Circulations fall as Trinity Mirror job cuts reach Scottish news titles
Trinity Mirror is to axe 43 jobs in Scotland as it prepares to scale down the operation of the Scottish Daily Mirror.
The decision to cut jobs – which affects both the Daily Record and the Scottish Daily Mirror – has also prompted the company to close its Aberdeen office. The Scottish Daily Mirror will run with a skeleton staff, and the newspaper group hopes to deploy staff to its London office.
A spokeswoman for Trinity Mirror said that the Scottish Mirror would not be closing. “The changes follow a review designed to safeguard the business in the face of challenging economic conditions,” she said.
Scottish newspapers are suffering one of the worst downturns in revenues in recent years. Circulation is falling on all but one of the Scottish dailies. The Daily Record – in the period from November 2004-2005 – has seen its circulation fall from 439, 887 to 415, 517. The Scottish Daily Mirror has dropped from 54,380 to 44,979. The only daily enjoying an increase is The Scottish Sun, which has risen by 4 per cent to 356, 716.
The quality dailies are also suffering. The Scotsman has fallen from 66,537 to 63, 942. The Herald – which has just lost its editor Mark Douglas Home – has also slipped from 79, 066 to 75,665.
Although a replacement for Douglas Home has yet to be found, it is thought Newsquest – the owners of The Herald – is keen for the paper to follow The Scotsman and go compact.