Tag: new media

Hold the front page: Rebrand for Scottish Newspaper Society

The trade association for Scotland’s news publishers, the Scottish Newspaper Society, has been renamed Newsbrands Scotland, dropping “newspaper” from its title for the first time in a history stretching back 108 years.

While printed newspapers remain an important part of news publishers’ operations, the name change reflects modern newsrooms which reach far bigger audiences through digital platforms, with news operations working round the clock to deliver news to readers in the format they want, when they want it.

Newsbrands Scotland’s inaugural president, National World plc’s chief commercial officer Mark 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.”

Industry research [TGI, December 2022] shows that nine out of ten adults in Scotland engage with print or digital newsbrands at least once a week and are seven per cent more likely to rely on newspapers to stay informed than UK adults. And according to the latest JICREG analysis, 96 per cent of Scots read a local brand once a month.

Mark added: “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.”

Further research from the news industry marketing body Newsworks reveals people are 2.4 times more likely to find news brands reliable than social media, and three-quarters believe it is important their news comes from a respected and recognised news provider.

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.

“This was a very good example of publishers working together for the benefit of the whole sector in Scotland, whether society members or not,” added John McLellan.

Meet beats tweet when looking for work

‘Getting out there and speaking with people is just as important as being online’ – Grahame Smith, Scottish STUC

job-interviewTechnology may have invaded every aspect of our lives, but new research shows a personal touch is still the best when it comes to getting a job.

The 2014 Employer Perspectives Survey, released today by government skills experts the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), shows that despite the meteoric rise of social media, just 7% of employers say they’ve used it to recruit new staff.

Based on interviews with more than 18,000 employers across the UK, the study reveals that recruitment methods involving the human touch, such as filling vacancies through word of mouth and personal recommendation are still widely used by employers.

Just over one in ten (11%) of employers said they used work experience as a recruitment tool, whilst the number offering a job as a result of a speculative enquiry has more than doubled.

Although the findings may be welcomed by parents who are unconvinced that their offspring’s broadband consumption actually equates to job hunting, the researchers say the findings point to a greater need to hone jobseekers’ social skills.

Grahame Smith, a Commissioner at UKCES and General Secretary of the Scottish TUC said:

Digital skills are crucial in the modern workplace, and while many young people excel in this area, these findings show how important it is for jobseekers to also develop their personal presence. Getting out there and speaking with people is just as important as being online, but it’s more difficult for the digital generation.

That’s why it’s important to break down the barriers between education and employers. By offering simple things like business mentoring, careers talks, work experience and mock interviews, businesses can make a huge difference to the future of young people. Our research shows that whilst only a minority of employers currently work with schools and colleges in this way, the good news is that those that do say it’s easy and rewarding.

Michael Davis, chief executive of UKCES, said:

For those looking for work, making use of social media when job hunting can bring a world of information at the click of a mouse, but when it comes to making that all important first impression it seems there’s no substitute for legwork.

This research shows that what really matters to employers is an opportunity to get face to face with candidates, and get a real understanding of how they tick and what they can offer.

For employers it’s important to not become over-dependent on one form of recruitment. Our research shows that word of mouth is still commonly used to hire staff – but this risks missing out on a huge talent pool just because people don’t happen to be plugged into the right professional networks.

By striking a balance, both sides can benefit. Creating strong links with local education providers is just one way of achieving this, allowing employers to see first-hand what young people can offer, while simultaneously giving young people opportunity to build crucial contacts.

Other findings from the report include:

  • businesses in London and the south-east are most likely to recruit a young person – 32% of employers have recruited a young person in the past 12 months.
  • businesses in the East Midlands, the south-east and the south-west are most likely to have recruited an older person (aged over 50) with 33% of employers reporting they’ve taken on an older member of staff in the past 12 months.
  • nearly half (49%) of hotels and restaurants have recruited young people in the past year, compared with just 13% of employers in the utilities sector.

NEN to lead on local communications project

keyboard (2)

North Edinburgh News (NEN) is to lead Contact in the Capital – North, a pilot programme to improve communications across the Forth and Inverleith areas.

A project board, comprising representatives from community councils, the local Young Peoples Forum and Neighbourhood Partnership conveners has met over recent weeks to agree performance targets with NEN, following a recent Neighbourhood Survey on local communications conducted by North Local Office.

The survey found that local people clearly like many different forms of communication, and get their news from a variety of sources!  As the survey proved inconclusive, NEN will produce both digital and printed media – we plan to produce three newspapers before the end of this financial year and our digital presence will also be improved and enhanced.

And we’ll be working with community councils. schools, youth groups and community organisations to ensure that what we produce is what the communities of Forth and Inverleith want and need – and that it’s interesting, fun and informative.

We’ll be in touch over the coming weeks – and we’ll keep you updated on the blog – but in the meantime we would love to hear your suggestions, ideas and opinions. Why not comment on this article or email northedinnews@gmail.com?