PyeongChang News Services Network (PNN) has signed a working agreement concept with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Monday.

The PNN, which is a media archiving platform, is aimed at enabling the two newswire services as well as other News Agencies to exchange news extensively especially in the upcoming Winter Olympic games.

Madam Son Sun Young, the Deputy Assistant Manager of Yonhap News Agency in South Korea, said: “Under the agreement with the International Olympic Committee, Yonhap was designed as the host News Agency for the PyeongChang event.

“As such, we have begun developing the PNN as the platform for the free exchange of news content among news agencies, however, we expect to complete it before the first half of this year,” she said.

Madam Sun Young explained that News Agencies joining the platform would together build an archive of content for the PyeongChang Olympic Games and have free access to each other’s news content adding that “they will be able to use this platform to exchange news content even after the Olympics”.

She noted that the media platform which has 43 members currently with presence in five African countries does not come with any restrictions in membership participation as it is done through single registration.

She said: “The PNN which will start full services in December 2017 will benefit partners to separate channel for the receiving of World News and deliver perspective”.

According to Madam Sun Young, PNN was named under its goal that Yonhap News Agency, the host news providing news agency would allow news outlets around the world to share content on the Winter Olympics in real time and for free.

“PNN members will have access to not only Yonhap News' content in the Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Arabic and Spanish languages but also that of fellow members without signing separate agreements.

“The members can upload their content, including news articles in English and native languages, photos and video clips and graphics on the platform without limitation,” she said.

Mr Yongseok YI, the project Manager of PNN, said for meaningful and substantial cooperation among the World’s News Agencies in overcoming the challenges and turmoil in the rapidly changing media environment, mainly due to the fast development of information and communication technology had necessitated the use of PNN.

On the mode of operation, Mr YI said members would upload their news to PNN through various technical interfaces with news being transferred directly.

He mentioned automatic news categorization, news archiving into data base as well as distribution of news as other modes of operation.

“Even after the Olympics, they can continue to use the platform to exchange news content. It currently has 35 news agencies, including the Cyprus News Agency (CDA), the Swiss News Agency (SDA) and the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (ANA-MPA) of Greece, as members.

“When you gain membership to PNN, you can get much help in increasing the competitiveness of your news service and promoting mutual cooperation among News Agencies through the quick exchanges of news content,” he said.

Mr Francis Rex Annan, the Acting Managing Director of the GNA, said agreement had come at an opportune time to support the Agency to achieve its mandate.