Local Newspaper Week
The next item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-1926, in the name of Mr Duncan McNeil, on local newspaper week, 14 to 20 May 2001.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament welcomes Local Newspaper Week; recognises that local newspapers play a crucial role in their communities and can act as a focal point of community life; acknowledges that they provide valuable services such as scrutiny of local elected representatives and the championing of local causes; further acknowledges that they are a window on our communities and give us a unique opportunity to present all that is positive within our areas to a wider audience, and notes that the Greenock Telegraph is a fine example of these roles.
I thank those members who have stayed for the debate and those who signed the motion. I am sure that we will hear a lot in the next half hour or so about the role that many different local newspapers play in communities throughout Scotland and about the contribution that they make to civic life.
My local newspaper, the Greenock Telegraph, is as much a fixture of local life as the town hall or the River Clyde. I should perhaps declare an interest before going any further. I am a former employee of the Greenock Telegraph, and delivered the paper between '62 and '64.
When he was between 62 and 64?
No, no. I just look 63 now.
Little did I know that the skills that I learned doing battle with furious dogs and lethal garden gates just to reach a rusty letterbox would stand me in good stead, particularly in the past couple of weeks, for delivering leaflets.
One of the features that sets local newspapers apart from their national counterparts is that their stories have a direct impact on the lives of their readers. The "Greenock Tele", as it is called, acts as a focal point for community life. It chronicles the hatches, dispatches and matches in the church and on the football field, academic achievements, court reports and other public events.
Local newspapers provide a level of scrutiny of local elected representatives, such as ourselves, that broadcast and other national media cannot provide. However much we rant and rave about how local newspapers cover a specific story, we know in our heart of hearts that what they do is good for democracy and the political process. Local papers also help people who have left the area, and even the country, to keep in touch.
I write a short column in the Greenock Telegraph every week about the goings-on in this place. The column has my e-mail address at the bottom and I am amazed by the number of e-mails that I receive from Greenockians working, for example, for IBM in America, for an engineering company in Canada or in the construction industry in Italy. They read the paper, seek my opinions and want to keep in touch with what is happening locally and in the Scottish Parliament. We have had relatives making inquiries and representations from Canada about the care of an elderly uncle. That was brought about by new technology and the local newspaper.
It would be remiss of me—given that we have just discussed the Rankin maternity unit and given my involvement in the shipbuilding industry through its decline—not to mention local newspapers' campaigning role. They have the resources and local knowledge to run campaigns that bring matters of local concern to the attention of the public.
Local papers have another crucial role: they are a window on their community. They give us a unique opportunity to present all that is positive within our area to a wider audience. That is assisted by Scottish Television's lunch time "Scotland Today" and BBC Scotland's "Newsdrive", both of which review local papers daily. I welcome that. It would be in everybody's interest if more of that was done, including a review of the many weekly titles in Scotland.
The Greenock Telegraph was launched on 18 March 1857, at a price of 2d. It was originally published every Wednesday and Saturday. Two years later, the paper started to be published three times a week and the price was halved to a penny—newspaper wars indeed.
In 1863, the paper became Britain's first halfpenny daily newspaper. That caused others, such as the North and South Shields Gazette, The Evening Citizen in Glasgow, The Echo in London, the Belfast Telegraph and the Paisley Express to follow suit, which did a great deal to bring cheap, reliable newspapers to the British people.
For 144 years, the Greenock Telegraph, with its unique local angle, has reported many historic events: emigration from Scotland to the new world; both world wars; Greenock's blitz; the dark days when the yards closed; and countless general and local elections.
When I looked through some back copies of the Greenock Telegraph, I found a public notice from the 1946 general election that may be of interest, given that there is much discussion about apathy in elections. The advertisement invited members of the public to book their tickets, at 1s 6d a time, to hear Ernest Bevin at Cappielow park. Such was the demand that an overflow meeting was organised next door to be addressed by the local candidate, Hector McNeil. These are changed days indeed.
