US: papers look for alternative sources after dropping AP deal
Posted by Alisa Zykova on October 10, 2008 at 10:24 AM
The Associated Press's recent modifications to its membership rates and the nature of the services that it provides caused a number of US papers to back out of their subscriptions. Publications across the country may be on the hunt for an alternative news source, in particular local papers for whom the AP's content may not be adequate anymore. Papers like The Post Register from Idaho Falls, The Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Washington's Yakima Herald-Republic and The Wenatchee World have already submitted two-year cancellation notices of their contracts.
"AP is going to lose newspapers, it is a question of how many," said Post Register Editor Dean Miller of The Post Register. "My guess is most of their losses will be in medium and small markets."
"I think the AP regional report has fallen off in quantity, and in some ways, quality," said Lewiston Tribune Managing Editor Paul Emerson.
AP Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll pointed out that the AP hopes "that the basic fundamentals of the economy and the marketplace will firm up enough so that the pressure is off some of the people who own the AP."
Although raised subscription rates may be one of the reasons why papers are dropping the AP, the news content that it offers is also of concern to some. Furthermore, the AP received criticism regarding its provision of material to print rivals such as TV and radio stations. Star Tribune Editor Nancy Barnes mentioned that her paper wishes to have increased control over news content and its distribution, which may be complicated to do with the current AP deal.
New Jersey daily The Star-Ledger experimented earlier this year by publishing an issue without AP material by using local reporters, non-AP sources and PA SportsTicker, a sports news source signed with New York's Daily News. A number of other dailies in the US are expressing interest towards PA SportsTicker, which its Director of Sales Jay Imus said may be because they are hacked off about how "intolerable" the AP has been.
Another possible news provider is Politico, which recently announced a content-sharing venture with multiple papers which lets Politico sell ads alongside material that is offered. Jim VandeHei, Politico's executive editor, suggested that if a sufficient number of papers back out of their AP deals, his company would be an even more feasible content provider.
Another option is for papers to split content amongst themselves, as is seen with papers from Idaho, Ohio, Florida and Washington.
Source: Editor and Publisher
See: US regionals turn away from AP to focus on local reporting
"I think the AP regional report has fallen off in quantity, and in some ways, quality," said Lewiston Tribune Managing Editor Paul Emerson.
AP Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll pointed out that the AP hopes "that the basic fundamentals of the economy and the marketplace will firm up enough so that the pressure is off some of the people who own the AP."
Although raised subscription rates may be one of the reasons why papers are dropping the AP, the news content that it offers is also of concern to some. Furthermore, the AP received criticism regarding its provision of material to print rivals such as TV and radio stations. Star Tribune Editor Nancy Barnes mentioned that her paper wishes to have increased control over news content and its distribution, which may be complicated to do with the current AP deal.
New Jersey daily The Star-Ledger experimented earlier this year by publishing an issue without AP material by using local reporters, non-AP sources and PA SportsTicker, a sports news source signed with New York's Daily News. A number of other dailies in the US are expressing interest towards PA SportsTicker, which its Director of Sales Jay Imus said may be because they are hacked off about how "intolerable" the AP has been.
Another possible news provider is Politico, which recently announced a content-sharing venture with multiple papers which lets Politico sell ads alongside material that is offered. Jim VandeHei, Politico's executive editor, suggested that if a sufficient number of papers back out of their AP deals, his company would be an even more feasible content provider.
Another option is for papers to split content amongst themselves, as is seen with papers from Idaho, Ohio, Florida and Washington.
Source: Editor and Publisher
See: US regionals turn away from AP to focus on local reporting
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