The Scottish Daily Standard newspaper has a journalistic team including investigative reporter Colin Anderson (Patrick Malahide), Felicity Grant (Colette O’Neil), Alex Forsyth (Tom Watson) and wily and conservative editor James Kendal (Gerry Slevin).
But the Standard has financial problems and a fluctuating readership so the London-based parent organisation – the Lockwood Newspaper Group – dispatches financial whiz-kid and troubleshooter Peter Dawson (Neil Stacy) to the Standard offices to assess whether it can afford to continue operations, with or without staff cutbacks.
Dawson’s arrival in the hectic newsroom is far from welcome but – having assessed the viability of the Scottish operation and realised all the newspaper required was a direction – he becomes a working member of the editorial team in a bid to save the newspaper.
Mid series, Dawson is recalled to London to explain his actions and fight for his own position within the organisation.
The 13-part BBC series was the brainchild of Glasgow newspapermen Alastair Balfour and Peter May.
Colin Anderson
Patrick Malahide Felicity Grant
Colette O’Neil Peter Dawson
Neil Stacy Alex Forsyth
Tom Watson James Kendal
Gerry Slevin Moira Craig
Jan Wilson Rachel Gerrard
Rose McBain George Smart
Victor Carin Archie
Bill Denniston
