“At our heart, we are committed to growth, prosperity and a sustainable future”
Christopher Thomson Chairman
“We are building a business where people, partners and communities feel part of something extraordinary”
Rebecca Miskin CEO
“Every community needs a champion, someone who knows, cares and stands up for them. We are that champion”
David Thomson Director
“We are investing in technology and talent and building brands for the data age”
Anup Purewal Chief Data Officer
“Our business and our brands drive positive change, inspire innovation, fuel growth and success”
Ella Dolphin Deputy CEO
“We are creating an inclusive, agile and fast-moving business, full of opportunities for our colleagues”
Lynsey Scott Chief People Officer
Local news starts on your street, and local journalism should too. There is a future where we are at the heart of every community across Scotland, empowering individuals and businesses to drive transformative and enduring change within their local areas through our inspiring journalism, made sustainable by a reader-revenue model rooted in digital subscriptions.
Our History community is dedicated to helping people explore their past and preserve it for future generations. This strategy focuses on unlocking stories from history through our brands and DC Thomson Archives. We find and serve relevant B2C and B2B audiences, so that more people can benefit from our unique combination of assets, expertise and technology.
Our aim is to use our best-in-class puzzle content and our digital solutions to reach as wide an audience as possible, irrespective of sector, platform or geography.
Our goal is to grow our traditional print revenues and to accelerate new revenue streams both in digital and B2B.
In 2028 we will influence every energy executive in the world. Starting with the UK/North Sea markets, becoming the must-have B2B subscription for business in Energy and adjacent sectors.
Fifth Ring continues growth trajectory as world’s leading Energy B2B agency with growth into adjacent sectors and supply chains in huge and fast change.
Beano is committed to supporting childhood literacy by making reading fun for kids.
With the mischievous comic at its heart, Beano focusses on growing subscriptions to this much-loved brand whilst continuing to share our extensive understanding of kids and childhood through Beano Brain, the UK's leading kids' insight agency (and soon to be North America's too).
Stylist is on a mission to help all women.
Through our campaigns we inspire change for women's rights whilst our content and events are designed to inspire and support our audience, creating a community of like-minded women.
Alongside carefully-selected advertising and partnerships from brands that support our mission, our strategy is focussed on driving new consumer revenues through subscription and membership that offers exclusive content and events.
Our new development project, Think Stylist, an insight agency that utilises our obsession and understanding of women, will see us engage new B2B revenues.
We aim to deliver a scalable, digital first, golf media business through best in class sports journalism, delivered by a team who share the same passion and knowledge for the game as our audience.
Our Companionship Community, home to beloved brands like The People’s Friend and My Weekly, is built around warmth, connection and kindness. With storytelling at its heart, this community offers comfort, inspiration and a sense of belonging to readers who value positivity and friendship.
Across print and digital, we bring people together through uplifting fiction, real-life stories, wellbeing tips and thoughtful content that supports and celebrates everyday life.
We’ve been around for a while, since 1905 in fact, and many of our brands have been around even longer. From the homing pigeons that delivered scores from football matches, being one of the first to import typewriters, installing underground pneumatic tubes that transported print pages between offices, and pioneering in advances in print technology through the years, we have a heritage of embracing new ways of working.
The first issues of The Dundee Weekly Advertiser is published by Dr Robert Stewart, one of Dundee’s leading surgeons, from premises at 9 New Inn Entry. The Dundee Weekly Advertiser, the first proper newspaper to be printed in Dundee, appears on 16th January 1801, and contains eight pages, with three columns of type on each page.
On 20th September 1816, shortly after the Battle of Waterloo, the first Dundee Courier is printed by T. Colville and Son from premises at Keys Close.
William Thomson II is born at Pittenweem, Fife on 6th June 1817. His father William I was drowned when his merchant ship Christian went down with all hands in a storm in the North Sea in 1828.
John Leng is born.
William Thomson II, having been apprenticed as a draper in Fife, moves to Dundee and commences his own business in Union Street. He quickly prospers and moves his venture to Reform Street and establishes a home in an adjoining property.
The success of his business allows William II the opportunity to purchase a 50% share in the sailing ship ‘Catherine.’
William’s stake in shipping increases with the purchase of shares in another five vessels.
