SCOTSMAN, THE

morning daily newspaper published in Edinburgh, widely influential in Scotland and long considered a leading exemplar of responsible journalism. Founded in 1817 as a weekly, it began daily publication in 1855, when the newspaper stamp duty was abolished. The Scotsman was highly innovative in production and distribution; it was the first paper in Europe to own and operate wirephoto equipment and the first newspaper outside London to open an office in Fleet Street in that city. A computer system for editorial and advertising copy became operational in 1987, and a new press opened in 1990. The paper is known for its balanced views and for its insistence on sound reporting on literature and the arts as well as in domestic and foreign news.