Bella goes National

tn-bc-2-png-galleryWe’re delighted to today announce the launch of a new 24-page monthly magazine in partnership with the National newspaper focused on social, politics and cultural analysis coupled with regular reports from some of the country’s best writers, launching next weekend.

The National editor Callum Baird said: “Scotland needs The National and Bella Caledonia to bring balance and plurality to the news media in Scotland. We’re up against a relentless tide of overwhelmingly Unionist news outlets, and it’s important to fight back with recognised pro-independence voices.

“This partnership gives our regular Saturday audience an additional content platform in the form of a magazine, and allows Bella Caledonia to reach a whole new audience.

“Led by The National, the YES media in Scotland is thriving, and it’s important that we all do our bit to support each other in reaching as many people as possible in as many ways we can. The new ‘Bella Caledonia’ magazine will be carried in The National on the first Saturday of every month providing more content, more value and more views for our readers to enjoy.”

This is the first of a series of announcements of new projects and partnerships as Bella Caledonia re-launches in anticipation of the real possibility of a second independence referendum.

It’s essential that the alternative media works together, forges alliances and shows solidarity and imagination to progress our future. We deliberately haven’t created an appeal for public support, and won’t do that until people see the full programme of work we envisage over the years ahead.

It’s more important that ever that Scotland has a pluralist, outward-looking media, and it’s exciting to partner with the National that will help us create a regular print version of Bella Caledonia reaching new audiences who perhaps aren’t online.

The challenge for pro-indy media outlets, of whatever shape and size, is to reach new audiences and engage with new people. This partnership is just one of several strands to our strategy to do this and to build alliances with creative voices across the country. We’ll be announcing further details soon but the plans include a new website for Bella as well as opportunities for fresh talent and new voices to be heard through our platform. The challenge is not just to replay the first referendum louder, but to bring new perspective to the fast-changing political landscape and re-articulate a vision for an independent Scotland that is based on social justice and ecological viability. This will mean breaking from the damaging traditions and straight-jacket of the British state but also re-imagining a Scottish economy and a deeper trans-formative shift to a new society.

Bella Caledonia launched ten years ago and it’s important to progress and develop over time. This is a new exciting new element to Bella’s publishing future and to try and make a space for public debate and ideas discussing Scotland’s future.

Comments (36)

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  1. peterarnott says:

    Woop

  2. Steve Bowers says:

    Sounds like something handy to leave lying around in Hairdressers for the old ladies to read and perhaps think a little differently ( after I’ve read it myself of course )

    1. Me Bungo Pony says:

      What are you doing in hairdressers frequented by little old ladies Steve??? 🙂

    2. punklin says:

      Well done – sexist AND ageist.h

      1. Me Bungo Pony says:

        Sorry. It was just a wee bit of fun …. I thought.

        1. punklin says:

          I meant him (Bowers) not you.

  3. Fionnghal says:

    ‘S math sin, :-), fìor mhath, ach, am bi colbh Gàidhlig ann? Chan eil iad a’ nochdadh air Bella fhèin idir tric gu leòr. 🙁

    1. An Gille Ruadh says:

      Tha mi a’ dol leat, fhad ‘s gur e sgrìobhadh susbainteach a tha ann, coltach ris na colbhan a chì sinn san National Dimàirt.

  4. David Mccann says:

    Copy press release to all MSM, including STV, BBC TV and radio, C4 and Al Jazeera UK etc.

  5. Elaine Fraser says:

    Exciting!

  6. bringiton says:

    A good fit in my mind,since I subscribe to both publications.
    Perhaps some of the people who have been putting the National down as a unionist Trojan horse will rethink their position and who knows,put their hands in their pockets as well.

  7. c rober says:

    The battle begins , hot on the backs of MAY and her contempt for Scotland , and just today the Westminster order to all fiscal departments to cut budgets by 6 percent… hmm I wonder why.

    IS there a big fat bribe being made up for the vow II , or cutting budgets due to the loss of Scottish income projected , or is it to find the money for Brexit , or indeed the London based european passport?

    Like the wee guy said ” the times they are a changin”.

  8. kevin brown says:

    Well done!

  9. Eman says:

    Glè mhath!
    Tha mi ag aontachadh le Fionnghal – an dòchas gum bi colbh (no dhà!) Gàidhlig ann gach mìos.
    Great!

  10. Valerie says:

    Well done, sounds interesting, and will look out for this. We do need variety!
    Much luck.

