Published Date:
13 March 2009
TORY media spokesman Ted Brocklebank has called on the Scottish Government to re- consider its decision to switch its advertising to the internet in a bid to tackle the financial problems in the newspaper industry.
Brocklebank wrote to enterprise minister Jim Mather asking him to act after Scotsman owner Johnston Press on Wednesday reported pre-tax losses of £429.3 million and said advertising revenues were down 19.5 per cent year on year.
Brocklebank said: "I believe the SNP administration has to address the question of governmental advertising, particularly public notices, many of which are now being switched to the net."
He also highlighted the recent £600m government bail-out to the French media industry.
A spokesman for Mather said: "We recognise that Scotland's newspaper industry is facing a number of challenges in the current climate.
"There is an absolute shared conviction that newspapers still have an important role to play in the economic and democratic fabric of Scotland."
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Last Updated:
12 March 2009 11:34 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
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Related Topics:
Conservative Party
,
Scottish Conservative Party