When we read the more everyday stories, we get a real insight into how life in our community was all those years ago. For example, reading the court pages from those days, I was surprised at how many people were imprisoned for their beliefs: they believed that a night watchman was sleeping or they believed that the woman's husband was on night shift. There are some entertaining stories.
Keeping pace with changes in technology, the paper is now printed daily and in colour. The figures show that—despite the challenges imposed by television, radio and the internet—Inverclyde people still turn to the "Tele" for their night's news.
On the display board in the lobby of our office block, there is a quotation to the effect that an effective Parliament relies on informed people. Local newspapers are a primary source of news about how constituency or list MSPs are representing local people. If this Parliament is to be truly inclusive and accessible, we must ensure that local newspapers are fully involved.
I congratulate Duncan McNeil on securing this debate. It is very clever of a member to secure a debate in which he manages to mention the name of the local newspaper, thus ensuring coverage; by bringing his own travelling support with him today, Duncan McNeil shows that he is even cleverer. Obviously he does not go out much alone.
Duncan McNeil is quite right to talk about the history of local newspapers. Local newspapers are extremely important, because they very much form the foundation of the democracy that we enjoy today. It is exciting, and sometimes depressing, to read the archives of local newspapers—as I often do in my other careers—and to see that they reflected a wholly different society, which was keenly engaged with the issues of the day.
Today, of course, as Duncan McNeil is very much on message in new Labour, he knows that targeting the local press is one of the key things—
Mr McNeil indicated disagreement.
Mr McNeil shakes his head at my suggestion, but he is one of the most on-message people I know. He knows that it is important to target local newspapers. It is interesting to see that Mr McCabe will reply to the debate; he has no doubt already targeted the Hamilton Advertiser with his comments. If the Presiding Officer, Mr Reid, could speak, he would want to target the Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser and Wee County News, two newspapers that vie for the honour of reporting his activities with a keenness that recalls the circulation wars between the Daily Express and the Daily Record.
We can find plenty of examples of local newspapers providing strong, campaigning voices for vibrant communities. For example, one of the local newspapers in Irvine has been campaigning strongly on issues related to old people in the community. The fact that those people's concerns are covered week after week in the newspapers reassures them and reminds the community of their views. Furthermore, the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard near the area where I live has been campaigning vigorously about the pier, which is as important an issue to Mr McNeil as it is to me.
We must also remember that local newspapers face difficulties. This is a time of declining circulation and a falling number of newspapers. The challenge of the internet is real and those newspapers that have met it best are providing good local news services on-line for the whole world. The first, and best, of those newspapers was The Shetland Times, and there are now a whole range of them. Mr McNeil is right to say that there is enormous interest throughout the world in each part of Scotland, which is primarily a result of the diaspora. Those people want to find out what is happening in the communities.
Bringing matters closer to home, I noticed that Duncan McNeil mentioned his column in the Greenock Telegraph. Some of us argue strongly for columns in the local newspapers; we offer a high quality of writing. I make that advertisement again now. I am sure that I cannot emulate my colleague Irene Oldfather, whose recent columns have mentioned the illness of her hamster and the loss of her glasses; however, were the Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle to give me a column, I would try hard to ensure that the quality of my writing was as strong as that.
Local press is at its best when it reflects a broad spectrum of views. In that respect, I commend Christine Grahame's Southern Reporter column, which might annoy Ian Jenkins but is effective in putting across her point of view. I believe that Mr Jenkins also puts across his point of view in that paper.
There are exceptions. Some local journalism in Scotland is afraid of authority or is deliberately partisan. It might surprise most members to know that I wrote for the West Highland Free Press in the late 1970s. [Members: "Tut."] Indeed—I am ashamed of it as well. I was not ashamed of the paper at the time, but I am ashamed of it now, because it has gone from being the voice of campaigning journalism in the Highlands and Islands that had no fear of what was happening to being a paper of the Labour establishment. That is very sad, because the paper has become worse as a result.
Local journalism needs constant vigilance, constant innovation, constant ideas, constant excitement—and more columns. I am available.
