Herald comment: The Herald & Times Group, which publishes this newspaper along with the Sunday Herald and the Evening Times, faces business challenges as severe as the rest of the developed world�s media industry.

The Herald & Times Group, which publishes this newspaper along with the Sunday Herald and the Evening Times, faces business challenges as severe as the rest of the developed world's media industry.

Declining newspaper circulations have combined in recent months with a deepening recession.

The impassioned debate in Holyrood by all parties last night brought these economic realities into sharp focus and we commend our representatives for fighting hard for a strong, independent Scottish media delivering quality newspapers.

We share their desire for our titles to continue contributing to a vibrant Scotland by reporting news accurately and dispassionately, uncovering wrongdoing and holding those in power to account, as well as generating constructive debate on a wide range of topics to the benefit of democracy and intellectual life in Scotland.

The group's newspapers treasure their roles in Scottish society and are determined to secure their long-term future, which, given the realities of commercial life, means balancing the books and generating a profit to retain investors and investment.

Only by continuing to be Scotland's most successful media company in the most competitive newspaper market in the world can we continue to fund the highest quality journalism. A significant fall in revenue - some undoubtedly systemic, some cyclical - requires action, which we are currently taking.

We are putting in place a strengthened newsgathering operation to generate increasingly compelling and unique content and allow us better to serve readers who see newspapers and multimedia digital output as both key and complementary.

To do this, and at the same time make savings that are commercially necessary, we are adopting best practice from media groups around the world by merging many operations in the newsrooms of the three titles.

This provides the strength that comes from teamwork and shared expertise, but we will defend diversity of opinion by retaining specialist staff on each title.

It is disappointing, however, that our unwavering commitment to quality Scottish content for our readers (and politicians) was not recognised in the debate in parliament.

That is perhaps understandable given that much of the debate seemed to be based solely on a briefing by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) regarding the radical and controversial steps we have taken to become more dynamic and flexible, and ready to embrace the unending change that is now the norm in the media industry.

Regrettably, we had to inform our editorial staff that they were all at risk of redundancy and could reapply for roles in a new multimedia structure with a new group contract of employment. That was a course of action that was unpalatable and we recognise the impact on our staff and on our wider standing in the community.

Politicians were right to raise it as a matter of concern and we should be proud they care so much for the future of our industry and a strong free press.

However, what was missed throughout a debate that focused on management actions and called for a negotiated settlement with the NUJ, was that we had spent several years seeking incremental change and flexibility.

We were continually thwarted by intransigence by a small but vocal and influential minority, often with the full backing of the union, who refused to adopt modern practices or work on our internet sites. That frustrated not only management but the majority of staff, who are keen and willing to embrace an exciting multimedia future.

We had two choices: do nothing, and risk everything and all our jobs; or recognise that survival requires radical solutions. After the restructuring, our editorial staff will still be in excess of 200, more than any other newspaper publisher in Scotland. Given the speed of change required, we have taken the only action open to us to secure our future for these newspapers, this business and the people of Scotland.