ARE you thinking about taking out a print subscription to Scotland’s only pro-independence newspaper and wondering how it works? Here are some of your Frequently Asked Questions.
Why should I take out a print subscription to The National?
THERE are THREE major reasons to sign up to a print subscription. First, you get 25% off the price of the newspaper – that’s £92 a year you’ll save! Even if you sometimes miss the odd edition, you will end up better off!
Second, you will receive a free Wee Ginger Dug cuddly toy which you can’t buy anywhere else! Third, your subscription will count towards the targets in our 10,000 Steps campaign.
What’s the 10,000 steps campaign?
WE have pledged to directly invest in the campaign for Scotland’s independence if we reach key subscriber targets. If we make it to 10,000 (we’re currently at about 6500), we’ll be able to employ a full-time video journalist for the Yes movement; launch a Unionist fact-checking service; employ a full-time digital journalist to work with local Yes groups on local content; and deliver a glossy pro-independence magazine to every town in Scotland. You can find out more on our website at: www.thenational.scot/10000steps. If only half of our current print readers subscribed to the paper, we’d hit our target.
How do I subscribe?
YOU just need to call 0141 302 7300 during working hours and we’ll talk you through it. Alternatively, email us at enquiries@nationalsubs.scot.
How do I get my paper every day if I sign up to a subscription?
YOU’LL pay us by direct debit, and we’ll send you out vouchers which you’ll use to buy the paper from your local shop in the same way as you do now. It doesn’t even have to be the same shop every day – you can use them anywhere. If you get your paper delivered from the same place, you can just give your full book of vouchers to your retailer
as payment.
That’s good, because I want to support my local shop…
WELL, you’ll actually be helping them even more with a print subscription. Not only does the shopkeeper receive the same cut from the price of the full paper, but we also pay them a small handling fee to take the vouchers.
What are the vouchers and how do I get them?
WE will post you out a book of vouchers shortly after you subscribe. We will do this every three months. You don’t ever need to print anything out.
Does the subscription include the Sunday National?
YES! All six editions of the daily paper plus the Sunday National are included in the price.
Does it include digital access to the website?
NOT at the moment, no. If we include digital access, we would have to pay VAT on the full price – making it financially unworkable. Print newspapers are exempt from VAT, but that’s not the case for digital editions. There may be moves afoot to change that (the recent Cairncross Review has recommended that this happens), and we may reassess this if and when these changes are made.
What’s in it for The National?
WE’LL know where you are – meaning we can manage the supply of our papers much better. Depending on how many people sign up, we also will be able to invest in our journalism via our innovative 10,000 Steps campaign as detailed. We’ve always said that if we reach 10,000 subscribers, the future of our newspapers will be completely secure. Signing up for a print subscription really will help us deliver independence.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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