Improved conditions drive papers' profit

THE Scotsman Publications Limited (TSPL) has swung back into the black after "improved trading conditions" allowed the Edinburgh-based company to reverse past write-downs on the value of its titles.

TSPL - which publishes The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and Edinburgh's Evening News - posted a 2.7 million pre-tax profit in 2010, compared with a loss of 21.1m in 2009. Turnover at the company, which is owned by Johnston Press, fell from 22.9m to 14.9m. Staff numbers decreased from 589 to 407.