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
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
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.
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