I compliment Duncan McNeil on securing this debate. I advise Mike Russell that I am so far off message that I do not even have a mobile phone, let alone write a column in a newspaper. I did not know that this was local newspaper week until I read the motion. Like many members, I have a love-hate relationship with newspapers. I give them good stories, but they have never held the front page. They usually print stories that I do not think are very good. That confuses me, so I am definitely off message.
Nevertheless, I have always had a high regard for local and, as some would call them, provincial newspapers. My respect for and interest in such newspapers are based on their importance in communities large and small and on the fact that they play an important role in the development of journalistic talent. It is a safe bet that most of the journalists who write about the Parliament—for the broadsheets and for the tabloids—in their remarkably fair-minded and brilliant way, started their careers in local newspapers. Some of us who have been singled out by them for criticism might wish that that those top-notch journalists—as they have become—had remained in local newspapers in Renfrewshire, Perthshire or elsewhere.
As Duncan McNeil said, local newspapers are a vital element in our communities. Readers are interested in international and national events, but they also have a keen interest in the goings-on in their communities. Sophisticated big-city types may sneer at local papers for their coverage of local flower shows, dog shows and community councils, but local papers often play an important role in reflecting and advocating local concerns about significant environmental and political issues. In addition, elected representatives cannot hide from the scrutiny of the local papers as they can in a big city. If a local newspaper is so inclined, it will report on the activities of MSPs, local councillors and MPs alike.
Local newspapers are also, in the main, blessedly free from smut. I do not know of a single local paper that has a page 3 model on daily display. In fact, some local newspapers are so prim and proper that they could be described as dull. Nonetheless, that is better than printing salacious pictures and gossip.
An important role of local newspapers is the training of young journalists. Many of our well-known journalists, who now work for national broadsheets and tabloids, began their successful careers with local newspapers. Michael Parkinson and John Lloyd are just two such examples. Joan McAlpine, Simon Houston and Jason Allardyce all served part of their apprenticeship with the Greenock Telegraph and now work for national newspapers. All those journalists appear to be genuinely grateful for the opportunity that they were given to report on flower shows, dog shows and other local events. They may have had good cause to complain about the less-than-generous salaries that they received as local newspaper reporters, but they received a good grounding in the profession of journalism—and I believe that it is a profession.
Local newspapers are an important element in our local and national democracy. I hope that they continue to report on local and national events and on the decisions that are made by the Parliament, which have a direct bearing on the lives of their readers and communities. I say to local newspapers that they should keep up the good work and see to it that they pay their reporters and staff a decent salary.
I welcome this debate, which has been opened by a big mac and will be closed by a big mac. I usually address Susan Deacon or Malcolm Chisholm in debates.
I say to Duncan McNeil that, although the Greenock Telegraph may reign supreme in Greenock, the Scottish weekly newspaper of the year is, deservedly, the Highland News. This is the second time in four years that that accolade and recognition of excellence has been conferred on the Highland News, which was chosen as the best weekly newspaper in Scotland because of its campaigning stance. One of its victories was on membership for women of the Inverness British Legion, which was described as "a notable victory".
The Highland News measures, expresses and influences opinion on a range of subjects, such as fluoridation of the water supply, genetically modified crops, road deaths and Raigmore hospital accident and emergency services. Last week's issue contained a personal story from a woman who had been raped some years ago and felt that she had to tell her story. The honesty and openness of that report was appreciated by many people who find their emotions difficult to speak about. The judges also commented on what they described as the paper's "street-fighter mentality", which persuaded it to carry the full text of a lengthy speech by the new chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The centre-page spread broke all the rules of tabloid design and outdid the broadsheets.
Mike Russell mentioned Irene Oldfather's column, but I say to him that it is the ordinary things in life that are reported in local newspapers. I have lost pets as a child and as an adult and remember the grief that that brings to a family. I ask Mike Russell how he would last for a week without his glasses.
I hope that what I said was not interpreted as anything other than an expression of great sympathy for Irene Oldfather about her hamster. I just felt that I would like the opportunity to talk about my hamster if I had one.
Now that Mr Russell has made his marketing pitch, I am sure that the local newspaper will weigh up whether he or Irene Oldfather is best placed to write about such matters.
