The business district of Hong Kong was “awash with pink” by 8.30am on Monday as the Financial Times launched a new edition for Asia, writes Jean Morgan.
The description came from Asia editor and publisher John Ridding who had a relatively sleepless Sunday night waiting for the edition to hit the streets at 6.30am.
He said his six-strong newsediting team – in conjunction with FT teams in the US and London – produced “awesome” coverage of the resignation of the chairman of US mobile phone giant Motorola.
“One of most rewarding and exciting parts of this is that the round-the-clock, round-the-world news-editing operation has become a reality. We have already seen it pay dividends.”
The new English-language online and print edition is designed to boost the global circulation of thepaper and increase the use of FT.com across Asia.
The paper will be printed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul and incorporates increased coverage of Asian business, financial and political news, comment and analysis from bureaux in China, South Korea and Hong Kong. It will continue to cover US and European affairs.
Features of the new Asia edition include a Wednesday “Investing in China” section, increased Asian content in the Lex column and dedicated leaders and specialist columns on Asia.
FT.com will feature “Asia Watch”, a new daily analysis of equity markets, as well as Asia-focused Lex live notes published during the Asian business day. Elements of the site will be translated into Chinese for zhongwen.ft.com, the FT’s recently launched website.
FT chief executive Olivier Fleurot said: “In the past six years, we’ve transformed the FT from a predominantly UK-based title to a truly global publication. This is the final piece in our global jigsaw.”
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
