation continues to fall

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