Present States and Capabilities of Using On-line Newsletters in Labor Movement
Chang, Yeo-Kyung / Representative of SPIC

Since its coming up in late 1980's, computer communication network has been widely used as a mass communication and publishing medium.  Using Internet is also getting spread.  In favor of such tendencies, on-line newsletters has become a meaningful medium of labor movement.  On-line newsletters, newsletters issued on-line periodically or continually, has been diffused mostly through commercial computer networks.  Reviewing some examples of on-line newsletters in Korea, we'll think of present states and future capability of them.

Technical Capabilities of On-line Newsletters

Information and communication technology is making startling progress.  This progress may cause development of control and watching technology, but it may be meaningful in labor movement, too.  As on-line networks propose more powerful possibility than any other media ever before, labor movement should adapt to changes in medium environment, make the ultimate use of capabilities from technology, and, moreover, lead them.
On-line networks such as commercial networks and Internet are familiar to people and is connected worldwide.  On-line newsletters, based on on-line networks, can enlarge the meeting point to people and is relatively free from the power.  The number of computer network users in Korea amounts 3 million and it's not easy to find another means of access to people at low cost.
In addition, the importance of international solidarity which is made easier by on-line networks cannot be overemphasized.  Though there's some limitation of language, on-line networks provide a highly effective means at low cost.  The news on the general strike in Korea in early 1997 could be widely known to people inside and outside Korea through on-line networks.  That experience realized that the capabilities of using networks could be much more than expected, especially in international solidarity over national boundaries.  Messages of solidarity from labor unions, labor organizations, and parties in the world, messages of support and participation from Korean workers, students, people abroad, a message from a Canadian teacher that he was teaching the meaning of the general strike in Korea made "international solidarity" alive words.  It is very encouraging that Korea Progressive News has started to issue non-periodical newsletters abroad.  Korea Progressive News is provided in a home page, and there's other ways of international solidarity such as Internet mailing lists and news groups that are sorted by subjects.
Here's a powerful and effective means of leading opinion and organizing people and resources.  But it should be noticed that the mass in cyberspace is also unspecific and the capabilities are staying only at capability yet.  The most important is the contents and standpoint of what is delivered.

Present States of On-line Newsletters

On-line newsletters now issued in Korea are various in contents, ways of distribution, forms, and cycles.  We could find out a suitable form for on-line reviewing a few newsletters reflectively below.

Contents

Contents of on-line newsletters can be grouped as below: giving general and everyday information about an organization or an issue; organizing opinion on a specific issue; aiming to be a regular press(see table 1).

[Table 1] Contents of On-line Newsletters
{{{{Group of Contents
}}{{Examples
}}{{Giving general and everyday information about an organization or an issue
}}{{Weekly Political Solidarity, Newsletter of Helping North Korean Movement
}}{{Organizing opinion on a specific issue
}}{{Prompt Report [Equal World] of Wage Struggle at Kia Motors, Prompt Report from  Sammi Special Steel Labor Union, Weekly communications of Taegu Metal Union, Prompt Report of General Strike in Korea
}}{{Aiming to be a regular press
}}{{The Daily World Progress News, Trends, Eyes of Labor, Daily Labor News, Korea Human Rights News, Korea Progressive News
}}
}}

While newsletters from existing(off-line) organization are usually covering their general information and everyday news, there were many newsletters for organizing and propaganda on specific issue about labor movement.  And there are growing number of organizations specialized in publishing newsletters aiming to be a regular press.

Ways of Distribution and Forms

On-line newsletters are distributed via e-mail or via bulletin board or public data storage on commercial networks.  The forms are usually texts that is directly visible on-line, but sometimes word processor files are sent via e-mail or stored in public data storage.  WWW home pages are also used.  Facsimiles or (real) mails might be used in parallel with on-line.
E-mails are sent to subscriber or members.  Public bulletin boards and public data storage in commercial networks, and Internet home pages are for unspecified readers.  Some bulletin boards and data storages are rather closed because provided only to members or at charge(see table 2).
Public bulletin boards or public data storage for unspecified users and text form which is visible directly on-line are more accessible.  But well-edited word processor files might be more useful in some cases.  It is important to have appropriate form for the purpose and the target readers.

