Presents the first comprehensive examination of daily and weekly newspapers in Scotland in the century after 1850 Considers the city-based daily papers and the many local weeklies, which were the most extensively read papers throughout most of the period, containing international and national commentary as well as local reports Captures the tone of the papers by focusing on such issues as the American Civil War, parliamentary reform, changing attitudes to politics, empire and social change Considers issues that were regarded as being distinctively Scottish such as attitudes towards education, democracy and religion and how far Scottish newspapers contributed or undermined to the idea of a distinct Scottish identity Examines growth of group ownership of Scottish papers in the 20th century and the reduced role of the local weekly press in shaping opinion and the extent of how far, by the 1940s, papers had changed from those in the 19th century Filling a significant gap in the history of the Scottish press and in Scottish social history, this book draws on a range of sources. It examines the great expansion of Scottish newspapers, following the removal of the 'taxes on knowledge' through to the mid-20th century. W. Hamish Fraser provides the historical basis for meaningful, in-depth study of many different aspects of the Scottish press and adds a new dimension to Scottish historical studies. Through an extensive search of newspapers, the use of local history material and of the limited business and organisational records that are available, he gathers little-known information on the world of Scottish journalism and on the people who provided the mass of the population with their news and tried to shape their attitudes. By focusing on different regions, he moves away from earlier rather sweeping generalisations on a key part of the media in Scotland, and he assesses the extent of continuity and change in a crucial century.