NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Use 10 November 2009 FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWSPAPERS Perthshire Conservatives have called on Perth & Kinross Council and other Scottish local authorities to continue advertising public notices in newspapers, instead of posting them online, in order to help safeguard local newspapers that serve Perthshire. Mid-Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser and Conservative Candidate for Perth & North Perthshire Peter Lyburn are concerned that it has been estimated that newspaper income across Scotland could drop by £10 million if public notices are transferred to the internet. Commenting, Murdo Fraser said: “I believe it is vital that local authorities continue to advertise public notices in newspapers, instead of posting them solely online. I want to see public notices continue to be displayed in newspapers so that as many people as possible can view them. Local authorities must remember that many people still do not access the internet regularly or at all and that is why public adverts must continue to be published in local newspapers. “Here in Perthshire we are served by quality local newspapers who provide all the necessary information that residents require. Our local and regional newspapers have an extremely high readership base, which underlines the importance of these newspapers.” Conservative Candidate for Perth & North Perthshire Peter Lyburn said: “It is worrying that newspapers could lose £10 million annually if local authorities decided to advertise solely online. This would be a massive blow to an industry where the future of many operators is already questionable and I do not want to see any local or regional newspapers in Perthshire adversely affected. “I am disappointed that the SNP Government has done nothing to assure the industry that Scottish Government advertising will continue to be placed in newspapers. The SNP is letting down Scotland’s important and proud newspaper heritage as advertising revenue from Government and local authorities has been crucial to the newspaper business for a number of years. I believe that the SNP Government must commit the Government to using newspapers to advertise public notices as a matter of urgency.” ENDS   back to top of page