  11. James Mills says:

    Let’s hope it is a publication that is attractive and accessible to all manner of people and not too ‘up itself’ , talking only to a sort of literati who have little connection with ordinary people – and I don’t mean dumbing down to the lowest common denominator .

  12. kate macleod says:

    good news

  13. Asty Taylor says:

    Aye, good.
    Time especially to engage with the younger generations.

  14. Bill Melvin says:

    Another step in the evolution of our media in Scotland. Hope it proves to be yet another quality vehicle where people can find the real news. Look forward to buying it on Saturday and hope a new price reflecting the added value will help build further on progress.

  15. Dominic says:

    This means Bella is now officially part of the MSM – congratulations. Or does MSM only apply to those you disagree with?

  16. john says:

    Just don’t lead us down the “vote Green to help the SNP ” road again , that cost us a majority government .

    1. There’s not a Holyrood election till 2020, and this is a hugely positive development at a key time in our politics… but you know .. feel free to just …

      1. John says:

        ….comment, I just did!

  17. douglas clark says:

    Fascinating. May you both grow together.

  18. G Kirk says:

    Fantastic news – looking forward to the first issue. Great to see Bella’s thoughts getting out to another section of society. The online presence is important but we need to reach those less used to getting information online as well. Good luck with it!

    1. Thanks – yes that was our thinking too. Being aware of our silos and how to speak beyond them is essential

  19. Willie says:

    There is unfinished business and its great to see the National and Bella coming together to staunch the tide of poison coming from the MSM. And a good read too from both if I may say. Saor Alba.

  20. John McCall says:

    Very best wishes. This is exciting!

  21. David G says:

    Think the synergy between both will work really well. Looking forward to seeing this in print too as Bella has some nicely styled themes. Be interesting to see the blend on paper as well as pixels.

  22. Doubting Thomas says:

    I am at a loss to see how you will reach other sections of society with this venture.
    The National’s circulation has been in free fall due to its very appeal to any normal newspaper reader.
    Like it’s mother paper it has fallen into the trap of pandering to west end left wing trendies who support Indy.
    A sure recipe for failure.
    The mood of the country who Wee Nicola says she speaks for seems to be stuck…..there is no majority support for a further referendum.
    Even if there was the numbers don’t seem to have changed enough to comvince her she can win.

    1. Me Bungo Pony says:

      ALL newspapers circulations are in free-fall. Not sure what The National’s figures are now but I suspect they may be rising. If only because it seems to be more prevalent in outlets, with larger numbers of copies being on offer that quickly sell out. But that may be just a perception I admit.

      As to the mood of the country, support for Independence is roughly 49-50% while support for a referendum by 2018 is also about 49-50% (if you believe polls). Support for holding a referendum is effectively meaningless though, especially after it has been called. People will just get on with it.

      But it has to be remembered, support for Independence was arguably only at about 25% when the last referendum was called and we came within a whisker of winning it after a long campaign. While NO (and especially the Tories) have never ceased to campaign against Independence since 2014, the YES campaign effectively stopped. But support for Independence has apparently increased slightly despite this. There is every possibility that support for Independence will rise substantially when YES actually start campaigning in earnest, especially after Article 50 is invoked and the £ starts to tank.

      All in my opinion of course.

      1. Doubting Thomas says:

        Don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion eh?
        The National in 2015 was selling just over 15000 copies.
        Only last week Wings over Scotland printed the latest stats for Scotland which showed the National was down to 12000.
        In your opinion what percentage of the electorate does this reach?
        As the argument for a referendum will ultimately be decided by Westminster I think the mood of the people of Scotland towards a referendum will count a great deal.
        In fact if Westminster can point to public opinion being so against one then they will abide by the wishes of the people.
        In essence then they would not be denying the people of Scotland but simply complying with their wishes.
        Wee Nicola has nowhere to go with this and her incompetence across government is being shown up on daily basis so must carry on in the pretext this might happen however she already knows that the uncertainty caused by Brexit is having a huge effect in peoples views.
        A referendum is looking like a gamble too far for those of us in secure employment especially given the lack of any clear answers on the outstanding issues on currency and finance.
        If she continues to push for a referendum against the majority of public opinion she will lose even more support.
        May has already sussed this hence her speech last week.

        1. Doubting Thomas says:

          Just watched Sunday Politics Scotland and they must have read my post from earlier!

  23. Doubting Thomas says:

    Oops missed out limited before appeal.

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