This editorial begins by discussing the current challenges faced by the Scottish press, in the run-up to the referendum on independence. It focuses on a gradual transition to a new business model that is combining print and digital content. The particular dilemmas faced in Scotland are also being addressed elsewhere, but in quite distinctive ways. A brief overview of comparable nation-states (Denmark, Norway) and stateless nations (Catalonia, Quebec) sets the stage for the five case studies that follow.