Orkney merger talks begun

THE owners of Orkney’s two rival weekly papers are in merger talks.

But while staff on both the Orcadian and Orkney Today were told on Friday that talks had begun, it is not clear on what terms they are being conducted.

Enquiries by allmediascotland.com got only so far as to have confirmation of the talks taking place. It is being rumoured that both titles may be be allowed to continue, even if a merger takes place.

The family-owned Orcadian is Orkney’s long-established read, with a sale of just over 10,000 copies. Its colourful rival, financed by the oil firm, the Robertson Group, has sales of more than 6,000.

The Orkney population is a little less than 20,000.

Do the astonishing maths.