THE first Scottish daily newspaper to be launched in decades has carved out an entire new print readership and exceeded sales expectations as it approaches its three-month anniversary.
Three out of four readers of the pro-independence The National say they do not buy another daily newspaper, opening a new market untouched by mainstream media, the title’s publisher, the Herald & Times Group, says.
The National is now expanding its editorial content for both print and digital audiences with new feature writers and more entertainment content in particular.
The National is also building on its success in attracting new audiences by launching a pioneering new website this week at www.thenational.scot.
Says a spokesperson: “This exciting new innovation offers a unique level of built in social media integration to enable easy sharing and commenting on stories. It complements the digital edition offered at launch and further demonstrates confidence in the title’s longevity.
“Readers of the new web site can see five articles per month free, another five if they then register and for more than ten articles per month pay a modest £3.99 per month or £44.99 per year.
“The Glasgow-based Herald & Times Group has consistently argued that the future success of its newspaper division will be based on reach and sharing of its content. So, accessing articles via a social media link is free.”
The National editor, Richard Walker, said: “The National was conceived and launched within a very short space of time. Our intention was always to test the market, listen to reader feedback then develop and evolve the title in response to that feedback.
“As a result, we’ve added more content to the paper and new feature writers like George Kerevan, to provide an even more rounded daily read, whether you’re a supporter on an independent Scotland, or not.”
He added: “We’ve already generated a huge following on social media.
With over 14,000 online subscribers to a basic copy of the newspaper online in the first month alone, it was obvious there was a huge demand for a fully functioning new website for The National.
“We’ve built The National on a brand new, bespoke technical platform, one that we plan to improve and evolve based on reader feedback. So we’d encourage everyone to try the new site at www.thenational.scot and let us know what they think.
“With the evolving political debate around the UK general election and the possible role of Scotland and the SNP in UK parliamentary politics, we believe The National can continue to go from strength to strength by providing a unique, incisive perspective on the various debates that will affect all our lives,”.
The new www.thenational.scot website adds to a growing Herald & Times Group stable of platforms which include The Herald, Sunday Herald, Evening Times, heraldscotland.com and eveningtimes.co.uk, plus apps and a significant social media presence.
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