[Table 2] Ways of Distribution and Forms of On-line Newsletters
{{{{Way of Distribution and Form
}}{{Examples
}}{{Posting on public bulletin board(text)
}}{{Eyes of Labor, Weekly Political Solidarity, Prompt Report [Equal World] of Wage Struggle at Kia Motors, Prompt Report from  Sammi Special Steel Labor Union, Korea Human Rights News, Prompt Report of General Strike in Korea
}}{{Bulletin board DB(text)
}}{{The Daily World Progress News, Daily Labor News(at charge), Korea Human Rights News
}}{{Public data storage(word processor file)
}}{{Weekly Political Solidarity
}}{{Specific data storage(word processor file)
}}{{Newsletter of Helping North Korean Movement, Weekly communications of Taegu Metal Union
}}{{e-mail(text)
}}{{Prompt Report of General Strike in Korea
}}{{e-mail(word processor file)
}}{{The Daily World Progress News, Trends, Weekly Political Solidarity, Newsletter of Helping North Korean Movement, Weekly communications of Taegu Metal Union
}}{{parallel with other media
}}{{Weekly communications of Taegu Metal Union(fax), Daily Labor News(mail), Korea Human Rights News(fax, mail)
}}{{WWW home page
}}{{Korea Human Rights News, Korea Progressive News, Prompt Report of General Strike in Korea
}}
}}

Many were weekly issued.  In case of newsletters for organizing and propaganda on a specific issue, there is a tendency of issuing any time during the matter(see table 3).

Considerations on On-line Newsletters

As we've seen above, forms of issuing on-line newsletters are various.  But not all of them are suitable for on-line.  Most newsletters are not very suitable for on-line because of their off-line-like and conventional approach.  So they might not be making full use of the potential of on-line newsletters.
It is the most important to have appropriate contents according to its purpose and readers.  Deliberating what is the most suitable form and way of distribution is also required.  And continuity is important to give trust to readers.  On-line newsletters are essentially the same as other(old-media) newsletters and should be faithful to the basic role.  But thinking of "forms suitable for on-line" is very important because it make the newsletters appealing to the readers on-line.
The first point is editing.  For example, some translates word processor files directly into plain texts without any editing.  Then the texts becomes very difficult to read on-line and they cannot appeal to on-line readers.  And in case of newsletters which have many articles in one text, it is required to provide subjects of the articles or overview in the head of the text.  Newsletters which are sent on-line, not read on-line, should be edited suitable for the receivers or the readers.
Besides, bidirectional communication with readers is possible on-line.  Because of the characteristics of on-line, it sometimes can derive surprising participation and attention.

{{{{Checkpoints for On-line Newsletters
Are the contents and their arrangement appropriate for the purpose of the newsletter?
Are the form and way of distribution suitable for the purpose and the target reader?
Is there continuity to give trust to the readers?
Is it edited suitable for the place of posting?
Is there room for feedback of readers on-line?
}}
}}

Labor, Media and Prospect of On-line Newsletters

On-line newsletters are the most useful when they deliver prompt reports or news which the existing media don't cover.  The effect is maximized if the contents and forms are considered according to the purpose and the readers.  And I hope there would be deliberation on what on-line newsletters could do in labor movement.
It should be noticed that commercial networks where newsletters are distributed are capture by capital and the power.  On-line networks, including Internet, shows a tendency of concentrating on limited class of users.  And suppression on freedom of expression and violations of privacy makes the future of on-line newsletters gloomy.
Society exists prior to technology.  Awareness that the splendid progress in information and communication technology is in the influence of the power makes the technology and networks to be ours.  Now when leading technology, as well as adapting to and using it, is getting important, the effort to build independent networks such as Truenet or NGO networks is more meaningful.

