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Tribune Co. newspapers to go a week without AP
Tue Nov 3, 11:11 am ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and other newspapers owned by the Tribune Co. plan to cut back on use of the Associated Press (AP) next week to test whether they can do without content from the US news agency.
The Chicago Tribune said the plan to "utilize as little content from the Associated Press as practical" was aimed at determining whether the Tribune Co., which declared bankruptcy in December, can sever ties with the AP.
The Chicago-based Tribune Co. has been looking for ways to cut costs and in October 2008 it gave the AP the required two-year notice that it might drop the service.
The Chicago Tribune said Tribune Co. television stations and newspaper websites would not take part in next week's experiment.
The newspaper also said sports statistics from the AP will still be used along with items "considered vital."
"But the company wants to see to what kind of void the absence of AP stories and photos would have," the Chicago Tribune said.
It said Tribune Co. newspapers will rely on their own staff and news sources such as Agence France-Presse (AFP), Bloomberg, Cable News Network, Global Post, Reuters and others during the trial.
In a statement, the AP said it "appreciates and understands that newspapers are looking for ways to confront challenging economic times and one way might be considering how they use content from the AP and other sources.
"At the same time, we continue to work with our member newspapers to make sure the AP, which is the gold standard of breaking news, remains a vital interest to newspapers, their publishers and their readers," AP spokesman Paul Colford said.
In a story about the Tribune experiment, the AP said that at its annual meeting in April, some 180 newspapers -- 14 percent of the AP's US newspaper membership -- had threatened to leave the news service with many complaints centered on cost.
The AP said it offered 30 million dollars in rate reductions to member newspapers in 2009 and plans 35 million dollars in rate reductions in 2010.
Like many US newspaper publishers, the Tribune Co. has been grappling with declining circulation, a loss of readership to free online media, and a steep drop in print advertising revenue.
Since declaring bankruptcy, the Tribune Co., which also owns the Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel and other dailies, has slashed newsrooms across the country.
Print Back to story
Tribune Co. newspapers to go a week without AP
Tue Nov 3, 11:11 am ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and other newspapers owned by the Tribune Co. plan to cut back on use of the Associated Press (AP) next week to test whether they can do without content from the US news agency.
The Chicago Tribune said the plan to "utilize as little content from the Associated Press as practical" was aimed at determining whether the Tribune Co., which declared bankruptcy in December, can sever ties with the AP.
The Chicago-based Tribune Co. has been looking for ways to cut costs and in October 2008 it gave the AP the required two-year notice that it might drop the service.
The Chicago Tribune said Tribune Co. television stations and newspaper websites would not take part in next week's experiment.
The newspaper also said sports statistics from the AP will still be used along with items "considered vital."
"But the company wants to see to what kind of void the absence of AP stories and photos would have," the Chicago Tribune said.
It said Tribune Co. newspapers will rely on their own staff and news sources such as Agence France-Presse (AFP), Bloomberg, Cable News Network, Global Post, Reuters and others during the trial.
In a statement, the AP said it "appreciates and understands that newspapers are looking for ways to confront challenging economic times and one way might be considering how they use content from the AP and other sources.
"At the same time, we continue to work with our member newspapers to make sure the AP, which is the gold standard of breaking news, remains a vital interest to newspapers, their publishers and their readers," AP spokesman Paul Colford said.
In a story about the Tribune experiment, the AP said that at its annual meeting in April, some 180 newspapers -- 14 percent of the AP's US newspaper membership -- had threatened to leave the news service with many complaints centered on cost.
The AP said it offered 30 million dollars in rate reductions to member newspapers in 2009 and plans 35 million dollars in rate reductions in 2010.
Like many US newspaper publishers, the Tribune Co. has been grappling with declining circulation, a loss of readership to free online media, and a steep drop in print advertising revenue.
Since declaring bankruptcy, the Tribune Co., which also owns the Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel and other dailies, has slashed newsrooms across the country.
