Newsbrands Scotland August newsletter
News about Scottish news publishing
Scottish Government bid to ban naming murdered children moves forward
Identifying children who have been murdered could be banned under Scottish Government plans now out for consultation.
As a result of a campaign by Victim Support Scotland, it is proposed that news organisations would be permanently banned from naming anyone aged under 18 at the time of their death.
If passed, it would mean that if there was a Southport-style stabbing in Scotland, the public would be prevented from finding out anything abut the victims. It would also mean the parents would have been unable to make their appeal for calm when violence erupted subsequently.
Had such a law been in place in 1996, the names of the Dunblane Massacre victims would never have been known, and it is likely that bereaved parents would have been unable to play a prominent role in the subsequent campaign for tighter gun controls.
However, the Scottish Government also recognises that where such restrictions have been introduced, such as in Ireland and Australia, reform was needed very quickly because it prevented relatives from making appeals or paying tributes.
Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said: “There is clear evidence that such a draconian ban is unworkable.
“In tragic cases where children go missing and media appeals for information are made, if the child is found to have been murdered it would result in a ridiculous situation in which there could be no more mention of someone who has been the subject of widespread publicity.
“Vicky Hamilton was only 15 when she was murdered by Peter Tobin in 1991 and it took 16 years to find her, but the law would have made it very difficult for the public to find out what happened after years of appeals for help.
“Of course, these days people would find out because there is virtually no policing of social media, but news organisations would have to follow the law.”
The consultation document makes it clear the Scottish Government prioritises the impact on young relatives, despite clear difficulties. “It is essential that the rights and needs of children bereaved by homicide are central to any consideration of this issue,” it says.
The consultation closes on October 1 and details can be found here.
Controversial Aberdeen rape case ruling to
be reviewed by IPSO code committee
IPSO chair Lord Edward Faulks has agreed to refer a recent ruling on coverage of an Aberdeen rape trial to the Editors' Code of Practice Committee for a review of its guidelines, following an approach from the Newsbrands Scotland editors’ committee
Earlier this year the regulator found that Aberdeen Live’s report on the trial had breached Clause 4 (Intrusion into grief or shock) because the level of detail included about the victim’s reaction was “deeply personal and with the clear potential to be extremely intrusive.”
The ruling sparked criticism that it could inhibit the reporting of proceedings in open court and was a threat to free speech, a concern shared by Newsbrands Scotland editors until made aware of the full circumstances.
Writing to Newsbrands Scotland editors’ chair, Scotsman editor, Neil McIntosh, Lord Faulks said IPSO understood the concerns, especially as it was impossible to republish the offending details in the ruling.
“We do appreciate that the decision has generated concerns about a potentially chilling effect on the reporting of court proceedings particularly among those who have not seen the copy itself, given the inevitable restrictions in what could be included in the published decision,” he said.
“In these circumstances, we agree that it would be helpful for this matter to be discussed by the Editors’ Code Committee, with a view to formulating a suitable update to the Codebook.”
IPSO’s complaints committee was unanimous that the passage should not have been published, and accepted that further guidance might be needed.
Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said: “The Editors’ Code Committee is ideally placed to produce guidance which the industry can support, and it’s extremely welcome that Lord Faulks has agreed so readily.”
The Code Committee is due to meet in October. The case ruling can be found here.
New Ofcom report confirms Scottish communities not suffering from “news deserts”
The latest Ofcom review of local media in the UK has discredited claims that there are so called “news deserts” in Scotland where important local decisions go unreported.
Published at the end of July, the interim report painted a positive picture of reporting across Scotland, with most areas benefitting from “a range of dedicated local news coverage.”
In addition to TV and radio, Ofcom found the majority of local authorities were served by three or more news providers.
“Recent research appears to support this, showing that all local authorities in Scotland had at least one print or online outlet covering each local authority more than three times per week, with the large majority of local authorities served by three or more providers,” it said.
The report also recognises the significant role of Google and Facebook in the “news value chain”, bolstering the case for a fair deal for content, and highlighting the negative impact of unannounced changes by tech giants. Last month, Reach plc blamed a 25 per cent drop in page views compared to the first half of 2023 on the downgrading of news content by online links, particularly Facebook.
Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said: “Scottish publishers large and small are well aware of the importance of maintaining strong coverage of local affairs and the report is vindication of the efforts made to maintain a sustainable network of trustworthy, independent publications across Scotland.
“The report cautions that Scotland is not immune to pressures being felt across the UK, and when Ofcom updates its report so too must they recognise that the BBC’s free local coverage is very much a major contributor to those pressures”
The report will be finalised later this year and Ofcom is seeking further comment. The full report can be found here.
UK News industry welcomes landmark American court decision against “monopolist” Google
Newsbrands Scotland has welcomed the landmark decision from a US federal judge that Google spent billions of dollars to maintain its monopoly in search services, a major victory in the legal battle to rein in the power of Big Tech.
