OHNO, newspapers also upset with AP
The blogosphere made much ado earlier this month about the Associated Press’ (AP) decision to send legal notice to the Drudge Retort Web site over seven 39-to-79-word postings that the organization felt was an improper use of its content. For its part, the AP says it is conducting an ongoing dialogue with bloggers over responsible use of content.
However, newspapers, the AP’s traditional base, so to speak, are increasingly unhappy with the organization as well, according to a by Russell Adams in The Wall Street Journal.
Basically, the AP is adjusting its strategy for a changing media environment by shifting more content toward Web sites and cable TV. That isn’t sitting well with newspaper editors – the editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, for one, reportedly compared AP president and CEO Tom Curley to the Politburo’s secretary general – who generally pay high prices for AP content.
In response, the eight largest newspapers in Ohio created a cooperative, the Ohio News Organization or OHNO, which editors in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Indiana have inquired about.
What’s your take on the future of the AP and content sharing among traditional news outlets?
