Johnston Press has narrowed the revenue decline across its newspaper portfolio to 3.1% in the third quarter, as digital income climbed by almost a fifth and its mobile audience doubled, but warned of further cuts.

The publisher of titles including the Scotsman and the Yorkshire Evening Post has reported a 3.1% decline in total revenues in the 16 weeks to 18 October, an improvement over the 4.3% decline recorded in the first half of the year.

The company said that advertising revenues fell 3.4% in the third quarter, versus 4.6% in the first half.

The narrowing of the decline in advertising revenue was attributable to a 19.5% rise in digital income in the third quarter.

The publisher said that its portfolio of websites is now attracting more than 27 million monthly unique users, with traffic up 40% year-on-year in September.

Mobile users are averaging 6.5 million per month, double what they were a year ago.

Johnston Press also said it has started to take its first Sky AdSmart local TV ad bookings that its sales team sells to clients following striking a deal with BSkyB in May.

Despite the improvement in its fortunes the publisher warned that it will implement “further efficiency and restructuring in the final quarter”.

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