{{Short description|South Korean online news website}} {{Italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox website | logo = Ohmynews logo.svg | url = {{URL|http://www.ohmynews.com/}} | commercial = Yes | registration = Required | language = Korean | owner = Oh Yeon-ho | political = | revenue = US$70,000 | name = OhmyNews<br />오마이뉴스 | launch_date = {{Start date and age|2000|02|22|df=yes}} | current_status = Online }} {{Liberalism in South Korea|Media}} '''''OhmyNews''''' ({{Korean|hangul=오마이뉴스}}) is a South Korean online news website. It was founded by Oh Yeon Ho on 22 February 2000. The site's motto is "Every Citizen is a Reporter", which reflects its status as the first news website in Korea to accept, edit, and publish articles from its readers in an open source-style.<ref name="MacIntyre">{{cite web|url=http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=153109&rel_no=2|title=Time: The People's News Source|last=MacIntyre|first=Donald|date=May 29, 2005|access-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204195154/http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=153109&rel_no=2|archive-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> About 20% of the site's content is written by the 55-person staff; most articles are written by freelance contributors.
==Political position== ''OhmyNews'' is consistently considered liberal and progressive.<ref name="liberal">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a2AHZOzmk98C&pg=PA77 |title=Funding Journalism in the Digital Age: Business Models, Strategies, Issues and Trends |date=2010 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-1-4331-0685-9 |first1=Jeff|last1=Kaye|first2=Stephen|last2=Quinn |page=77 |quote="Other than that we are pretty liberal." OhmyNews also publishes a weekly broadsheet newspaper in Korean ( circulation about 150,000 ) where the best of the web makes it into print.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i60eEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA21 |title=Digital Media, Online Activism, and Social Movements in Korea |date=2021 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-7936-4229-5 |first1=Ho-jung|last1=Lee|first2=Joong-hwan|last2=Oh|page=21 |quote=As a progressive political press, OhmyNews addresses issues with social significance while the mainstream media ignore or underreport them.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=AEJMC News: The Newsletter of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Volume 39 |date=2005 |publisher=The Association |first1=Ho-jung|last1=Lee|first2=Joong-hwan|last2=Oh|page=33 |quote=... State between two polarizing online news Reporting a Humanitarian Tragedy : A University of New Jersey {{!}} This paper media, the progressive OhmyNews and the Framing Analysis of Chinese Newspaper analyses how images published in ten ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=23 February 2022 |title=Defection casts light on rift within ruling party ahead of election |work=Korea Economic Institute of America |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/02/113_324380.html |access-date=18 February 2023 |quote=Jeong's posting came as a shock to the DPK because the former journalist who worked with left-wing news outlet OhmyNews, helped former Prime Minister Lee's campaign as his public relations chief during the party's primary.}}</ref> This is in contrast to the somewhat more moderate liberal ''Hankyoreh'' and ''Kyunghyang''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://keia.org/the-peninsula/the-growing-role-of-social-media-in-south-korea/ |title=The Growing Role of Social Media in South Korea |quote= Another very important contribution to Roh's victory came from internet news service OhmyNews, a liberal-leaning news service originally built to provide an alternative news source for younger generations "disillusioned with the biased reporting of traditional media".|work=Korea Economic Institute of America |date=13 December 2011 |access-date=26 December 2021}}</ref> It is considered anti-imperialist, anti-racist, and anti-xenophobic; however, anti-China/anti-Japan left-wing nationalist media is common among South Korean liberals. The site is also generally critical of the "hegemonic nationalism" of the Chinese and Japanese governments, and supports "resistance nationalism". The site strongly criticizes and opposes anti-Japanese and anti-Chinese sentiment that is expressed as racism rather than anti-imperialism.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002801951 | script-title=ko:"한국은 우리 싫어하죠?" 중국친구 질문에 말문이 막혔다 | date=12 January 2022 |language=ko|access-date=29 November 2022 }}</ref>
