AP Content off Limits - Guidelines to Come

I saw the news story in the New York Times and immediately felt guilty for having even mentioned the new AP report A New Model for News. I was talking about it in the context of user experience translating into circulation online. I believe I quoted more than a few words from the report - not again will I quote, maybe I will go as far as not reading for fear that my visual memory may betray me.

These are interesting times for main stream media. They are trying to figure out where they fit and how to make money. Print publications used to have nice margins, now the margins are thinner - and so are they. All thanks to the rise of citizen bloggers as well that of "free." As in classified ads, content, news, and everything in between. I thought their report was a step firmly in the right direction, that of figuring out who reads news and how we read it.

We know that execution is much harder than research. I do wonder if the recent move was a wise one. I've been following the events between AP and the Drudge report. Staci Kramer of paidContent.org covers how the story progressed at WashingtonPost.com. The Media Bloggers Association provides the time line and a few quotes about the incident. We talked about a new career for journalists writing for PaidContent, too.

As citizen journalism increases, so the responsibility for the stories we circulate grows and spreads. Bloggers now are not only assisted by an association, if they so choose, they can also get educated on the pitfalls to watch for - they are becoming more professional. Angelo Fernando at Hoi Polloi talks about a constant professional motion blur between journalists and bloggers. What is the difference between opinion and news?

My reaction to the AP news was surprise and alarm. Matthew Grant at Aquent puts it more decisively - give it away, give it away, give it away now, he writes. Considering that main stream media is now using social media tools to research their stories, check in with readers, and even promote what they publish, this case seems to be an attempt to go back in time.

Can the genie be put back in the bottle? What do you think? Will this case influence your quoting habits? Do you ever quote main stream media in your posts?

[image of most influential blogs by Vanity Fair. Hat tip to Cyberjournalist.com]

Comments

[Mario Vellandi]

Most dinosaurs won't behave in innovative ways, unless they're free-thinking independents like a Wal-Mart, GE, IBM, etc. All we should expect of mammoth, inter-industry, traditional associations is that they abide by the law - because that is what governs this land and all who undertake activity here.

[Sara]

I try to get interviews or look to journals rather than MSM, but it's not always possible. I understand the AP's concerns - it's a business that has to remain financially solvent - but what they're doing is akin to what the RIAA is doing. You don't become hypervigilant - you recognize that the model has evolved and you evolve with it. Creating ill will isn't a very good strategy for staying relevant or profitable. IMHO.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Mario - it is logical that those organizations that dictated the laws or policies would want to enforce them. What's changed is that there are forces at play today that will let us bypass them as we move towards remix and fluid or liquid content.

@Sara - You understand the issues at play and the fact that AP is reacting because they may not have a plan in place to take them to what's next. Many older businesses are facing the same or similar issues. They are stuck as they keep thinking that the value remains in the old places while customers and markets have evolved. I've put more thinking into it for a post tomorrow.

[Will Flavell]

Great post, but worrying and trying to make guidelines on this concern just feels like the War on Drugs to me. We are going to try to create a system that limits something people are going to do anyway. Until there is a full policing system of the Internet (God-willingly, never) there will never be a stop to plagiarism or reprinting. We should just get used to the idea that this is how news spreads now. But, most responsible bloggers will at least attribute the story.

[Drew Stauffer]

I think I quote unknowns more than main stream sources. Main stream just doesn't seem as trustworthy these days.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Will - there is a tracking system, as a matter of fact, it's called Attributor. See BusinessWeek article here (would not want to quote) http://tiny.cc/6HKTE

@Drew - I do prefer conversations with peers, admittedly.