By stewartb:
The article in The Scotsman on 22 May under the headline ‘The idea that Scotland has handled Covid well is a PR con job’ was no doubt carefully constructed – let’s use the term ‘fabricated’ – by its author, Kevin Christie.
The article is typical, perhaps a classic, of its genre. But why does it deserve such an accolade? Simply because, as is common nowadays, it has been comprehensively demolished by a ‘mere’ citizen journalist fully exploiting the research resources of … just ‘himself’!
When the TuSC reports on ‘NINE ways Scotland HAS handled Covid-19 pandemic better’ and moreover provides explicit references to independent sources to back up each claim, the contrast between citizen journalism and so-called journalism in The Scotsman becomes stark.
Source: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/05/23/nine-ways-scotland-has-handled-covid-19-pandemic-better/
Why have we reached this ‘pretty pass’: why is this so much the norm?
Is this newspaper so convinced that its remaining circulation – and its survival – depends on pumping out polemics with anti-SNP, anti-Scottish independence, anti-Scottish Government messages in various combinations? Is it convinced that the majority of its readership will only pay money for its journalism if they see these ‘anti-‘ buttons repeatedly pressed? It certainly seems so.
And in the past they must remain …’
And now The Scotsman is clearly content to pursue this commercial tactic by attempting to undermine public trust in the Scottish Government and Scotland’s heath system in the midst of a deadly public health emergency.
I wonder how many readers of The Scotsman would care that Mr Christie’s polemic – which they are paying for after all – is so easily demolished by a citizen journalist’s fact-based response? On the range of Scotland’s polity, do they not want to read more authoritative, defensible accounts; access robust and challenging evidence; gain new and different insights; be given proper ‘context’?
If The Scotsman is acting on a corporate view that its readership lacks the appetite for any of the foregoing benefits, will these readers ever wake up and realise how disrespectful and patronising to them this really is? Or is The Scotsman right, that there is still a sufficient market for its product among those whose engrained ‘belief system’ is too fragile to want, or to cope with, anything else from it – and is satisfying that demand now the extent of The Scotsman’s ambition?
Footnote: anyone with experience of visiting Edinburgh during the weeks of the International Book Festival may wonder with me how The Scotsman will cope this year following the Festival’s cancellation without the ‘boost’ to circulation from selling off piles of ‘goodie bags’ along with a copy of the paper daily at the entrance to the Charlotte Square venue. The combination of a rag with tat never appealed to me but the piles did seem to disappear!
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Plus I think people get so used to the “news” being delivered to them in easily digested chunks. They read the headline and skim the rest. You’ve pointed out many times how Editors know that, and make sure the piece has a sensational, often very misleading headline.
It could be called “dumbing down”.
Now, I love your posts. Nine Reasons… great I think, let me read them all. But will many others (and I hope I’m not being patronising to them) just say, Wow! No Way…too hard. I might have to think? They want the medium to do their thinking for them. And so they are easily influenced. And so they vote for the Union / The Tories.
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I guess with no requirement to disclose the ABC circulation figs we shall just have to hope their demise comes sooner rather than later.
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With all libraries closed, their circulation will have been further reduced.
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I bought a newspaper titled The Scotsman for two decades.
That newspaper is gone, ransacked and pillaged by successive owners till it was no more.
Rest in peace, Scotsman—an imposter has taken your place–but not in our hearts
I remain convinced the Hootsmon is funded by MI5. Or the City. Or the Yookay. Or the spooks.
Doesn’t matter—it’s a colonial agitprop outlet for Brit Natz.
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Agree completely with your second last paragraph gavin. That is why this rag, and it’s ilk, will never be allowed to cease to exist. They are the mouthpiece of the British Establishment, determined at all costs to prevent the wealth of Scotland not being available to them to do as they wish.
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Thats why the circulation figures arent being made public.
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> I wonder how many readers of The Scotsman would care that Mr Christie’s polemic …
I think his polemic aligns fairly well with the readership the Scotsman aims at. Horses for courses. This horse’s legs are running out of energy. We’re currently at fence 4 or 5 on the second circuit and it’s likely to fall at Bechers brook.
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> the piles did seem to disappear!
If you look at the Bookfest’s clientele, there are loads of non-Scottish visitors who would be unaware of the Scotsman’s diminishing reputation. And people from well-off suburbs such as morningside are well represented. I doubt any of the latter would go anywhere near the comments never mind the website.
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