Further success for the Highland News came when its journalist, Catherine MacGillivray, was highly commended in the weekly news journalist of the year category of the BT Scotland media awards. Nick Hunter, the editor of Highland News, which incorporates Highland News, North Star and the Lochaber News, stated:
"Apart from a great team of journalists who produce the Highland News, a lot of the credit must go to the readers. They phone with their stories, they phone with their worries, they phone when they want a wrong put right and they blow the whistle on injustice, knowing that we will investigate."
So, Donald Wilson and Helen MacRae—
I point out that the Northern Scot, based in Elgin, won the Highland newspaper of the year award for similar reasons.
It did not get in touch with me to inform me of the fact, but I thank Margaret Ewing for telling me.
Local newspapers in the Highlands, as many members have said, are the lifeblood of information about what is on, gossip, problems, history, arts and culture, local achievements and so on—the list is endless. I have concentrated on the Highland News because of its national success—I hope that it goes on to success in the UK finals—but journalists in other local Highland newspapers should also be recognised. For instance, no one disputes what is written in the Inverness Courier, because it has the long-established confidence of people in Scotland.
As members have said, local newspapers are not frightened to express their opinions of prospective parliamentary candidates, MPs and MSPs. The comments of the newspapers on the performance of politicians are probably worth a fair few votes. Local newspapers hold us to account and are a crucial part of the democratic process. All credit to them.
I congratulate Duncan McNeil on securing this debate on an issue that celebrates a vital link between elected members and our communities. Local newspapers provide a key window on our communities.
I make no apology for suggesting that the local paper in my constituency, the Kilmarnock Standard, is exactly the kind of newspaper that is referred to in the motion. I will take members through some of the stories in last week's edition. The front page had a story about a pensioner who had been burgled. Inside were stories about burst water pipes in Stewarton—an issue that has been taking up some of my time—compensation for redecoration from East Ayrshire Council and Sarah Boyack's visit to the bus station, whose refit had been funded by the public transport fund.
The newspaper has chronicled the ups and downs of our local sportsmen and women—although, where Kilmarnock Football Club is concerned, most of the stories have concerned ups—and especially our sporting children. The Kilmarnock Standard's sports staff are certainly fans with typewriters.
Local organisations are given their voice by an excellent group of local correspondents who keep the folks in the various towns, villages and districts of Kilmarnock and Loudoun in touch with what is happening at a local level. The strength of local newspapers is their ability to home in on local issues that have a resonance with local people.
One such issue in Kilmarnock and Loudoun has been the habit of some local politicians—and, indeed, hopeful politicians—to talk the area down when Kilmarnock has been turned around and is beginning to blossom once again. The editor of the Kilmarnock Standard, Alan Woodison, has come up with a major campaign, launched in last week's paper, called "K – Rise and Shine". He said:
"This old town is shaking off that shabby image which characterised years of decay and decline. Instead our ‘rise and shine' campaign will sing the praises of Kilmarnock. We'll fly the flag from our corner of the country with the help of business leaders, decision makers, councillors and most important of all, our readers."
It is that kind of campaigning that local papers excel in. By harnessing the strength and interest of local people, they can make a real difference to their communities and become community leaders in their own right while giving a platform for ordinary people to make their voices heard. They can focus on really local issues and reflect the needs and wishes of all our constituents because they are rooted in their community.
I congratulate and support the Kilmarnock Standard and all local papers in Scotland. I thank Duncan McNeil for providing this opportunity to highlight the good work of our local newspapers.
I thank Duncan McNeil for securing this debate and am happy to accept his comments about the Greenock Telegraph and local papers in general. I strongly endorse the idea that the value of a local newspaper to the whole community it serves is substantial. I am not saying that just because of today's debate. Often, when I speak at local events, I highlight the importance of the local paper, usually starting with some scurrilous stories in which there are misprints, for example "The Sottish Parliament" and "Dear fiends". We make a joke about it, but then come to something of substantial importance and value to the local paper.
