Revengeful Sword of the Washington Post to the New York Times

It has been arranged for the Washington Post to select 12 articles from the articles sent in by its 20 foreign bureaus and 25 foreign correspondents and the its political articles, to be provided to the Washington Street Journal for free of charge and then the Washington Street Journal will in return publish about 2~4 articles from these on its Europe and Asia editions. Considering the fact that these two still have a competitive relationship, the made a ‘gentle agreement’ that Washington Street Journal will not print the Washington Post’s exclusive articles.

The Washington Post has been looking for its way out for advancement to the international market ever since the Washington Post Company sold its 50 percent stake, 65 million dollars, in The International Herald Tribune to the New York Times Company.

At that time, Donald Graham, the president of the Washington Post received a final notification from the New York Times that if the Washington Post doesn’t pass its stake in The International Herald Tribune to the New York Times, it will establish a newspaper to replace The International Herald Tribune. He stated, “I’ve contemplated and hesitated greatly but I didn’t have a way out of this.” Since the Graham Family of the Washington Post and the Sulzburger Family of the New York Times has co-jointly took over The International Herald Tribune, based in Paris, it has been an organization that has been representing the friendship of the two families since they jointly took over the newspaper, placing their articles side by side. At the same time, the Washington Post has been receiving positive advertisement effects by being treated like the same level as the New York Times.

“We’ve started the negotiation with the Washington Street Journal since the sale of the stake in the International Herald Tribune. We’re glad that we will have an opportunity to provide articles to the readers worldwide,” stated Leonard Downy Junior of the Washington Post. Paul Steiger, the manager editor of the Washington Street Journal analyzed, “The Washington Street Journal already has the most foreign correspondents of 150 people among the American companies, but will receive a small but a meaningful assistance from the Washington Post.” Since the Washington Street Journal had an reduction in the advertisement profit in their Asian and European Edition by 31% and 27% responsively, thus it seems like they received the Washington Post’s cooperation as a relief.

On the other side, the New York Times reported this cooperation of these two companies in a short article on 17th and stated, “There is a war between the three companies of Washington Street Journal, The International Herald Tribune and the Financial Times over the sale surrounding the foreign English readers.” “The contents of the Washington Post will be more attracting to the readers of the Washington Street Journal and The International Herald Tribune. Financial Times will not be affected, stated the Financial Times.”

Eun-Taek Hong euntack@donga.com