Three Major Dailies Cut Ties With Daum

The three most influential dailies in Korea -- the Dong-A Ilbo, the Chosun Ilbo, and the JoongAng Daily -- announced yesterday that they will cut news supplies to Daum, a Web portal run by Daum Communications, starting midnight Monday.

Accordingly, Media Daum, the news section of the portal, will not be able to provide contents from the dailies and their subsidiaries such as the Weekly Chosun and the Weekly Dong-A.

The newspapers will also have Media Daum delete their articles and contents on its news database and online communities and blogs on Daum some time after their contracts end.

A Dong-A Ilbo official explained the decision, saying, “Since last year, we have continuously asked Daum and other search engines and portals to protect our copyright to news contents. Unlike Naver, Daum has shown a lukewarm attitude in that respect. That’s why we made such a decision.”

The Chosun Ilbo cited similar reasons, arguing, “Daum has not made enough efforts to improve the quality of its online news services. That’s why we’ve decided to stop providing our news contents. Furthermore, Media Daum arbitrarily took on the role of a media company without assuming any responsibilities. It, for example, has never revealed its editing staff.”

According to the dailies, Daum has unilaterally edited their news pieces, and, in the process, channeled public opinion in a wrong direction. Recently, Daum has been criticized for leaving illegal postings threatening the dailies` advertisers. The dailies now feel the need to protect the values of their contents and copyright.

Daum has posted a notice to inform its users of copyright infringement on any unauthorized use of the news articles of the three, once the business partnership is cut off.

Daum is reportedly trying to court back the three dailies. It will follow American search engines’ suit by listing only the articles of various news organizations and linking them directly to the Web sites of the original sources.

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