This means that Asahi Shimbun will be available early morning on the same day of publication, both to subscribers and at newsstands.
Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, has announced today that it has started live production at its first print site in SA, which has been set up by global digital printing giant Oc'e to open a major new market for the newspaper.
Oc'e Digital Newspaper Network is using its Newspaper System 7000 high-speed digital solution to print Asahi Shimbun in Johannesburg on a daily basis. This revolutionary way of production means that Asahi Shimbun will be available early morning on the same day of publication, both to subscribers and at newsstands. This version of the newspaper will look and feel virtually the same as its traditionally-printed worldwide counterpart.
Asahi Shimbun, which has a Japanese circulation of 8.5 million, can now capitalise on the South African market in a way it has never been able to do before. Hiroshi Ichikawa, president and executive director of Asahi Shimbun International Limited, said the move will benefit subscribers in SA, who are sometimes almost 24 hours behind those in Japan, the UK and Holland, where Asahi Shimbun already has traditional printing sites.
The newspaper has already attracted a number of new subscribers in SA since digital production started, and may start to publish a sports newspaper or a magazine in Johannesburg that was previously unavailable in the region.
Before this initiative, Asahi Shimbun was printing copies for South African subscribers in London, and flying them over. As well as the time-savings to be gained, the cost of operating in this way was very high, and Ichikawa said that costs will go down dramatically now. The cost savings will be passed on to readers through a cut in the price of the newspaper, said Ichikawa.
He added: "Once we`ve proved the success of this project in Johannesburg I want to look to different markets. Basically the places that are very far away from our existing print sites."
This development follows on the heels of the Financial Times starting live production at the same plant at Ince in Johannesburg early last year. The FT reported that its circulation in the region more than doubled in a year.
Share
The Oc'e group markets an extensive portfolio of superior products and services for professional document management. Oc'e helps businesses and organisations all over the world manage and exchange information effectively. Solutions from Oc'e comprise printers, scanners, copiers and software as well as the related imaging supplies. Oc'e also provides after-sale service, plus consulting services for designing the solutions and integrating them into our customers` infrastructure. In 2002 the Oc'e group achieved sales revenues of 3.2 billion euro. The group employs over 22 000 people worldwide. Oc'e products are marketed in some 80 countries, and the group operates its own companies in 30.
For further information, visit the company`s Web site at www.oce.com.
Editorial contacts