Newspaper sales figures in Scotland now come out in a patchy and unco-ordinated sort of way, with different frequencies and at different times of year, so we thought it’d be worth collecting them together for easy reference.
The numbers below are the most recent figures for each title that we know of – for papers classed as “national” that means November last year, and for those counted as “regional” (which includes the Scotsman and Herald titles) it’s this month.
Figures have all been rounded to the nearest 100, and increase/decrease stats refer in all cases to the corresponding sales for one year previously.
So just to clear that up: four times £12 million is £200 million. The mystery of why people are increasingly reluctant to believe what they read in newspapers continues.
So after all the kerfuffle and commotion and comedy, a deal was done, of sorts. The unsquareable circle wasn’t squared, but the day of facing up to it was punted down the line for five years, by which point everyone hopes that it’ll be someone else’s problem. (Which is certainly the case for David Cameron.)
Every newspaper in Scotland tomorrow will look like this:
Alert readers can’t have failed to notice a desperate Scottish Labour dusting off the old “Tartan Tories” attack on the SNP recently, over the Nats’ unwillingness to join in with Kezia Dugdale’s kerrazy kaper of hiking up income tax.
So after today we can only assume they’ll be looking for some similarly pithy zingers for their colleagues in Wales. They can have this one for free.
It’s curious that as the Scotland Bill negotiations deadlock drags on, well beyond its original deadline of 12 February and now hurtling headlong towards the extended 23 February one with no sign of progress on the horizon, that nobody is remarking on one of the most striking facets of the new devolution proposals.
Remember “pooling and sharing”, readers? Whatever happened to that?
Last night, MP Natalie McGarry made another heavily-qualified semi-apology to the popular abusive-tweeter enthusiast JK Rowling, because that’s how bullying works. (As far as we know McGarry has still refused Rowling’s demand that she make a sizeable donation to Rowling’s charity under threat of legal action.)
One of George Orwell’s most-quoted lines is “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”
We wonder who was trying to silence the torrent of drivel below, then.
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Under all that bluster Geri knows the truth. There goes the Net Zero target for this century. Burn baby burn.…” Mar 19, 13:24
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Geri: no, we have no overseas territories, but we almost did before 1707 – Darien? We are the equivalent of…” Mar 19, 13:19
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Surely anyone cursed by being born a Pict has already been found guilty of serious transgressions in a previous life?…” Mar 19, 12:57
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “What if Geri claims they’ll never get aff the groond? That’ll set your gas at a peep. Haha, price of…” Mar 19, 12:50
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““Indy we would be awash in cheap energy, with domestic bills on the ground, offering cheap power to anyone who…” Mar 19, 12:47
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “UK has been skint for years, Confused. Maybe things would have gone a lot better in 2014 if the movement…” Mar 19, 12:35
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Women already receive a far smaller proportion of public funding overall. I daresay they will lie and say that some…” Mar 19, 12:30
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “In this world of political storm there’s those that have Lockheed Martin F22 Raptors and there are those that don’t.” Mar 19, 12:26
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““what exactly is “propaganda” in my posts??” Around 80% Geri. Lies and fabrications, wishful thinking, bias, flat denial of verifiable…” Mar 19, 12:24
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Ah, c’moan noo, Jamie. Seriously now. Is there anybody posting on here who isn’t getting paid by the British government?…” Mar 19, 12:10
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “problems, problems – nice ones to have https://archive.ph/NSRpr – the norwegs are protecting their wealth against global risk – we…” Mar 19, 11:59
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “the thieves are back thieving https://archive.ph/z3LQi but, but, I thought the oil wasn’t worth anything free translation added : “england…” Mar 19, 11:56
Sven on Looking up at the stars: “Sam @ 09.31. I’m no theologue, Sam, however last time I looked it was something like, “Thou shalt not take…” Mar 19, 11:14
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “The UN is funded by the membership. The richer a country is the higher the contribution. Considering the Middle East…” Mar 19, 11:05
Jamie on Looking up at the stars: “Thank you and I think you might be correct about Alba, the way it ended is highly suspicious.” Mar 19, 09:50
Jamie on Looking up at the stars: “Do you get paid by the British government to comment here?” Mar 19, 09:48
sam on Looking up at the stars: “Northcode You may already have seen the video. If not search “flann obrien atomic theory video”. I can’t get the…” Mar 19, 09:31
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Back on form I see, Geri. I know it’s asking a lot of you, but please endeavour to always maintain…” Mar 19, 08:53
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Geri I see your thinking but no the UN has become a sanctuary for terrorists. A talking shop paid for…” Mar 19, 07:17
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Lorncal What are you suggesting is propaganda? It’s documented fact that the father of a disabled child asked the German…” Mar 19, 02:02
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Geri: the Nazis certainly practised eugenics, on Jews, Slavs, the disabled, those with mental ill-health or illness, etc., but they…” Mar 18, 23:46
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Assisted dying bill; Automatic do not resuscitate classifications have been in operation for ages.. Anyway, assisted dying; Go to Muirhouse…” Mar 18, 22:03
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “As Maggie said, international law is all we’ve got between us & the barbarians. Ironic really cause they ARE the…” Mar 18, 21:38
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Looking up at the stars: “MLA CRITICISES WOKE GOVERNMENT FORM An MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) has criticised the Northern Ireland Civil Service for…” Mar 18, 21:36
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “They have options. Those options don’t have to involve everyone else. If they want to check out then go for…” Mar 18, 21:25
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Last time I looked it wasn’t Poot offering euthanasia to avoid paying healthcare & pensions or sterilising his own population…” Mar 18, 20:57
Southernbystander on Looking up at the stars: “It is palpably untrue that supporting assisted dying is all about government population control – the statement is offensive and…” Mar 18, 20:57
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Surely half a bicycle is a cycle?” Mar 18, 20:02
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “When you write “us” Geri, is that you deploying your royal we again? That makes more sense than the alternative…” Mar 18, 20:00
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “With so many women in the workforce, there’s a lot of demand for anything that will help them slim down.” Mar 18, 19:48
