Magazine hopes to cash in on paper’s demise

A new fortnightly news magazine called Business Headline is preparing to launch in Scotland next week, writes Ruth Addicott.

The launch is intended to capitalise on the closure of Business a.m. and is, ironically, situated in the building next door.

The 32-page subscription-based title, published by George Knox, managing director of Marcat and owner of the magazine company HMP, will target the business community in Scotland and share a similar format to the company’s existing fortnightly Computer Headline.

John Hatfield (ex-Investors Chronicle) is managing editor. Former Sunday Times business editor Terry Murden and Roland Main (ex-Scotland on Sunday) are also on board.

Knox said: "The demise of Business a.m. will help us because we are aiming at companies in the £10m-50m market. It is not aimed at the corporate business community which is handled by the broadsheets, we are aiming at the real Scottish business community. We certainly don’t think there is any immediate competition because of the format."

He added: "We were planning this prior to the closure of Business a.m. because we felt there was a gap between the dailies and glossy monthlies. The likes of the Glasgow Herald, Sunday Times and Scotland on Sunday only have a couple of pages for business and they have to devote them to plcs. We are focusing on the vast majority of businesses in Scotland." Business Headline will have some national news content, but will concentrate on breaking business stories in Scotland as well as covering companies that have gone into receivership.