by Tatiana Repkova

KPN NV is to begin a free online and print newspaper in a joint venture with Dutch publisher PCM Uitgevers, the company has said in a statement.

Company officials have said the paper will be published in print format as well as via the Internet and downloadable to mobile phones. Both parties will retain a 50 percentpercent stake in the venture, with KPN officials saying they expect the first issue to be published in the second quarter . KPN had announced early last month it was looking into the possibility of starting a new free Dutch newspaper, possibly with Dutch publishing company PCM.

March 1, 2007