In my constituency, I am blessed with a clutch of excellent local papers, including The Border Telegraph, the Peeblesshire News, the Selkirk Weekend Advertiser and the Southern Reporter, which is more of an area paper, with the production values and printing standards that that implies.
Local newspapers perform all sorts of different functions. They give the news and the talk of the steamie. They also give a sense of place and tradition. They bring a sense of local identity: tiny wee villages get their bit in the local newspaper, with the time the village flower show is on or what the local rural institute has been doing, for example. They also provide advertising for local events in their "What's On" sections.
Local newspapers provide promotion for local personalities. I picked up the paper this morning and came across a photograph of a former pupil of mine who is now in America doing great stuff on the basketball scene. It is good for him and for his community. People feel good about that. This week's Peeblesshire News covers the appointment of Samantha Williamson, the Beltane queen—the queen of the local festival. I happened to speak to her grandmother and mother on Friday; they were so pleased and proud. The newspaper coverage gives recognition to the youngster who got that award and accolade. That is good for the community. The paper also covers the St Ronan's principals in the Border games at Innerleithen.
The letters page gives people a voice when councils, developers, the authorities or the Parliament itself do not seem to be listening. It gives people somewhere to let off steam, to get their views heard and to create a discussion around an issue.
The Borders papers also have a very high standard of sports reporting. There are a tremendous number of people involved in the Borders, with teams all over the place. All the games get reported to a high standard, reflecting the real interest in these local events.
The papers also carry weekly features, for example essays about farming, or pawkie local commentaries. As for cookery, the Presiding Officer's lady wife has an excellent column in the Selkirk Weekend Advertiser. Local papers also typically carry such features as a country diary or a nature watch. The Southern Reporter features a beautiful series of evocative photographs by Gordon Lockie of the Scottish Borders.
A vibrant local paper is an integral part of a vibrant local community. We should celebrate it both here and abroad—my sister in Canada reads The Buteman, from our birthplace, and the Southern Reporter on its website. Scottish life is in Scottish newspapers.
I, too, congratulate Duncan McNeil on securing this debate, which recognises the role and importance of local newspapers.
I will focus on a specific issue in my constituency, on which the Springburn Herald and the Glasgow Evening Times have been active: the proposed secure unit at Stobhill hospital. Members will be aware that I have brought that matter to the Parliament on a number of occasions. If it were not for the reporting of the local newspapers and the action of the Parliament, that secure unit would have been built at Stobhill by now. That gives a clear focus on how local newspapers can inform public debate.
The Springburn Herald has also been active through its postcard campaign and a public petition to the Parliament on the acute services review in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area. The Evening Times has informed the debate on the acute services review and has ensured that people in Glasgow are aware of many of the issues that face them as a result of it. Those are two examples of the activity of local newspapers.
Unfortunately—but quite rightly—the children from St Ninian's Primary School have left us to catch their train. The tabloids do not report some of the very positive parts of the Parliament, such as the visit by that school today. Many other primary schools, including one in my constituency, have visited their MSPs. That would not happen to the same extent at Westminster. Such visits are not reported in any of the tabloids, but they are reported in our local newspapers. That is an example of the positive role that local newspapers can play, for which they should be given great credit.
Duncan McNeil touched on the sports coverage of local newspapers. My local junior football teams, Petershill and St Rochs, have had a very successful season. Local newspapers are effective at reporting on such teams, but the tabloids are not very good at reporting on junior football.
I conclude by again congratulating Duncan McNeil on bringing his motion to the chamber. I am sure that all of us look forward to continuing to support our local newspapers.
I am happy to follow Paul Martin. As well as issuing strictures on the tabloids, which sometimes do not cover us well, he could have spoken about a certain newspaper that I think has twice printed the wrong photograph of him. That shows that it is not just local newspapers that occasionally get things wrong.
Local newspapers play a large part in the community. Other members have spoken well about their coverage of local events, sports, flower shows, individual stories and so on: I will be dull and deal with political aspects, as one or two others have done. It is important that we have the greatest possible variety of outlets for political news and views. Local newspapers play a very important part in that, on which they are to be congratulated. I strongly support Duncan McNeil's motion, which will not have done his own local standing any harm.
