BEGINS The Drum media and marketing magazine: “Scotsman staff will ballot over strike action after a third of production staff were told they face redundancy.
“Publisher, Johnston Press, intends to cut 12 of the 32 production staff that produce the Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, the Edinburgh Evening News, a number of magazines and two weekly newspapers.”
Read more, here.
A statement issued by Johnston Press to allmediascotland.com reads: “Johnston Press, like all news organisations, has to evolve and adapt to meet the demands of an ever-changing media landscape. Ensuring sustainable growth – and a viable future for this industry – means that restructuring and reshaping the company in line with those business needs is inevitable.
“After a review of the current structures – including those at The Scotsman Publications Ltd – It has been decided that a number of roles at TSPL will be placed at risk. A period of consultation with those whose jobs may be affected will now take place and it would be inappropriate to comment further until those conversations have taken place.”
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SATURDAY’S edition of The Herald saw Brian Donnelly, senior news reporter, beginning: “It is the voice of the Kremlin and it is to bellow from Edinburgh’s West End.”
Says Donnelly, Sputnik News has announced it is to open its first British hub in the Scottish capital next year.
Read more, here.
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TRAINING in ePublishing and Search Engine Optimisation is being held next month by the National Union of Journalists.
The ePublishing course is on the 16th, in Glasgow, while the SEO course is on the 23rd, in Edinburgh.
For more information, email Joan Macdonald, joanm@nuj.org.uk.
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BEGINS Gordon Brewer, on the BBC website: “Alan Cochrane is the Scottish editor of the Telegraph – but he’s a lot more than that.
“During the referendum campaign he was one of the most fervent defenders of the Union. Why did he feel so passionately about the subject?
“Does he believe Unionists won the referendum only to lose the aftermath? And does he think he overstepped the mark as a journalist in his zeal to keep the UK together?”
Read more, here.
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AND Euan McColm, in Scotland on Sunday, begins: “The demand seemed perfectly reasonable, The UK has changed dramatically since the dawn of devolution in 1999, said culture secretary Fiona Hyslop, so it was time for the BBC to change, too.
“The SNP’s relationship with the Corporation has long been fraught but Hyslop was businesslike rather than confrontational. Her remarks, though, were no less troubling to some in the BBC’s Scottish headquarters in Glasgow than former First Minister, Alex Salmond’s accusations of bias made throughout – and since – last year’s independence referendum.
“One BBC staffer said: ‘The SNP is coming after us. Hyslop and Salmond want the same thing, they just have a different way of going about it.’
“The culture secretary last week called for budgets to be transferred to BBC Scotland, enabling ‘independent decision-making’ over commissioning and editorial issues. This transfer of financial might should, she said, be adopted as part of the Corporation’s current charter review.”
Read more, here.
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AND the Scottish Government issued this, this morning: “The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, has expressed concern over apparent proposals from the UK Government to privatise the Channel 4 Corporation.
“Ms Hyslop has written to her counterpart, John Whittingdale, in the UK Government looking for his reassurance that any future plans for Channel 4 will be properly consulted on and will involve all developed nations and regions, as well as the broadcasting sector.”
Read more, here.
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THE recent news that Richard Walker and Tony Carlin are both leaving the Sunday Herald and Evening Times newspapers, respectively, is considered by The Observer’s Peter Preston… here.
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WALKER is continuing – in the capacity of consultant editor – at the other newspaper he has been editing recently, The National.
And in The National today, columnist Carolyn Leckie, writes of the importance of professional journalists… here.
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A MEDIA release posted on allmediascotland.com by the former Scotsman business editor, Terry Murden, begins: “Daily Business, the Edinburgh-based news website, is marking its first birthday by announcing additions to the editorial team.
“Dominic Jeff, a former business reporter at The Scotsman, will be joining as a contributing news reporter.
“Richard Leeson, a renowned investment adviser and commentator, joins as senior money writer.
“The site also embraces the arts and other lifestyle topics and will be expanding its coverage via award-winning comedian, Vladimir McTavish (aka Paul Sneddon).”
Read more, here.
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