AP Opens Office in Pyongyang

Finally, a western news service will broadcast the real North Korea. Well, maybe

PYONGYANG, North Korea May 22, 2006 (AP)— AP Television News opened a full-time office in North Korea on Monday, becoming the first Western news organization to provide regular coverage of that nation.

Under the arrangement, international staff from APTN, which is headquartered in Britain, will work with local staff recruited from Korean Radio and Television.

The announcement followed four years of negotiations with the state broadcaster, Korean Radio and Television, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Once again, The Associated Press opens a window with authoritative and impartial coverage from all parts of the world,” said Tom Curley, president and CEO of The Associated Press. APTN is the international video division of the AP.

APTN Executive Director Nigel Baker, in Pyongyang for the opening of the bureau, called it “a groundbreaking opportunity.”

“APTN has secured frequent and prolonged access to North Korea over the past four years,” Baker said. “The agreement for a full-time bureau now means we’ll be the only Western news organization with regular coverage.”

APTN delivers breaking global news, sport, entertainment, technology and human interest video content to broadcasters, online and mobile platforms around the world. APTN also provides broadcast customers with broadcast facilities and technical expertise via its global network of strategically located bureaus.

So the country with the highest rate of censorship in the world gives a news service “access”. So does that mean they are going to get the same access to Yodok as to Guantanamo Bay? Not a chance. After all, if your news service has to negotiate with a government agency for four years and you have to hire staff from the same government agency, your content mights be a bit limited (and by a bit I mean you can count with your fingers on thing you can broadcast). So it leaves this question, is it better for the AP to have very narrow coverage in North Korea or none at all? Well, if CNN’s adventures in Saddam-era Iraq is any indication, I’d say APTN made a purely business decision and do not expect a product superior to the KCNA anytime soon.