I will discuss an area to which I think Mike Russell referred. I will not list names of newspapers. As I cover 10 constituencies as a list member, there is a terrible danger that I will miss one newspaper out and get in the dog-house, so I will not mention any.
I want to talk about a serious issue. Historically, the Labour party has been dominant in my area—good luck to it; it won the council elections. If one party is dominant in an area, it is quite difficult for some papers to be as critical of the local council as might otherwise be the case. For example, they might not run with certain issues. We must support them and try to encourage them to be critical. The people who form the establishment—whether they are MPs, MSPs or councillors—must be grown up enough to accept some criticism and comment and columns that support their opponents.
The main question that I will deal with is whether we could help weekly and other local papers to report the Parliament better. There was some discussion of that a couple of years ago, but that debate went away. We could take technical steps that are quite beyond my skills to assist local papers' coverage of the local aspects of parliamentary politics. That would create a counterbalance: many papers concentrate on councils, but the Parliament does quite a lot that is relevant to their local communities.
I would also like to mention the importance of local radio stations and fledgling local television stations. In a sense, they are rivals of the print media, but they are also their successors and are part of the rich fabric of local newsgathering. We should encourage all the people involved in those media and give them as much access to the Parliament as possible. We should also support them when they report the Parliament. We must grin and bear it, even when they put our best press releases in the bucket—that often happens to mine—and agree that, collectively, local papers are a good thing.
I will pick up where Donald Gorrie left off. I strongly believe that local papers provide a good balance in the political debate that goes on in our local areas. Not only do they not pander to ruling council administrations, they take a definite position by trying to suggest alternatives. Whether we like that or not, it adds to a sense of local democracy.
Members may be aware that I was born and brought up in East Kilbride. I believe that our local paper, the East Kilbride News, did something different by forming an identity for a new and developing town—arguably Scotland's most successful new town. It created a local sense of identity, not just through the births, deaths and marriages column but through the campaigning issues that it and other local papers pick up. Local papers are undoubtedly good for a community as they reflect that community's values and allow people to keep in touch with the community.
My local paper has picked up environmental campaigns, such as the green watch campaign. The Transport and the Environment Committee developed the debate about telecommunication masts and members discussed the committee's report in the chamber—we await the Executive's response. Local papers such as the East Kilbride News also campaigned on that issue, bringing it to the attention of all members. When the committee reported its findings to the chamber, many members were aware of those local issues, which added to the Parliament's strength. Without doubt, that is a two-way process.
Local papers also provide a training ground for journalists. The East Kilbride News has its fair share of well-known names who started out as local journalists. Lorraine Kelly is one of the most notable—she is now fairly famous because of her involvement in the media.
Local papers also introduce young people—school children—to the media. We are all familiar with the photographs of primary 1 classes that are carried in newspaper columns, which is a positive introduction to the media for young people. I would argue that that positive introduction is somewhat soured later, by some of the coverage by our more aggressive colleagues in the national media.
Local papers assist people to build a sense of community. Strathaven, which is also in my constituency, is a small and prosperous market town. The Strathaven Echoes provides core information about tourism and entertainment and sells the town and the surrounding area. In the present climate, people have to compete for local spend and I believe that a local paper helps people to spend money in its community. To be frank, even when people are not even thinking of spending money in a particular locality, the local paper can usefully draw attention to events.
Members have mentioned hamsters and so on—there have been some fairly surreal images. Mike Russell told us about "Animal Hospital" rather than hamster wars. His was a fairly interesting speech—I must get hold of Irene Oldfather to see how her hamster is. I hope that she has found her glasses and will be able to read her own column.
At the end of the day, local papers give us an alternative point of view. The letters pages are always interesting for politicians because we get a chance to see what our communities are thinking. Local papers can keep local and national politicians aware of the issues that local people think important. They also form that sense of identity that members have commented on.