Google controls 90 per cent of search markets and was described by Judge Amit Mehta as a “monopolist” which violated US antitrust law, paying vast sums for anti-competitive deals to retain its position as the default search engine, particularly on the Apple iPhone Safari browser.
The company intends to appeal, but in the UK the decision bolsters the new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) which the Competition and Markets Authority hopes will compel tech giants to strike fairer deals for content.
The UK Government still needs to approve the guidance and secondary legislation for the DMU to become fully operational and the UK news industry is urging the new administration to move quickly to bring the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act into force.
News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: “This is a landmark ruling that exposes and confirms the power Google exercises over search, and the consequences of that monopolistic power for advertisers and users. The sheer scale of payments made to other platforms through exclusive distribution agreements to maintain its dominance is staggering.”
The latest Advertising Association/World Advertising Research Center data shows that in the first quarter of 2024, 80 per cent of all UK advertising went to pure internet, dominated by Google and meta platforms like Facebook.
Read the FT story here
Oban Times publisher laps up West Coast success
Oban Times publisher Wyvex Media's new flagship website is celebrating record growth over the last two months.
West Coast Today was launched at the beginning of the year to bring the company's trusted news brands under one digital umbrella.
Since going live at the end of January, the site, which incorporates content from The Oban Times, The Campbeltown Courier, The Lochaber Times, Argyllshire Advertiser and The Arran Banner, has grown from a standing start to 12,745 registered users.
In June and July alone, 2,708 people signed up to access the site.
West Coast Today is averaging around new 90,000 visitors each month, leading to a steadily growing subscriber base which now accounts for around 30 per cent of the circulation of the company's titles.
Wyvex Media's Head of Online Content, Brian Hossack, says that everyone is delighted by the impact and impressive growth of West Coast Today in such a short period of time.
"Although we have a stable of trusted brands that have served their communities for many years, we realised that combining these to a single digital focal point was a risk, but it has been superbly received by our readers,” he said.
"West Coast Today was effectively a completely new brand, a name that initially meant nothing to our readership, and we've had to work really hard at getting it out there and making sure it becomes the place people living along the west coast turn to for trusted content - and we think our result show we are accomplishing that goal."
Brian added: "To go from a standing start to having almost 13,000 people registered for our site, developing a fast-growing subscriber base that will hopefully soon make these titles sustainable and profitable on their digital footprint alone, and doing all of this while maintaining a strong print performance, we believe, shows we have the correct strategy and approach to grow digital and protect print, which is still incredibly important to us and our advertisers.”
The Scotsman launches The Virtual Royal Mile
Artists and performers appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are being offered a new virtual showcase for their work by The Scotsman.
They are being encouraged to share video previews and trailers of their shows as part of a new initiative that will expand The Scotsman’s support of the 77-year-old event.
Acts and companies will have free access to the new “Virtual Royal Mile” venture, which has been announced ahead of the official launch of the Fringe on Friday, August 2.
Videos can be uploaded to The Scotsman website via an online portal – along with details of the relevant show and will be published on a new hub on the Festival section of Scotsman.com
The Scotsman is also working in partnership with leading venues on a new “Love The Fringe” initiative, a membership scheme offering access to thousands of free and discounted tickets.
Daily supplements dedicated to Edinburgh’s festivals will run in The Scotsman and sister title Scotland on Sunday till Sunday, August 25, with expanded rolling coverage of all the city’s cultural events on The Scotsman website.
Scotsman editor Neil McIntosh said: “The Scotsman has been proud to be at the heart of the Fringe since its inception. Our commitment and coverage exceeds all others in its scale and scope, and this year is no different.
"Our new Virtual Royal Mile platform gives all acts coming to the city a chance to have their show previewed on Scotsman.com – our hub for Fringe critique and information throughout August.
"Offering this opportunity for free is another example of how we will continue to support this vital sector at a time when financial challenges are impacting more than ever. We hope to see all acts embrace the opportunity and we look forward to giving our audience a flavour of the vibrancy and variety of Edinburgh's Royal Mile in August.”
Thousands back P&J call for common
sense on Aberdeen traffic restrictions
The Press and Journal rallied to support Aberdeen city centre businesses with a campaign aimed at reaching a Common Sense Compromise on bus gates which have caused footfall to plunge at many well-known institutions.
The publication’s petition has already attracted 11,000 signatures.
For many, these traffic bans have come at a time when they are already struggling to stay afloat, and many warned they might be forced to move and leave more city centre units lying empty.
P&J editor Craig Walker said: “We want Aberdeen to thrive and believe a bustling city centre and healthy local economy should be a priority for decision-makers when it comes to road changes.
“Our compromise plea, which asked for some measures to be removed and others to remain in place, was backed by 11,000 people who signed a petition.”
The pressure resulted in the council pledging to investigate some of proposals The Press and Journal put forward in conjunction with local firms.
Campaign details can be found here.