''OhmyNews'' is not anti-American, but often criticizes U.S. foreign policy.<ref name="친미">{{cite web|script-title=ko:"미국이 돌아왔다!" 장혜영의 이 발언 매우 아쉽다 |trans-title="The U.S. is back!" Jang Hye-young's remarks are very unfortunate. |url=http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002723181 |language=ko|script-quote=ko:장혜영 의원이 모두발언에서 한 미국 외교정책에 대한 지지의사 표명은 현실 국제관계에 대한 무지와 낭만주의가 아닌지 우려스럽다. 지금까지 미국이 인권의 이름으로 국제개입을 했을 때 인권이 성장하긴 커녕 그 나라의 인권이 역으로 후퇴한 경우가 많았기 때문이다.|trans-quote=Rep. Jang Hye-young's expression of support for US foreign policy is concerned about whether it is ignorance and romanticism about real international relations. This is because, until now, when the United States has intervened internationally in the name of human rights, there have been many cases where human rights in that country have retreated in reverse, rather than improving human rights.|newspaper=OhmyNews|date=2021-03-02|access-date=2021-12-04}}</ref> It opposes improving Japan-South Korea relations and is particularly negative about cooperation in the military sector. In 2022, an article on ''OhmyNews'' criticized the U.S. effort to improve Japan-South Korea relations to counter China as sacrificing South Korea.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-13 |script-title=ko:'한·일관계 개선'에 신경 쓰는 미국의 진짜 속내 |url=http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002887852 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=OhmyNews |language=ko}}</ref>
==History== thumb|OhmyNews office thumb|right|150px|Oh Yeon Ho ''OhmyNews'' was influential in determining the outcome of the 2002 South Korean presidential election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newamerica.net/events/2012/struggle_for_Internet_Freedom|title=Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom|last=Mackinnon|first=Rebecca|website=NewAmerica.net|access-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626135640/http://newamerica.net/events/2012/struggle_for_Internet_Freedom|archive-date=June 26, 2012}}</ref> After being elected, President Roh Moo-hyun granted his first interview to ''OhmyNews''. ''OhmyNews International'' is an English language online newspaper that features "citizen reporter" articles written by contributors from all over the globe. Its content is almost 100% citizen reporter.
On 22 February 2006, ''OhmyNews'' and Japanese firm Softbank signed an investment contract valued at US$11 million. In 2006 ''OhmyNews'' started to build a Japan-based citizen-participatory journalism site called ''OhmyNews Japan'', launched on 28 August with a famous Japanese journalist and 22 other employees working under ten reporters. These journalists' articles were the object of much criticism;{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} on 17 November 2006, the newspaper ended the citizen-participation aspect of the paper. The South Korean newspaper admitted that ''OhmyNews Japan'' had failed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/international/japan/179439.html|script-title=ko:일본 오마이뉴스의 고전|date=20 December 2006|language=ko|access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref> In July 2008, all staff of OhmyNews Japan were dismissed, and by the end of August operations had ceased on the site.
The 2nd Citizen Reporters' Forum was held by ''OhmyNews'' in Seoul, Korea from 12–15 July 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.ohmynews.com/english/eng_section.asp?article_class=11|title=OhmyNews International|website=english.ohmynews.com|access-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010170535/http://english.ohmynews.com/english/eng_section.asp?article_class=11|archive-date=October 10, 2012}}</ref> "Curators are important to our operation. They are given a great deal of trust. In order to maintain credibility amongst our team members, new curators join through recommendations of existing curators. And even amongst the curators we have different levels depending on their experience and contributions. This is to maintain a steady level of quality and credibility with our readers."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://international.ohmynews.com/about |title=About|newspaper=OhmyNews International |publisher=Oh My News|date=2000-02-22 |access-date=2022-11-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323230954/http://international.ohmynews.com/2013/03/22/about-my-dream/|archive-date=March 23, 2015}}</ref> During the declaration of martial law in 2024, an ''OhmyNews'' live stream captured Democratic Party deputy spokeswoman Ahn Gwi-ryeong confronting a soldier with a rifle, which was seen by millions on X (formerly twitter).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Watch a woman try to grab a soldier's gun amid turmoil in South Korea |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/watch-a-woman-try-to-grab-a-soldiers-gun-amid-turmoil-in-south-korea/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}</ref>
