The Shetland Times

The Shetland Times is a weekly newspaper serving the Shetland Islands in Scotland. Commonly known locally as The Times, it publishes its main edition on Fridays and is based in Lerwick, the islands’ principal town. Established in 1872, it is one of Shetland’s longstanding news institutions and, according to the cited reference material, the islands’ only surviving print newspaper. The publication’s role extends beyond routine local reporting. A geographically dispersed island community depends on local journalism to cover public institutions, local government, business, fishing, transport, community organisations, culture, sport, and events that receive limited attention from national media. The newspaper has therefore functioned as both a commercial media product and an important civic record of Shetland life. Its audience is concentrated in the islands, although its website provides a digital channel for readers elsewhere. For more than a century, ownership remained with the same family. That continuity was a defining feature of the title’s identity and helped distinguish it from many regional newspapers that had become part of larger publishing groups. The business nevertheless faced the structural pressures affecting local newspapers across the United Kingdom, including declining print circulation, changing reader habits, and the shift of advertising and news consumption toward digital platforms. The available reference material records a substantial fall in print sales. Around 11,000 copies were sold weekly as recently as 2015, a level described as roughly half of the islands’ total population. By 2024, print sales had declined to approximately 3,400 copies, with a year-on-year decrease of about 9 percent. Although this decline was reported as less severe than the average fall experienced by many national newspapers, it placed pressure on the newspaper’s existing operating model. In April 2025, the title was put up for sale amid warnings that it could close if a purchaser was not found. In June 2025, Highland News and Media acquired The Shetland Times. Highland News and Media also publishes the John O’Groat Journal and the Northern Times, giving the buyer experience in regional newspaper operations in northern Scotland. The transaction preserved the jobs of the newspaper’s five journalists and two advertising staff. The ownership change also altered production arrangements. Before the sale, the paper was printed locally by a sister company in Gremista. Under Highland News and Media, printing was planned to move to the Scottish mainland. That change may increase the time required to deliver printed copies, particularly when sea conditions disrupt transport between mainland Scotland and Shetland. The newspaper consequently operates in a market where logistics, geography, declining print demand, and the need for digital publishing are closely connected. The Shetland Times competes for attention with online-only Shetland News, BBC Radio Shetland, and other journalists and media outlets reporting from the islands. Its distinctive position remains its dedicated weekly print edition and its established local brand, combined with online publishing through its website. Its present status is active, but its long-term development depends on adapting the historic title to changing patterns of local news consumption while preserving coverage that is specifically relevant to Shetland.

The Shetland Times was established in 1872 and developed into a central local newspaper for the Shetland Islands. Its principal base has been Lerwick, the main town and administrative centre of the archipelago. Published weekly on Fridays, the newspaper has traditionally combined local news with reporting on public affairs, community life, business, culture, sport, and events across the islands. For much of its existence, The Shetland Times was associated with stable family ownership. The cited reference material states that the same family owned the title for more than a century, an unusually long period of continuity in a newspaper sector increasingly shaped by consolidation and corporate ownership. That independent or family-linked character formed part of the paper’s local identity, while its geographic focus gave it a distinct role within Scottish regional journalism. The newspaper’s commercial position was supported for many years by a strong local readership. Around 11,000 copies were sold weekly in 2015, reportedly equivalent to about half of Shetland’s population. Like other print newspapers, however, it subsequently faced competition from digital news, changing reader behaviour, and pressure on print advertising. By 2024, weekly print sales were reported at roughly 3,400 copies, representing a substantial reduction from the 2015 level and a year-on-year fall of approximately 9 percent. The business entered a decisive period in 2025. In April, The Shetland Times was put up for sale, accompanied by warnings that the publication might close if no purchaser emerged. The situation highlighted the particular vulnerability of island newspapers: a small population limits scale, while transport and production costs can be high. At the same time, the loss of a dedicated local title would have reduced the amount of regular reporting focused specifically on Shetland. In June 2025, Highland News and Media acquired the newspaper. The purchaser publishes other regional titles, including the John O’Groat Journal and Northern Times. The sale secured the newspaper’s continuation and saved the jobs of its five journalists and two advertising staff. It also ended the long period of family ownership described in the reference material. The acquisition brought an operational change to production. Before the transaction, the newspaper was printed locally by a sister company at Gremista. Under the new ownership, printing was to be carried out on the Scottish mainland. Mainland production may create additional delivery time, especially when rough weather or poor sea conditions affect transport links to the islands. This change illustrates the practical constraints of maintaining a printed newspaper in an island market. The Shetland Times now operates alongside several other sources of local information, including the online-only Shetland News, BBC Radio Shetland, and journalists working for other outlets. Its continuing value rests on its established brand, its regular print presence, and its ability to provide dedicated local coverage through both print and digital channels. The newspaper remains active, although its future business model must balance the heritage of a 19th-century weekly title with the realities of declining print circulation and a changing regional media environment.

