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Swedish newspaper trials article on Pirate Bay

Posted: 20/02/09 By: Laura Oliver

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A Swedish newspaper has used file-sharing site The Pirate Bay (TPB) to beta-test an article.

Sydsvenskan.se pre-published a pdf of six pages from a seven-page special on internet piracy and copyright issues on the service on February 8.

"Not only did this give us massive coverage in the media and the blogosphere (…) The feedback we got was instant, smart and qualified," explained Sydsvenskan staff writer Andreas Ekstrom in a blog post.

Speaking to Journalism.co.uk, Ekstrom said the timing of the experiment was 'irresistible' because of the copyright trial of TPB's founders and financers, which started in a Swedish court this week.

The experiment helped the paper fix problems with the article and reach a new audience, he added.

"The paper I work for may be 160 years of age – but it's got one of the youngest souls in the industry. Our editors don't hesitate to experiment," said Ekstrom.

Sydsvenskan was criticised by some for legitimising TPB by using it, but Ekstrom said these claims were countered by previous balanced reporting on the site carried by the paper, he said.

While there are currently no plans to pre-publish content more regularly on TPB, using beta versions to engage readers in the journalistic work process will become more common at both Sydsvenskan and other titles, Ekstrom predicted.

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sweden | the pirate bay | sydsvenskan | andreas ekstrom |

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