Biggest Korean newspaper Chosun hopeful about their digital future

Posted on November 12, 2008

When will we see foldable e-paper on the street? Will advanced algorithms and Internet eventually put publishers out of business? – Nobody knows… But we do witness a devastating momentum for traditional publishers, how can these companies reinvent themselves? Are they doomed?

Chosun media, showing off newspaper 2.0

Doomed? Not by a long shot! at least, if we have to believe the marketing manager of Chosun. Chosun is a Korean newspaper giant, based in the heart of Seoul. I have to admit, I never heard of the company before I visited them today. But like many unknown Asian companies, Chosun is a prominent player with amazing proportions, newspaper circulation surpasses that of well-known newspapers like the USA today. The marketing manager believes that businesspeople will always appreciate an edited and selected overview on the daily hot topics. And if it isn’t on paper, it would be on a different medium. And as much as I like to argue the contrary, he might have a point. Financial Times recently announced that their amount of online (paying) subscribers is increasing fast. We got a tour at the HQ, and they actually got excited of the Nintendo Wii again! (has been a long time)

Epic 2015

But if you ask me; newspaper publishers are biased towards their believe that a good paper requires manual work, something that will seize to exist in the future. This three-year-old videoclip made by Robin Sloan and Matt Thompson try to sketch that situation. Skip to 6:40:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQDBhg60UNI&autoplay=0 150 150]

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  • Anonymous

    [...] When will we see foldable e-paper on the street? Will advanced algorithms and Internet eventually put publishers out of business Read more [...]

  • John Lemandri

    Dear Editor,

    North Korea torpedoes a South Korean Naval vessel and kills scores of South Korean sailors while South Korea sits passively by and does nothing. As a US Marine in Vietnam I looked up to and respected the South Korean military as tough fighters who feared no one, as did our fathers who fought alongside your fathers in the Korean War.

    Are the South Korean military so humiliated and weak that they have become women no longer worthy of respect? Why have a military if it is not willing to defend the honor of your country. Are you willing to sit passively by when North Korea rapes your country, your women and your children? North Korea's transgressions will not stop here, on the contrary, they will only escalate.

    The thousands of South Koreans who gave their lives in honor of their country during the Korean War must be rolling over in their graves by your failure to respond. By doing nothing you have lost the respect of your ancestors – and the world.