• 2025

  The newspaper is offered for sale

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  The title is put up for sale in April amid a warning that it could close without a buyer.

• 2025

  Highland News and Media becomes owner

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  Highland News and Media acquires The Shetland Times in June, preserving the newspaper and its newsroom and advertising jobs.

• 2024

  Print sales reported at approximately 3,400 copies

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  Weekly print sales are reported to have declined to about 3,400 copies, with an annual fall of roughly 9 percent.

• 2015

  Weekly sales reported at approximately 11,000 copies

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  The cited reference material records weekly sales of around 11,000 copies, approximately half of Shetland’s total population.

• 2008

  Paul Riddell succeeds Jonathan Lee

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  Paul Riddell, previously assistant editor of The Scotsman, succeeds Jonathan Lee as editor.

• 2006

  Jonathan Lee becomes editor

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  Jonathan Lee, formerly of the Aberdeen Evening Express, begins a period as editor.

• 1872

  The newspaper is established

  [1]The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org

  The Shetland Times is founded as a newspaper serving the Shetland Islands.

A longstanding, locally focused weekly newspaper and digital news outlet for the Shetland Islands, combining community journalism with advertising and public-interest reporting.

• Print newspaper · 1872

  The Shetland Times weekly edition

  The core product is a weekly newspaper published on Fridays for readers across the Shetland Islands. It provides locally focused reporting and commentary covering public affairs, community organisations, business, culture, sport, and island life. The edition historically benefited from local printing, although production was planned to move to the Scottish mainland after the 2025 acquisition.

• Digital news

  The Shetland Times website

  The newspaper’s website extends the brand beyond the Friday print edition by providing an online presence for Shetland news and information. It serves island residents, people with connections to Shetland, and readers who cannot readily obtain the printed newspaper. The reference material identifies the website as the publication’s principal online channel.

• Advertising service

  Local advertising

  The Shetland Times sells advertising associated with its local print and digital audience. Its concentrated geographic readership makes the brand relevant to businesses, organisations, and public-facing services seeking visibility within the Shetland Islands. Advertising operations formed part of the staff retained after the 2025 ownership change.

• 2025

  Sale to Highland News and MediaM&A

  Background

  Declining print sales and the financial pressure on the family-owned newspaper led to the title being offered for sale in April 2025, with closure a possibility if no buyer was found.

  Action taken

  Highland News and Media acquired The Shetland Times in June 2025. The deal retained five journalists and two advertising staff.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition kept the newspaper operating but ended the reported century-long family ownership period and transferred it into a regional publishing group.

  Source

• 2025

  Move of printing to the Scottish mainlandStrategy

  Background

  Before the acquisition, the newspaper was printed locally by a sister company in Gremista.

  Action taken

  Under Highland News and Media, printing was planned to move to a facility on the Scottish mainland.

  Aftermath

  Mainland production may add distribution time and increase exposure to delays caused by poor sea conditions, although it changes the production structure under the new owner.

  Source

1. 1The Shetland Timesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Shetland Times official websiteshetlandtimes.co.uk