Wireless reading devices discussed in MDN advisory panel meeting

A meeting of an advisory panel addressing content on the Mainichi Daily News (MDN) website was held on Feb. 18, with panel members discussing the MDN's approach to the Amazon Kindle and other wireless reading devices.

The MDN began distributing news to the Kindle in October last year. From December 2009 AP articles were added to the lineup, followed by Kyodo News articles in February 2010. The number of "advance Kindle release" articles has also been increased -- an initial step in setting news on the device a step apart from that on the MDN website.

In the future, the MDN plans to introduce an electronic edition for the Sony Reader, and is also considering distributing news on the iPad and other devices.

The MDN discontinued its print edition nine years ago, switching to a purely online version. While resistance remains to charging for website content, readers are purchasing articles on the Kindle and other new forms of digital media. The distributed content will be enhanced in the future. As technical issues and the work itself are practically the same on new forms of digital media, it is a natural step for the MDN to adopt them.

During the Feb. 18 advisory panel meeting, the views of the three panel members -- Susan Millington, executive director of the English Speaking Union of Japan; Sadaaki Numata, former Japanese ambassador to Canada; and Andrew Horvat, director of the Stanford Japan Center at Doshisha University -- were divided. The opinion that readers would probably move away from the website in the future emerged, while another opinion was that the site had a future with the use of functions characteristic of websites including the use of many photos.

In the meeting, the MDN said it would apply its Web know-how and technology in new forms of digital media, while continuing to operate its website.

Panel members also commented on differences between Japanese and American reports on the recall of Toyota vehicles, and expressed, among various opinions, the view that emphasis should be placed on science articles.

The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.