Falkirk Herald
Falkirk Herald is a Scottish regional newspaper brand with a weekly print edition and a daily local news website serving Falkirk and surrounding communities.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Falkirk Herald is a Scottish regional news brand serving Falkirk and neighbouring towns and villages in central Scotland. Its principal product is a weekly newspaper supported by a website that publishes local news, sport, opinion, analysis and current-affairs coverage on a daily basis. The circulation area includes Falkirk, Camelon, Grangemouth, Larbert, Stenhousemuir and Denny, together with communities such as Polmont, Redding, Brightons, Banknock and Bonnybridge. The area represents one of Scotland’s larger urban concentrations and gives the title a strongly defined local-news identity. The paper was established in Glasgow in 1845 by Alexander Hedderwick, a lawyer. Its first edition appeared on 14 August 1845 under the longer title Falkirk Herald and Stirlingshire Monthly Advertiser. Before the end of its first year, the fledgling publication was acquired by Archibald Johnston, whose family had operated a printing business since the eighteenth century. Johnston transferred production to Falkirk, where the first locally printed edition appeared in August 1846. The acquisition made the Herald the first newspaper owned by the Johnston family, a connection that later helped give rise to the Johnston Press regional publishing group. Initially a monthly publication, the Herald became a weekly in 1851. During its early years it campaigned for Falkirk to obtain municipal burgh status, arguing that a modern local authority would be better equipped to organize infrastructure and public services than the existing system of stentmasters. The campaign contributed to the wider civic debate that culminated in parliamentary approval of burgh reforms in 1859. The title subsequently developed a broad community role, reporting local politics, industrial affairs, social events and sport while also organizing or publicizing charitable appeals. The Johnston family remained central to the paper’s ownership and management for many decades. Frederick Johnston became publisher in 1882 and oversaw a major increase in circulation during a period of rising literacy and expanding demand for newspapers. The family firm later broadened its newspaper portfolio across Scotland and England. In 1988, F. Johnston & Company was renamed Johnston Press and became a publicly traded company. The Herald therefore formed part of a regional newspaper group that grew into one of the United Kingdom’s largest publishers of local titles. The brand has also been associated with community fundraising. Its appeals supported Belgian refugees during the First World War, victims of the Redding mining disaster, the purchase of a Spitfire for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and post-war relief for injured service personnel, their families and prisoners of war. These initiatives reinforced the paper’s role as a civic institution rather than merely a commercial publication. The newspaper’s format and production arrangements changed repeatedly in the modern period. Circulation reached its historical high in 1979. Production moved from the long-standing High Street premises to Newmarket Street in 1982, then to Camelon in 2001. In 2010 editorial and advertising staff moved to a new office in Grangemouth, while a smaller Falkirk town-centre presence was retained. In 2011 the newspaper adopted a tabloid format after reader consultation, ending 166 years as a broadsheet, and dropped the Scottish Midlands Journal wording from its masthead. The Herald entered digital publishing in 1996. Its online operation has since been relaunched several times and now complements the print edition with breaking news, local sport, columns and selected newspaper content, as well as social-media distribution. The title has received repeated recognition from the Scottish Press Awards, including Weekly Newspaper of the Year awards in 2000, 2008, 2009 and 2013. After Johnston Press entered administration in November 2018, its newspaper assets, including the Falkirk Herald, were acquired by JPIMedia through a pre-packaged transaction. JPIMedia later became part of National World, which is the current publisher identified for the brand.
History
The Falkirk Herald began publication on 14 August 1845 as the Falkirk Herald and Stirlingshire Monthly Advertiser. It was founded by Alexander Hedderwick, a Glasgow-based lawyer, but was sold within its first year to Archibald Johnston. Johnston came from a family with a long-established printing business and moved production to Falkirk, where the first locally printed issue appeared on 13 August 1846. The title became the first newspaper acquired by the Johnston family, whose expanding publishing interests eventually developed into Johnston Press. The Herald changed from monthly to weekly publication in 1851 and appointed its first full-time editor, J. Finlay. During its first decade it supported Falkirk’s campaign for municipal burgh status. The newspaper argued that a modern council would improve administration and enable investment in services such as roads and water infrastructure. Parliamentary legislation approving the change was passed in 1859. After Archibald Johnston’s death in 1877, ownership passed through his sons. Frederick Johnston became publisher in 1882 and remained in that role for 53 years. Under his leadership, circulation rose substantially, benefiting from higher literacy and the growing market for newspapers. Johnston also established the Linlithgow Gazette in 1891. The writer Neil Munro briefly worked for the Herald as a journalist in 1890. In 1909 the staff moved into a purpose-built two-storey office on Falkirk High Street. The newspaper developed an important charitable and civic identity during the twentieth century. It raised money for Belgian refugees during the First World War, assisted families affected by the Redding pit disaster in 1923, and organized a wartime appeal to fund a Spitfire named The Falkirk Bairn. After the Second World War it created a relief fund for wounded service personnel, their families and prisoners of war. In the early 1920s the masthead became The Falkirk Herald and Scottish Midlands Journal, reflecting readership beyond Falkirk. Publication arrangements also included a Saturday edition and a smaller Wednesday pictorial issue. Frederick Mair Johnston became managing director of the parent company in 1936 and oversaw its expansion from two newspapers to 24. His son, Frederick Patrick Mair Johnston, later chaired the company until retiring in 2001 and guided acquisitions outside Scotland, including the Derbyshire Times and titles in other English regions. Circulation peaked in 1979, when the paper’s production was threatened by a printers’ strike. The Herald left its historic High Street premises in 1982 and moved to Newmarket Street. In 1988, F. Johnston & Company was renamed Johnston Press and floated on the stock exchange. The newspaper marked its 150th anniversary in 1995, receiving messages of congratulations from senior public figures. The first Falkirk Herald website was established in 1996. Production and printing moved to Camelon in 2001, and editorial and advertising staff relocated to Grangemouth in 2010, with a smaller town-centre office retained in Falkirk. In 2011 the title moved to tabloid format following reader consultation and removed the Scottish Midlands Journal wording from its masthead. Its digital service subsequently developed into a daily local news and sports operation with social-media channels. The newspaper won Scottish Press Awards Weekly Newspaper of the Year in 2000, 2008, 2009 and 2013. In November 2018 Johnston Press announced that it would enter administration after failing to secure refinancing. JPIMedia acquired the group’s titles the following day through a pre-packaged deal with creditors. The Falkirk Herald is now published by National World and continues to operate as a weekly print title with a daily digital news presence.