John Leng is taken on as editor of the Dundee Weekly Advertiser by the proprietors, Dundee solicitors William Neish and James Pattullo.
The Weekly News is the first penny weekly paper in Scotland. It first appears on 12th May 1855 and proves a success, selling throughout Scotland. England and Northern Ireland.
Dundee’s first permanent daily newspaper, The Daily Argus, is launched by Robert Park in 1859. Park also launched The Weekly News.
The People’s Journal (established 1858) is printed at John Leng’s new publishing offices in Bank Street.
David Couper Thomson, second son of William II, is born at 6 Reform Street, Dundee. The Dundee Courier becomes a daily paper on 22nd April 1861, when it is printed in conjunction with The Daily Argus, becoming known as The Dundee Courier & Daily Argus.
William Thomson II increases his stake in shipping and by 1876 there are 28 vessels in his fleet of merchant ships. These Thomson clippers are a forerunner of what was to become The Thomson Line. The Strathtay, first of the Thomson steamships begins operating in 1871.
William Thomson II opens a woollen merchant’s business in Euclid Crescent, Dundee and takes a financial interest in The Dundee Courier.
The People’s Friend is first published as a monthly family magazine in association with The People’s Journal. The magazine becomes weekly in 1870.
John Leng’s Evening Telegraph first appears in 13th March 1877. The paper begins with two editions, but as printing speeds improve, there are eventually seven editions.
David Couper Thomson is made partner in W. & D.C. Thomson and is given authority over the printing and publishing aspects of the company.
The Thomson Line has established a reputation for safe delivery of live cattle from the newly opened Carolina Port cattle depot in Dundee. This is invaluable during the Boer War when several ships are chartered to deliver horses and mules to South Africa.
W. & D.C. Thomson produce The Evening Post as a rival to Leng’s Evening Telegraph.
D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd. is established to manage the newspaper side of the business. The Evening Telegraph & Post appears as a merger of the two evening papers.
The Thomson and Leng companies merge their publishing empires with the Thomson family in the majority.
Shortly before WWI the shipping lines is acquired by its operating partners, Cairns, Noble & Co., who have represented the Thomson Line at Newcastle for nearly 30 years.
My Weekly, a new letter-press magazine for women, appears in April 1910.
The Post Sunday Special, a development of The Saturday Post, is published on 4th October 1914.
The Post Sunday Special becomes The Sunday Post on 19th January 1919. The title was to become a huge publishing success and “the best-read paper in the circulation area.”
The Adventure, the first DC Thomson paper for boys, is introduced on 17th September 1921.
The Rover joins in the fun on 4th March 1922 and The Wizard quickly follows on 23rd September 1922.
The Dundee Courier & Daily Argus and The Dundee Advertiser amalgamate on 29th May 1926, and are published under the title The Courier & Advertiser.
The Scots magazine, which was first published in 1739, and which carried the news of major events in Scottish history, is taken over by DC Thomson in August 1927.
The Skipper, the latest addition to the stable of boys papers, is introduced on 6th September 1930, and is followed by The Hotspur on 2nd September 1933.
The company has an eye on the comic market for some time and The Sunday Post Fun Section is introduced in 1936, producing a collection of comic characters who become an instant success and pave the way for one of the most successful ventures in publishing history.
4th December 1937 welcomes the birth of a new concept of comics for children. The Dandy appears and opens a new era for DC Thomson publications.
Eight months after The Dandy appears, another megastar arrives. The Beano is launched to a receptive audience on 30th July 1938. Both titles introduce a range of comic characters who are to become universal favourite with children.
After World War 2, The Topper, a tabloid comic, appears. The Beezer, of similar proportions, was introduced in 1956.
12th October 1954, David Couper Thomson, in his 93rd year, dies at his home in Broughty Ferry. W. Harold Thomson becomes chairman upon the death of his uncle.
The firm’s first photogravure press, the Albertina, is installed at Douglas Street, Dundee. It transforms the appearance of My Weekly and Bimbo.
The firm takes its first financial interest in commercial television – Southern TV that produced, among other great programmes, ‘Winston Churchill – The Wilderness Years.’
The site at East Kingsway, Dundee is purchased.
The Kingsway plant opens for business.
