Politico Announces Content Partnership With Hong Kong-Based 'South China Morning Post'

Politico is teaming up with Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on a content-sharing partnership.

The deal aims to deepen “coverage of the political, economic and policy dynamics driving U.S.- China relations” and to strengthen Politico's “ambition to establish a deeper foothold in Asia” and South China Morning Post's push into the U.S. market, according to a statement from both companies.

Under the multi-year partnership, editors from South China Morning Post (SCMP) can share with its readers stories from Politico, the politics and policy-focused publication based in Washington, D.C. area.

Politico editors can also draw on SCMP stories that are relevant to its readers.

Over time, editors at both publications will “look for opportunities to combine resources on original stories produced in combination with Politico and SCMP journalists,” according to a memo to staff from John Harris, Politico co-founder and editor in chief, and Editor Carrie Budoff Brown.

Another potential outcome of the deal is event partnerships in the U.S. and Asia.

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Harris and Brown wrote that the partnership "is a first step in what we are conceiving as a series of vigorous editorial and business moves in the months ahead focused on strengthening our coverage of policy issues in China of most relevance to our main site readers and, especially, to our Pro subscribers."

Harris added that Marty Kady, the editorial director of Politico Pro, will take the editorial lead in coordinating the SCMP relationship.

"This is just the first step," Politico publisher and Executive Chairman Robert Allbritton told The Wall Street Journal. "If it works, we think this has the potential to be one of the biggest things we have ever done."

The 115-year-old SCMP is the oldest newspaper in Asia, and the only independent English-language publication in the region. It has 300 editorial staff in Asia, with about 40 reporters in mainland China.

"This content partnership represents a milestone for SCMP by expanding our coverage to new audiences, and allowing us to leverage our breadth and depth of expertise on China with Politico," stated Tammy Tam, SCMP editor in chief.

Politico has 250 reporters and editors in 15 cities across nine time zones.

Last September, Politico expanded its offerings in Europe by bringing its morning politics-focused Playbook newsletter franchise to London. It also has an edition in of Playbook in Brussels.

Last year, Politico expanded its U.K. team in Europe, partly in response to increasing interest in U.K. politics after the Brexit referendum in 2016.

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