- 2018
Ownership transfers after Johnston Press administration
[1]JPIMedia acquired Johnston Press titles, including the Falkirk Herald, after the former publisher entered administration.
- 2013
Scottish Press Awards recognition
[1]The Herald won Weekly Newspaper of the Year, adding to earlier wins in 2000, 2008 and 2009.
- 2011
Tabloid relaunch
[1]The paper ended its broadsheet run and relaunched in tabloid format; the Scottish Midlands Journal wording was removed from the masthead.
- 2001
Production moves to Camelon
[1]Printing and newspaper production moved to Camelon, a Falkirk suburb.
- 1996
First website launched
[1]The Herald entered online publishing with a website established by chief reporter Graeme Smith.
- 1995
150th anniversary
[1]The newspaper celebrated 150 years of publication on 14 August.
- 1988
Parent company becomes Johnston Press
[1]F. Johnston & Company was renamed Johnston Press and floated on the stock exchange.
- 1979
Circulation reaches historical peak
[1]The Herald’s circulation reached its recorded high during a period that also saw production threatened by industrial action.
- 1940
Spitfire fundraising appeal
[1]A reader appeal funded a Royal Air Force Spitfire named The Falkirk Bairn, which entered service in 1941.
- 1909
Purpose-built High Street office opens
[1]The newspaper staff moved into a new two-storey office in Falkirk High Street.
Products and positioning
A community-focused regional newspaper and digital news service combining local reporting, sport, opinion, analysis and civic engagement for Falkirk and surrounding central Scottish communities.
Regional print newspaper · 1845
Falkirk Herald weekly newspaper
The core print publication is a weekly regional newspaper focused on Falkirk and nearby central Scottish communities. It combines local reporting with coverage of councils, community affairs, business, public issues, sport, events, opinion and human-interest stories. The title historically appeared as a broadsheet before adopting tabloid format in 2011 after consultation with readers.
Digital local news · 1996
Falkirk Herald website
The digital service extends the newspaper’s local coverage through daily updates, breaking news, sport, columns and material originating in or related to the print edition. It also distributes content through social-media channels, allowing the brand to maintain a continuous news presence between weekly print issues.
Marketing campaigns
- 1945Falkirk Herald War Relief Fund
Falkirk area
After the war, the newspaper created a relief fund for injured soldiers, their families and prisoners of war.
Outcome. The fund provided post-war charitable assistance to the identified groups.
- 1940The Falkirk Bairn Spitfire appeal
Falkirk area
The Herald appealed to readers to help fund a Spitfire for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
Outcome. The aircraft was built and entered service in 1941 under the name The Falkirk Bairn.
- 1923Redding pit disaster appeal
Falkirk area
Following the Redding mining disaster, the Herald asked readers to support victims and their families.
Outcome. The appeal raised substantial community support for those affected.
- 1914Belgian refugee appeal
Falkirk · United Kingdom
The newspaper organized a fundraising appeal for Belgian refugees during the First World War.
Outcome. The appeal received formal thanks from the King of Belgium.
- 1859Municipal burgh campaign
Falkirk
During its first decade, the Herald campaigned for Falkirk to receive municipal burgh status. The newspaper presented the reform as a way to replace ineffective medieval local administration and enable investment in roads, water and other urban services.
Outcome. Parliament passed legislation implementing the change in 1859.
Brand decisions
2018
Transfer to JPIMedia after Johnston Press administrationM&ABackground
Johnston Press entered administration after failing to find a buyer able to refinance its debt.
Action taken
JPIMedia acquired the Johnston Press newspaper titles, including the Falkirk Herald, through a pre-packaged transaction with creditors.
Aftermath
The title continued under new ownership and subsequently became part of National World’s publishing portfolio.
2011
Switch from broadsheet to tabloidStrategyBackground
The newspaper had used broadsheet format for 166 years and consulted readers about its coverage and presentation.
Action taken
Management announced that the following week’s edition would adopt tabloid format and removed the Scottish Midlands Journal wording from the masthead.
Aftermath
The title continued under the shorter Falkirk Herald name in a more compact print format.
Sources1 sources
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