[Table 3] Examples of Some On-line Newsletters
* HWP means Hangul Word Processor, a word processor widely used in Korea, or its file format.
** Boards, data storages and forums are on commercial networks.
{{{{Name
}}{{Publisher
}}{{Contents
}}{{Form and Way of Distribution * **
}}{{Cycle
}}{{Note
}}{{The Daily World Progress News
}}{{International Political & Economy Center of Korea
}}{{Progressive news on international affairs
}}{{E-mail to subscribers(HWP)
Classified DB in Truenet
}}{{Two or three times a week
}}{{Hypertext(HWP)
Provide search program
}}{{Trends
}}{{Task Group for Labor Information
}}{{Matters on labor movement
}}{{E-mail to subscribers and members(HWP)
}}{{Weekly
}}{{
}}{{Eyes of Labor
}}{{Individual
}}{{Matters on labor movement
}}{{Boards in progressive and labor movement forums
}}{{Weekly
}}{{Suspended
}}{{Weekly Political Solidarity
}}{{Political Solidarity
}}{{Information on activities of Political Solidarity
}}{{E-mail to members and related organizations(HWP)
Boards and data storage in progressive forums
}}{{Weekly
}}{{Selected articles from off-line internal newsletter
}}{{Newsletter of Helping North Korean Movement
}}{{Loving Nation and Helping North Korean Movement Center
}}{{News about helping north Korean movement in the center
}}{{E-mail to subscribers(HWP)
Data storage of the center CUG
}}{{Once or twice a week
}}{{Mar. 20(preparatory issue 1)  Aug. 9, 1997(issue 13)
}}{{Prompt Report [Equal World] of Wage Struggle at Kia Motors
}}{{Labor Group in Kia Motors for Equal World
}}{{News on wage struggle in Kia Motors
}}{{Boards in progressive forums
}}{{Daily
}}{{
}}{{Prompt Report from  Sammi Special Steel Labor Union
}}{{Sammi Special Steel Labor Union Emergency Committee
}}{{News about struggle of Sammi Special Steel Labor Union
}}{{Boards in progressive forums
}}{{Non-periodic
}}{{27 issues from Mar. 25 to Oct. 31, 1997
}}{{Weekly communications of Taegu Metal Union
}}{{Taegu Branch of Democratic Metal Labor Union
}}{{Situations of unit metal labor unions in Taegu
}}{{Send with fax or e-mail(HWP)
Data storage in CUG of the union(HWP)
}}{{Weekly
}}{{
}}{{Daily Labor News
}}{{Korea Labor Policy Information Center
}}{{News and news scraps on labor movement
}}{{Classified DB in commercial networks
Printed issue to members
}}{{Daily
}}{{Membership fee : 35,000 won a month for printed issue
50 won a minute in Chollian, free in other networks
Started in 1992
}}{{Korea Human Rights News
}}{{[SARANGBANG] Center for Human Rights, Korea
}}{{News on human rights in Korea
}}{{Fax to members
Printed issue to members twice a week
Classified DB in Truenet and Infoshop
Central boards in commercial networks
Home page(http://www.interpia.net/~rights)
}}{{Daily
}}{{20,000 won a month for printed issue
English version in home page(once a week now)
A thousandth issue on Nov. 5, 1997
}}{{Korea Progressive News
}}{{International Political & Economy Center of Korea
}}{{Informing abroad on progressive movement in Korea
}}{{Home page(http://kpnews.cpnet.or.kr)
}}{{Non-periodic
}}{{
}}{{Prompt Report of General Strike in Korea
}}{{Communication Support Group for General Strike
}}{{Informing abroad on general strike in Korea
}}{{Important boards and boards in progressive forums
Mailing list(jinbo@mail.sing-kr.org)
Home page(http://kpd.sing-kr.org/~strike)
}}{{Daily
}}{{Jan. 1(preparatory issue 1)  Jan. 7, 1997(issue 9)
}}
}}
