MANILA, Philippines -– On its 179th issue, Philippine newsmagazine Newsbreak officially announced it was publishing its "second-to-the-last" print edition, as it goes 100 percent online, its editor-in-chief said.Marites Dańguilan Vitug, editor-in-chief of Newsbreak magazine, wrote in the Dear Readers section that the publication was focusing its efforts on building its website by next month. "[W]e will continue our work online, the platform that is transforming journalism by opening the doors of our profession to citizens all over the world and, at the same time, forming tightly knit communities and audiences in cyberspace," she said. Vitug said the news magazine's website will sport a new look come February 2007, which will feature "richer content" and "a lively interactive section." Vitug also said subscribers will be able to access "premium sites such as our archives, special reports, databases, and occasional researches." She also stressed that the news magazine was keeping most of its editorial staff. Newsbreak has recently tapped Filipino professional blogger Abe Olandres who also wrote about the news on his recent posting. "I also got the news that Newsbreak (the magazine) will be finally put to rest next month…However, they will continue to exist as the online magazine (e-zine) as they try to find more funding to revive the print version. Maybe that's why I was asked to help their staff familiarize with the online version as well as give focus on blogging and podcasting as new media tools to enhance their interaction with their readers," Olandres wrote. Six years after publishing the magazine, Vitug said she and her staff have learned many lessons, but nothing beats good writing and journalism. "We've learned lessons from six years of producing the magazine and we've taken them to heart. First, we need to sharpen our watchdog function in order to have more impact and achieve reforms. Second, we have to engage our readers and parties interested in issues that we care about so that the information we generate gets used to realize reforms," she said. "It used to be that the function of journalists was limited toinforming the public. It still is our basic duty -- but given the context of Philippine society, where corruption, vested interests, and inequity are among our pressing problems, we cannot help but respond to these. It may be a tall order to expect that what we write moves government and the private sector to act, to improve policy and address grievances. But that remains our hope," she added. Vitug disclosed that the Newsbreak has been owned and run by a foundation, with revenues coming from advertising and grants from local and foreign sources. "We will continue with this structure. It's a way of maintaining our independence," she added. "Looking back, the past years have definitely broadened our experience and we'll always remember how it was dealing with the market. It hasn't been easy competing in the harsh marketplace where glossies dominate. One of the lessons that have left an indelible imprint on us is this: the applause of the market is hard to win. We may have won awards and praises from institutions including The New York Times and the Eurasia Group -- but the verdict of the market hasn't been encouraging," she said. Vitug said Newsbreak was not giving up on the market, and plans to someday come back with a print edition. | 
