A new weekly paper for Orkney, giving the island a second weekly paper for the first time in 40 years, is ready to launch in three weeks.

Orkney Today is the brainchild of freelance photographer Ken Amer, who hopes the new title will give islanders the choice they have been waiting for.

It will be on sale in the same area as The Orcadian.

Ken said: “Orkney is a vibrant place economically and I feel there is room for a different paper telling stories in a different way.

“We will be positive and pro-active, promoting Orkney and its people.

“We’ve had a lot of positive response. It is a small community so it is mainly being promoted by word of mouth and there is a lot of excitment being generated by the venture.”

Ken, (47), has run his own freelance photography business, Orkney Photographic supplying pictures to the national and regional press for the past 17 years, having previously worked as a staff photographer for newspapers on the Scottish mainland.

After overseeing the launch of Orkney Today, Ken will continue to run his freelance business and take photographs for the newspaper, leaving the day-to-day running to editor John Ross Scott, who was previously chief reporter of the Southern Reporter.

The first issue is due to launch on October 3 with 36 tabloid pages, including eight in colour, and an initial print run of 10,000.

It will cost 57p and be available at all the usual outlets.

It will be published on a Friday and Ken is hoping it will provide people with enough of a “riveting read” to last them over the weekend.

He said: “The challenge is to present the news differently in a way that people will want to buy. On an island of 20,000 people exclusives don’t work, and the tag is seen as downmarket.

“I’m very much looking forward to launch.

“Everyone involved in this venture has been involved in newspapers but none of us have any experience of setting them up and it’s something we are all looking forward to.”

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