The new Goss presses at Kingsway print their first magazine, the record-breaking teen publication Jackie.
The business assets of John Leng & Co become part of DC Thomson.
The Fetter Lane and Fleet Street offices amalgamate at 185/186 Fleet Street.
The Sunday Post reaches a record sale of 1,774,000 copies per week.
Brian H. Thomson becomes chairman and Derek B. Thomson, Deputy Chairman. Both becoming joint managing directors.
The firm takes a financial interest in Central Television, which makes many popular programmes, including Inspector Morse.
The firm takes a 30% share in Waterstones bookshops.
Building commences at Kingsway for newspaper production.
Colour offset newspaper production begins at Kingsway and Bank Street production ceases. News appears on the front page of The Courier.
The Bank Street premises are sold off, bringing an end to over 120 years of publishing on the site.
DC Thomson takes a 40% interest in Parragon Books.
DC Thomson holds its 100th AGM. Oor Wullie is voted Scotland’s Top Iconic Figure, ahead of William Wallace and Sean Connery.
Andrew F. Thomson becomes Chairman and Christopher HW Thomson becomes Deputy Chairman. Both also become Joint Managing Directors.
DC Thomson acquires Puzzler Media Group, the UK market leader in puzzle magazines and puzzles.
The Aberdeen Journals Ltd. group of newspapers, including The Press and Journal and Evening Express, is purchased for around £125 million.
DC Thomson’s Scotland Online purchase Findmypast.com
Maw Broon’s Cookbook becomes a literary sensation and Scotland’s fastest-ever selling book.
DC Thomson’s internet services provider Scotland Online is rebranded as Brightsolid.
Richard Hall, great-grandson of founding director Frederick Thomson, is appointed a director.
The Courier and The Press and Journal switch from broadsheet to compact.
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay open the new £25 million Goss printing press at the Kingsway premises.
The company marks 100 years in Fleet Street with its newly refurbished office at number 185.
The Sunday Post, which launched at The Post Sunday Special in 1914, celebrates its centenary.
Retiral of Lewis Murray Thomson after 40 years as a director of the firm. He is replaced on the board by David HE Thomson, elder son of Chairman Andrew F. Thomson.
Shortlist Media, publisher of Stylist acquired by DC Thomson
The Courier celebrates its bicentenary by being named UK Regional Newspaper of the Year. A bicentenary book is published to celebrate the paper’s journey from 1816.
Beano Studios, a new multimedia studio, is set up to develop brands and characters across TV, digital theatrical projects, consumer products and the much-loved comic annual.
A series of events and activities is held to mark the 80th anniversary of The Broons and Oor Wullie. A new bronze sculpture of Wullie is unveiled in Dundee.
The Evening Telegraph celebrates its 140th birthday. It publishes six nights a week, having launched a Saturday edition in 2016.
Commando celebrates its 5000th issue. It first appeared in July 1961.
Nearly 600 staff return to the firm’s Meadowside headquarters after a major refurbishment. The building originally opened in July 1906.
The Press and Journal changes its front-page masthead to a simplified P&J, in keeping with the affectionate name used by its readers.
Beano’s 80th birthday attracts national headlines and tributes from a who’s who of admirers.
V&A Dundee names its suite of world-class learning studios ‘The DC Thomson Learning Centre’ in recognition of the support the company and the Thomson family gives to the new museum.
The People’s Friend – now the world’s oldest women’s weekly magazine – celebrates its 150th year.
DC Thomson confirms the acquisition of PSP Media, the Glasgow-based publisher of bunkered magazine.
Christopher HW Thomson becomes Chairman.
Richard Hall becomes Deputy Chairman.
Dennis celebrates 70 years since he first appeared in Beano.
Commando, Britain’s longest-serving war comic, celebrated 60 years of action and adventure stories.
John S. Thomson, grandson of Sidney C Thomson and son of L Murray Thomson, both former directors, and Ben J. Gray, grandson of former managing director C. Howard Thomson, become Directors of DC Thomson.
The Press and Journal celebrates 275 years being the trusted voice of the north and north-east of Scotland for generations, making the title one of the world’s oldest newspapers.
Think Stylist, the Insight Agency of Stylist launches
Gateshead-based technology business Synergi acquired by Brightsolid
