The Press in Scotland

1. The Press in Scotland Rebecca Macdonald & Claire Harrop

2. Overview • History of Press • Rise of Press in Scotland • Scottish Press Today and Future Challenges • Scottish Identity in Press • Seminar Discussion

3. History of the press • The earliest forms of what could be described as newspapers can be traced back to Rome in 131 BC. • 11th century Chinese development of the technique of printing and the invention of paper. • Later development of a movable printing press by Gutenburg in 1455.

4. Origins of the British press can be linked back to the 17th century. • 1702 the first daily • newspaper appeared.. • The earliest surviving • Scottish newspaper is • the Mercurius • Caledonius (1661).

5. Rise of the Scottish press • Second half of the 19th century papers were now free of taxes, made from wood pulp instead of rags and advances in technological innovations had revolutionised the availability and content of papers. • The Daily Record was launched in 1895 and after four years had a circulation of one million. • This figure slipped to 700, 000 in the 1950’s, partly due to the dawn of the TV age.

6. Scottish Press Today • Generally same trends as English • Revenue - more emphasis on Ads but also exceptions of Metro • Readership now hugely broadened • More Scottish titles and editionising • Decline trends year on year - internet challenges - the end or survival? • Why are the editionised more popular than Scottish papers?

7. Editionised more popular because of pricing and marketing? • Scottish people want a wider perspective on issues? • Prefer the content - more sport and football? • These versions all include “Scottish” in the title? - “Imagined Communities”

8. Scottish Identity in Press • We have seen identity in Film - how is it represented in the Press? • Consider two examples from a range of newspapers - Scottish and non-Scottish • Example from a sporting nature and one from an ordinary individual

9. Andy Murray in the Press • Scottish Press coverage - “…English will ditch him quicker than you could deep fry a mars bar should he fail…” • “…If he serves up a win, they’ll consider him as British as the Union Jack. An early exit, they’ll consider him Scottish again.” • “Should he suffer an embarrassing early exit he will suddenly become as Scottish as haggis.”

10. The Times coverage - “Every time he lost…he was not really a British hero, merely a Scottish loser.” • This type of story repeated across other papers too

11. What identity does this give us? • No matter what, Scotland will always be proud - loyalty - like Tartan Army? • Comparisons to Haggis and deep fried mars bars very stereotypical

12. John Smeaton in the Press • Ordinary worker from Glasgow, actions created great media hype • The Sun - “Only in Glasgow would a suicide Bomber get a boot between the legs.” • “A call to donate 1,000 pints has been easily met.” • The Daily Mail - “A New Braveheart.” • The Journal - “An unlikely folk hero.” • The Times - “Smeats, you are the greatest, right up there with The Proclaimers.”

13. What identity does this give us? • Likened to that of the classic hero stereotype seen in Braveheart. • References to drinking • Scotland treasuring its talent whether it’s good or bad • Identity of a region - Glasgow

14. Seminar Discussion • Do you think the Scottish Press play a role in creating our identity? • If the Press is wiped out in the future, will Scottish Identity change?