New title starts at a discount

Business AM, the Scottish newspaper being launched by Sweden’s Bonnier Group today (Wednesday) is to offer a subscription discount.

The paper, which is published on weekdays, has a cover price of 60p but a year’s subscription costs &£130.

Jim Chisholm, managing director of Business AM’s publisher, Business Media Scotland, says: “We are offering a slight discount. At the moment, we are also offering subscribers a range of other benefits.”

These include economic forecasts from the Fraser of Allender Institute, which is part of Strathclyde University, access to databases of various companies from Inter Company Comparisons, and access to archive news and information on the newspaper’s website.

Chisholm hopes Business AM will achieve a settle-down circulation of 30,000 after four years and an initial target circulation of 16,000.

He also believes 20 to 30 per cent of the circulation for the first year will come from subscribers, rising to 80 per cent after four years.

A mailing is being sent to 250,000 of Scotland’s top working people as part of the launch marketing programme, which also includes TV and poster advertising. The campaign has been created by The Leith with media through JT Media.

The newspaper is likely to come up against stiff competition from The Scotsman, which has boosted its business coverage in time for the launch.