View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
November 26, 2007

Individual editors free to take sides, insists Bowdler

By David Rose

Scotsman editor Mike Gilson “ignored” the views of Johnston Press chief executive Tim Bowdler and swung his paper’s support in favour of the Scottish National Party in the elections, Parliament has been told.

Bowdler disclosed to a cross-party committee of peers that he had discussed the paper’s political allegiance before the Holyrood poll, but insisted the company believed editorial freedom was paramount.

He said the Johnston Press board had been interested in what side the paper would support.

‘They asked me what position The Scotsman would take and, in fact, I did talk to Mike about it and we had an interesting discussion, and he ignored my views totally,’Bowdler said.

Gilson told the House of Lords’ communication committee that The Scotsman had broken tradition to support the SNP and a Liberal Democratic coalition.

He said the decision had been based on what they thought about the readership, on what the reporters felt and what they thought was in the interests of the newspaper.

Bowdler and Gilson told peers that the policy of Johnston Press, the third largest regional publisher with 318 titles, enshrined the right of editorial freedom.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

‘We are passionate about seeing that editors are free to edit,’Bowdler said. ‘Their views are paramount.”

Bowdler admitted there had been a number of occasions when advertising revenue had been lost as a direct result of the company’s editorial approach.

Gilson denied claims by the National Union of Journalists that the introduction of modern IT systems left reporters with less time to leave the office to search for stories.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Scott said the NUJ had expressed concern to the peers that journalists were spending less time gathering news.

Gilson told her: ‘I don’t see a decline in the amount of time people are out looking for facts.”

Bowdler said the number of journalists employed by the company had remained constant over the past 10 years and as a proportion of the workforce had increased from 25 to 30 per cent.

“Our newsrooms have stayed local. We believe very fundamentally this business can only succeed and flourish if you have feet on the ground, journalists in local communities, offices in local communities.”

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network