www.ohmyews.comwww.ohmyews.com"Every citizen is a reporter." "Every citizen is a reporter."

MissionMission

““OhmyNews is a kind of public square in wOhmyNews is a kind of public square in which the reform-minded generation meet ahich the reform-minded generation meet and talk with each other and find confidencnd talk with each other and find confidence. The message they find here: we are not e. The message they find here: we are not alone. We can change this society,” Oh Yealone. We can change this society,” Oh Yeon Ho, the Founder. on Ho, the Founder.

SucessSucess ““OhmyNews has shaken up the journalism and pOhmyNews has shaken up the journalism and p

olitical establishments while attracting an enormolitical establishments while attracting an enormous audience by melding 20th century traditionous audience by melding 20th century tradition—the journalism-as-lecture model, in which orga—the journalism-as-lecture model, in which organizations tell the audience what the news is and nizations tell the audience what the news is and the audience either buys it or doesn’t—into somthe audience either buys it or doesn’t—into something bottom-up, interactive, and democratic.” ething bottom-up, interactive, and democratic.” Dan Gillmor, Dan Gillmor, We the MediaWe the Media

StartStart Started on Feb 22, 2000 in Seoul by Yeon Ho Oh, the Started on Feb 22, 2000 in Seoul by Yeon Ho Oh, the

founder, with five staff members and 700 citizen repofounder, with five staff members and 700 citizen reporters rters

Oh, a reporter for a progressive monthly for ten years, Oh, a reporter for a progressive monthly for ten years, just came back to Korea with a master's degree in cojust came back to Korea with a master's degree in communication at Regent University, Virginia. mmunication at Regent University, Virginia.

Oh was the first reporter who wrote about the massaOh was the first reporter who wrote about the massacre of Korean refugees during the Korean War, with thcre of Korean refugees during the Korean War, with the follow-up story the AP won Pulitizer for investigative e follow-up story the AP won Pulitizer for investigative reporting in 2000. reporting in 2000.

NowNow 700,000 visitors a month and 2 million pag700,000 visitors a month and 2 million pag

e views a day e views a day One of top 10 Internet Newspaper sitesOne of top 10 Internet Newspaper sites 60 fulltime staff members and 40000 citize60 fulltime staff members and 40000 citize

n reporters n reporters Ohmynews International with 850 citizen reOhmynews International with 850 citizen re

porters from 85 countries and 8 professionporters from 85 countries and 8 professional editors al editors

www.rankey.com www.rankey.com

FundingFunding Launched with $100,000 from Oh and his Launched with $100,000 from Oh and his

friends friends Private company with $6 million annual Private company with $6 million annual

revenue (2005), reported its first profit, revenue (2005), reported its first profit, $400,000, in 2004. $400,000, in 2004.

$11 million investment from Japanese $11 million investment from Japanese Softbank in 2006 in exchange of 12% Softbank in 2006 in exchange of 12% ownership ownership

Revenues come from advertising (60-70%), Revenues come from advertising (60-70%), syndicating content (20%), and reader syndicating content (20%), and reader donations (5-10%).donations (5-10%).

ContentsContents Targeted for nationwide audienceTargeted for nationwide audience News site, web-casting, web-radio, text-casting, a News site, web-casting, web-radio, text-casting, a

weekly print version weekly print version News topics are no different from those in News topics are no different from those in

traditional media: politics, economy, city, traditional media: politics, economy, city, international, sports, community etc. international, sports, community etc.

Issues and stories traditional media ignore or Issues and stories traditional media ignore or exclude exclude

Progressive, advocate journalism Progressive, advocate journalism Most stories are accompanied by message boardsMost stories are accompanied by message boards Citizen edited edition Citizen edited edition

Editorial HierarchyEditorial Hierarchy

1. Hard news mostly by staff 1. Hard news mostly by staff writers         writers         

2. Citizen reports  edited by staff 2. Citizen reports  edited by staff editors    editors    

3. Not yet edited citizen reports 3. Not yet edited citizen reports

OperationOperation 60 professional editors for reporting, editing 60 professional editors for reporting, editing

and fact-checking and fact-checking 41,000 citizen reporters, who are to register 41,000 citizen reporters, who are to register

and sign the reporter's agreement and sign the reporter's agreement About 150 to 200 stories are published on About 150 to 200 stories are published on

the site each day. the site each day. 70% of its news stories are from citizen 70% of its news stories are from citizen

reportersreporters One third of stories from citizen reporters One third of stories from citizen reporters

rejected by editors rejected by editors Citizen reporters get paid as much as $20 Citizen reporters get paid as much as $20

for a story. for a story.

"Every citizen is a reporter."

Who Are the Citizen Who Are the Citizen Reporters? Reporters?

How Ohmynew Became a Success?How Ohmynew Became a Success?

