The Scottish Newspaper Society has been renamed Newsbrands Scotland.
This means that for the first time in just over a century the body will not have the word newspaper in its name, indicating a move towards the digital output of news organisations.
Newsbrands Scotland reports that research from the news industry marketing body Newsworks indicates that people are 2.4 times more likely to find news brands reliable than social media, and three quarters believe it is important that their news comes from a “respected and recognised news provider”.
Mark Hollinshead the chief commercial officer of National World which owns The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News among others, is the first president of the newly named trade body.
Mr Hollinshead said: ““Our newsbrands reach more people than they ever did in the print-only days and the new name of our trade association reflects the multi-platform reality of the modern newsroom.
“Ever since the advent of the internet, Scottish news publishers have been evolving and innovating to keep their audiences well-served with up-to-the-minute, trusted information and analysis, and the audience figures speak for themselves.
“Scottish newsbrands keep communities across the country well-informed and connected, have a vital role to play in holding national and local politicians to account for the decisions they make, and are an essential means for services, businesses and charities to communicate with their users and customers.”
Newsbrands Scotland director, John McLellan, said “Our titles continue to provide a depth and breadth of coverage that few, if any, networks can match, and the fact that all our members are independently regulated is also vital for maintaining public trust.
“Readers want to know they are being provided with professionally produced news, and our commercial partners benefit because readers recognise they are in a trusted environment.
“News publishers also continue to support and train the journalists of the future, and it’s important for our name to reflect an industry that is always looking forward.”
The rebranding project was a collaborative effort across member companies, with the branding design produced by DC Thomson and the marketing campaign devised by National World, with input from News UK and Newsquest Scotland.
Mr McLellan added: “This was a very good example of publishers working together for the benefit of the whole sector in Scotland, whether society members or not.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