I am delighted to have the opportunity to reply to today's important debate, which has been enlightening in more than one sense. Perhaps it has also been slightly worrying, in the sense that, unless Mr Russell is psychic, he predicted—correctly—that I may just make mention of my local newspaper, the Hamilton Advertiser. That makes me worried that Mr Russell might have some kind of access to my ministerial computer and I sense that a story about that may appear in the Hamilton Advertiser, demanding a Standards Committee inquiry. I say to Mr Russell here and now that if, laced throughout that story, there should be a demand that he be thrown in the darkest dungeon while that long inquiry takes place, it has absolutely nothing to do with me.
The debate has been enlightening because, although I was aware that Mrs Godman did not always wear her pager, I am now aware that she does not have a mobile phone. Perhaps we will discuss that subject later this evening.
Like other members, I congratulate Duncan McNeil on securing today's debate. I also congratulate him on using members' business, in his particularly adept fashion, to highlight genuinely local issues, which is what it was intended for.
I am sure that Duncan McNeil, like me, was struck to hear Mr Russell talk about people being on message, but perhaps we will pass that one by.
As the motion says, local papers are an important part of the fabric of communities across Scotland, and it is right and proper that the chamber should recognise the contribution that they make. Our new Parliament has pursued the principles of openness and transparency and provides a level of scrutiny that would, I hope, stand comparison with any legislature anywhere in the world. We all believe in building confidence in our democratic processes, so it is important that we recognise that local newspapers, through a long and proud history, were pursuing those ideals long before the Parliament was established.
I am happy to acknowledge the part that has been played by the Greenock Telegraph in that long and fine tradition. I am reliably informed—admittedly by the man himself—that since Duncan McNeil became a regular contributor to that paper, its relevance and popularity in the local area have grown even further. I am sure that that is true.
Has the circulation risen or fallen because of that?
I am reliably informed that circulation has, literally, gone through the roof.
As politicians are sometimes obsessed by the written national media, it is important to note that local newspapers are more closely read than their national counterparts. Studies show that they are more trusted by their readers, are held longer and have extremely high penetration rates. Famously, The Courier and Advertiser—admittedly more regional than local—used to have more sales than the number of households in its area, due to the Dundonian exile market.
Members may know that some 165 local newspapers operate in Scotland, with circulations that vary from just over 1,000 to well over 100,000. Local newspapers are often the focus for a healthy and intense exchange of views within a local community. People love to see mention of their street, their group, the new intakes at primary schools, bowling club openings, who marries and who, sadly, passes away. As Paul Martin pointed out, rightly, people like to read news of the local groups and schools that visit the new Parliament in Edinburgh.
The Executive has recognised the crucial role that local newspapers will play in providing information about the new democratic arrangements in Scotland. Local newspapers are vital conduits for information. They have always fired what they regard as justifiable criticism and no doubt they will continue to do so. In doing so, they make a special contribution to democracy and debate at the local level. Through a greater involvement in Parliament, I hope that they will do so at the national level. The Executive is committed to working with local newspapers. We want to enhance the quality of the information that they provide for their readers and we continue to recognise their vital role.
Donald Gorrie was right to say that we should examine the mechanisms for assisting local newspapers to cover the activities in Parliament. I am pleased to report that the press office has held a seminar, not only—as has been pointed out—with local newspapers, but with local radio and local television media, to explain the service that it can provide and to examine ways in which it can choose specific information that will be relevant to local readers. That project is continuing. I assure the chamber that we will continue to work on the project over the months and years to come.
Mr Russell must have psychic abilities. I am particularly proud that my local newspaper, the Hamilton Advertiser, has as long and distinguished a history as some other publications in Scotland. It was founded in 1856 and is one of the biggest-selling local newspapers in Scotland, with a circulation of more than 27,000. The paper is widely regarded in Lanarkshire as the county newspaper and was awarded the campaigning newspaper of the year award in 2000 for its hammer the dealers campaign, which targeted local drug pushers. Every member will agree that that topic touches every constituency and town in Scotland. The campaign is a fine example of how local newspapers can pick up extremely important agendas and make a real difference to the quality of life in the areas in which they operate.
I sincerely hope that we all look forward to the ideals and work of Parliament enhancing the fine traditions of local newspapers.
Meeting closed at 16:16.