===Financing=== ''OhmyNews'' is losing original features as alternative–independent media in financial independence. Oh Yeon-ho said, "70 to 80 percent of our revenue came from corporate advertising and sponsorships. In contrast, contributions from readers only totaled five percent of total revenue." Oh also said, "We have not received a cent from Lee Myung-bak government for central government advertising."<ref name="ohmynews1"/> A government report to National Assembly in 2009 revealed that ''OhmyNews'' received 120 million won (approximately 100,000 dollars) for government advertising from February 2008 to July 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newdaily.co.kr/news/article.html?no=30001 |script-title=ko:노무현 정권,오마이뉴스에 광고집중 : Save Internet 뉴데일리 |date=10 July 2009|newspaper={{ill|Newdaily|ko|뉴데일리}}|language=ko|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref> An ''OhmyNews'' report also indicated that they had received about 870 million won (approximately 900,000 dollars) for government advertising from 2003 to 2007 by introducing government official reports to National Assembly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000983200&PAGE_CD=|script-title=ko:노무현 정부 기간, 조중동이 정부광고액 1~3위|date=September 23, 2008|language=ko|access-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724103914/https://ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000983200&PAGE_CD=|archive-date=July 24, 2011}}</ref>
An alternative medium Pressian reported Oh's comments, "I respect Samsung as major business partner," and introduced about 20 percent of the total advertising and cooperation revenue of ''OhmyNews'' is coming from Samsung for years, the biggest business corporate of Korea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressian.com/article/article.asp?article_num=40100225123927 |script-title=ko:<오마이뉴스>도 삼성 칼럼 미게재 '후폭풍' - 프레시안|website=Pressian|date=2010-02-25 |language=ko|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref> On 8 July 2009, Oh Yeon-ho revealed that ''OhmyNews'' was losing up to 700 million won yearly, and appealed to website users to join a voluntary subscription scheme.<ref name="ohmynews1">{{cite web|url=http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=385441&rel_no=1&back_url=|title=What Does OhmyNews Mean to You? - OhmyNews International|website=english.ohmynews.com|access-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217085725/http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=385441&rel_no=1&back_url=|archive-date=February 17, 2012}}</ref>
==''OhmyNews International''== In September 2010, ''OhmyNews International'' changed its format from citizen journalism to becoming a forum about citizen journalism. Verifying facts from around the world became too difficult. The old site is an archive and does not accept new articles.<ref>{{cite web |title=OhmyNews |url=http://english.ohmynews.com |url-status=dead|newspaper=OhmyNews|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128032909/http://english.ohmynews.com/ |archive-date=November 28, 2019 |access-date=November 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Meyer|first=J.D.|title=OhmyNews redesigning to become citizen journalism blog|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/295823|journal=Digital Journal|access-date=29 November 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204223032/https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/295823|archive-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Journalism}} * Culture of South Korea * Media in South Korea
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=153109&rel_no=2 International press react to OhmyNews] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204195154/http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=153109&rel_no=2 |date=4 December 2018 }} * ''TIME magazine'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20070401170757/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570733,00.html profile of contributor Kim Hye-won] * [https://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2007/10/24/WikiVOhMyNews/ Giants of Citizen Media Meet Up] The Tyee, October 24, 2007 * [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?code=2552215&menu=c10400&no=381061&rel_no=1 OhmyNews Citizen Journalism School Opens], OhmyNews, November 24, 2007 * [http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/09/18/japan-the-end-of-ohmynews-japan/ The End of OhmyNews Japan], Global Voices Online, September 18, 2008
==External links== * {{official website|http://international.ohmynews.com/}} * {{Commons category-inline|OhmyNews}}
{{Citizen journalism}} {{Newspapers in South Korea}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OhmyNews}} Category:2000 establishments in South Korea Category:Asian news websites Category:Anti-racist organizations in Asia Category:Anti-imperialist organizations Category:Jongno District Category:Korean nationalist organizations Category:Left-wing nationalism in South Korea Category:Left-wing newspapers Category:Liberal media in South Korea Category:Magazines published in South Korea Category:Newspapers published in South Korea Category:Online companies of South Korea Category:Progressivism in South Korea Category:Publications established in 2000 Category:Internet properties established in 2000 Category:South Korean news websites