Addition of AP service beefs up online presence of JoongAng Daily

“The issue is what news is suitable to Korea,” said Clay Haswell, who works as regional manager of global business in Asia for the Associated Press. Mr. Haswell signed a three-year contract yesterday with Joins.com, an Internet news portal site affiliated with the JoongAng Daily. “There is a mountain of information. But it’s essential to provide news for the needs of Korean people with the support of local expertise and editing skills.” In continuing efforts to boost its online presence, a new service will start in mid-August when the local Web site will begin featuring AP video of major events from around the world, from hard news to entertainment. The AP is the world’s largest news wire network, delivering global news to daily newspapers, radio and television stations in 144 countries. Over 300 international broadcasters receive AP’s global video news service, APTN, and SNTV, a joint sports video service. Mr. Haswell hinted that Korea will be an influential testing ground for new media. “Korea is at the cutting edge,” Mr. Haswell said of the media industry in Korea. He said the joint project between AP and Joins.com is a chance to share knowledge, including online and mobile news content. “Services like DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) are hardly used in the United States,” he said. “Japan is close. Hong Kong is a little more advanced. It’s a chance for us to learn the technical limits in Korea.” AP’s interest in the Asian market has been strong. It recently set up a central editing bureau for an Asia-Pacific desk in Bangkok. “Asia is clearly the market to draw on,” Mr. Haswell said. Mr. Haswell joined the AP in 1982. He was a founding member of the World Free Press Institute, a non-profit organization that provides training around the world to protect press freedom. by Park Soo-mee