It's a move of desperation. Papers sign multi-year, mutli-thousand (or hundred thousand, depending on the paper's size) contracts to use AP content, and many of them have been considering canceling their contracts to save money.
The AP has to do something or will find itself completely irrelevant. While they produce graphics and quite a bit of the foreign news published in this country, most domestic stories come from their member papers. Fewer member papers = less value for members = death spiral for AP.
They have to do something to add value for their member papers. Leading the charge to an industry-wide pay wall actually makes some sense, as they are in the unique position to unify the 1,400 papers that belong to the organization.
That's not to say it will work. Technologically, it seems retarded on its face. Economically, I have no idea how they'll enforce it. But suing users has kept the music industry in business - for now at least - so who knows, maybe suing aggregators and bloggers will keep the AP in business.
http://www.newspaperdeathwatch.com/star-tribune-ditches-ap-o...
The AP has to do something or will find itself completely irrelevant. While they produce graphics and quite a bit of the foreign news published in this country, most domestic stories come from their member papers. Fewer member papers = less value for members = death spiral for AP.
They have to do something to add value for their member papers. Leading the charge to an industry-wide pay wall actually makes some sense, as they are in the unique position to unify the 1,400 papers that belong to the organization.
That's not to say it will work. Technologically, it seems retarded on its face. Economically, I have no idea how they'll enforce it. But suing users has kept the music industry in business - for now at least - so who knows, maybe suing aggregators and bloggers will keep the AP in business.
RIAA - Meet the Associated Press.