New Media TechnologyNew Media Technology Social Changes in KoreaSocial Changes in Korea Political Demands for Progressive MediaPolitical Demands for Progressive Media Traditional Journalism Already Losing Traditional Journalism Already Losing

GroundGround

New Media TechnologyNew Media Technology

65% of Koreans are regular internet users 65% of Koreans are regular internet users highest broadband penetration in the highest broadband penetration in the

world, 25% of Koreans using broadband world, 25% of Koreans using broadband internet internet

34% of Koreans use the internet as their 34% of Koreans use the internet as their primary source of news (world average 9%, primary source of news (world average 9%, US 14%), while 19% for newspapersUS 14%), while 19% for newspapers

Social CircumstancesSocial Circumstances Compact nation: South Korea 38,492 sq mi with Compact nation: South Korea 38,492 sq mi with

49 million people and $20,590 GNP (North 49 million people and $20,590 GNP (North Carolina 53,865 sq mi with 8 million people) Carolina 53,865 sq mi with 8 million people)

Homogeneous culture and strong national senses, Homogeneous culture and strong national senses, obsessed with speedobsessed with speed

Easy to cover the whole nation with one issue Easy to cover the whole nation with one issue after another after another

New generation of Koreans with higher education New generation of Koreans with higher education and rich experience in democratic movement and rich experience in democratic movement eager for social change eager for social change

From conformity into diversity: demands for news From conformity into diversity: demands for news that are relevant to one’s daily living such as that are relevant to one’s daily living such as personal stories and community news personal stories and community news

Political ChangePolitical Change Political division shaping in the 1990s after successful democratic Political division shaping in the 1990s after successful democratic

revolution in the late 1980s revolution in the late 1980s Increased demand for political participation, but political process stIncreased demand for political participation, but political process st

ill dominated by traditional alliance between politicians and major ill dominated by traditional alliance between politicians and major media media

Growing demand of political information by young voters who were eGrowing demand of political information by young voters who were eager to exercise their newly earned political power ager to exercise their newly earned political power

Politically charged events and scandals that drew nationwide attentiPolitically charged events and scandals that drew nationwide attention, such as presidential election, impeachment trial, anti-US militaron, such as presidential election, impeachment trial, anti-US military rallyy rally

Instrumental in the election of President Roh, a self-proclaimed poliInstrumental in the election of President Roh, a self-proclaimed political outsider who won by a narrow 2.3% margin. President Roh held tical outsider who won by a narrow 2.3% margin. President Roh held his first news conference exclusively with Ohmynews his first news conference exclusively with Ohmynews

Journalism in CrisisJournalism in Crisis

Lack of alternative media, local media, or community media Lack of alternative media, local media, or community media National papers fill the 90% of newspaper market, in which three consNational papers fill the 90% of newspaper market, in which three cons

ervative dailies dominate with circulation of about 7 million copies. ervative dailies dominate with circulation of about 7 million copies. Newspaper subscription rate fell from 64.5% 1998 to 48.3% in 2004. Newspaper subscription rate fell from 64.5% 1998 to 48.3% in 2004. Growing demand for media reform Growing demand for media reform Korean attitudes toward media reform (1998) Korean attitudes toward media reform (1998) abosolute necessary 33.7% abosolute necessary 33.7% somewhat necessary 59.7% somewhat necessary 59.7% not so necessary 6.2% not so necessary 6.2% abolute not necessary 0.3 abolute not necessary 0.3

Journalism in CrisisJournalism in Crisis Public TV networks, political rivalries to conservative dPublic TV networks, political rivalries to conservative d

ailies, covered Ohmynews extensively, often republishiailies, covered Ohmynews extensively, often republishing Ohmynews stories ng Ohmynews stories

Elite status of journalists in Korea, making a lot of waElite status of journalists in Korea, making a lot of wanna-be journalists turn into citizen reporters nna-be journalists turn into citizen reporters

Related links: www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?paRelated links: www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=37130rentid=37130

Ohmynews Goes GlobalOhmynews Goes Global English Edition launched 2004 and Ohmynews JEnglish Edition launched 2004 and Ohmynews J

apan started in August this year). apan started in August this year). International Herald Tribune, the global newspapInternational Herald Tribune, the global newspap

er owned by the New York Times, made a contraer owned by the New York Times, made a contract with Ohmynews to carry stories from its site.ct with Ohmynews to carry stories from its site.

Questions to DiscussQuestions to Discuss

Is Ohmynews a sustainable news media modeIs Ohmynews a sustainable news media model? l?

If it works in Korea, could it work elsewhere? If it works in Korea, could it work elsewhere? Why only one Ohmynews in Korea? Why only one Ohmynews in Korea? Is the professional-citizens combination a viablIs the professional-citizens combination a viabl

e model for citizen journalism? e model for citizen journalism?