KRT AND CHICAGO TRIBUNE SIGN AGREEMENT WITH YOMIURI SHIMBUN FOR PUBLISHING RIGHTS IN JAPAN
Deal Gives Asian Newspaper Powerhouse Rights to Publish News from More than 40 U.S. Newspapers and Chicago Tribune’s Sunday “Perspective” Section
Chicago, March 27, 2001 ? Knight Ridder/Tribune (KRT), a leading provider of information products to newspapers, and the Chicago Tribune have signed an agreement with the Yomiuri Shimbun giving the Japanese newspaper company exclusive rights to publish a wide-range of U.S. originated news stories from the nation’s top newspapers via KRT in its print publications in Japan.
The pact includes news that KRT syndicates from over 40 U.S. newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Detroit Free Press, Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Seattle Times, as well as an arrangement with the Chicago Tribune to provide its weekly “Perspective” supplement to Yomiuri’s English language daily, The Daily Yomiuri.
“With this relationship, the Yomiuri Shimbun can introduce broader and deeper aspects of America to Japan,” said Shoichi Oikawa, Yomiuri’s director and managing editor. Mr. Oikawa and other Yomiuri executives met with KRT and Tribune executives in Chicago to finalize the agreement.
“Since its inception in 1978, KRT has grown into an important worldwide resource for news and commentary from a diverse cross-section of U.S. newspapers,” said David Williams, Tribune Media Services president and CEO. “This partnership substantially strengthens our international presence through Yomiuri’s very high quality representation in Japan.” Tribune Media Services manages marketing and sales for KRT, a joint venture between Knight Ridder and Tribune.
“We’re very pleased to have this opportunity to share some of the Chicago Tribune’s best coverage of key news issues with Yomiuri’s many readers in Japan.” added Scott Smith, Chicago Tribune publisher.
The agreement gives Yomiuri the exclusive print rights in Japan to use the KRT material in its Japanese language daily, The Yomiuri Shimbun, and in the English language publication, The Daily Yomiuri. The Chicago Tribune will provide its weekly “Perspective” section, along with other opinion page and commentary material, that The Daily Yomiuri will publish as a weekly 4-page supplement. Yomiuri will start publishing KRT and Chicago Tribune material on April 1, 2001.
About KRT
Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services is a partnership between Knight Ridder and Tribune Company. With more than 350 newspaper clients, the KRT News Service has a potential daily readership in excess of 30 million and a potential Sunday readership in excess of 35 million. In addition to Knight Ridder and Tribune newspapers, KRT contributors include The Dallas Morning News, New York Daily News, Providence Journal, The Seattle Times, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.). For more information about KRT and its products and services, visit www.krtdirect.com.
KRT is marketed worldwide by Tribune Media Services, a leading provider of information and entertainment products to newspapers and electronic media.
About Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune, which has published continuously since June 10, 1847, is one of nation’s largest newspapers with daily circulation of nearly 675,000 and Sunday circulation greater than 1,000,000. Chicago Tribune is at the forefront of providing its readers with the best in original content in the newspaper and on the Internet at chicagotribune.com and is part of Tribune (NYSE: TRB), a leading media company with operations in television and radio broadcasting, publishing and interactive ventures.
About Yomiuri Shimbun
The Yomiuri Shimbun is Japan’s largest and most influential daily newspaper. Its daily circulation of over 10.2 million is greater than any newspaper in the world. The Yomiuri also publishes The Daily Yomiuri, one of Japan’s leading English language newspapers, and a variety of weekly and monthly magazines. Other companies that are part of the Yomiuri Group include the Nippon Television Network and the Chuokoron Shinsha publishing company. The Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s most popular professional baseball team, won the 2000 Japan Series. For more information about The Daily Yomiuri go to www.yomiuri.jp/daily.
