byline strike?

clutchcargo · Dec 17, 2008

shotglass said:

clutchcargo said:

Good grief, what's the big deal about leaving an AP byline on the story? My reaction whenever I see a story with a full AP byline vs. one that just says Associated Press or "wire reports" is that the one with a writer's name has more credibilty.

If I follow golf, I'm more likely to read a story with Doug Ferguson's name on it than one without a name. And isn't that the whole point---to get the reader to care about a story enough to read it? Methinks writer's name being present helps more than not.
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That's considerably more thought than I'm bound to give regarding the credibility of an AP story.
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OK, forget the analysis. Just put the complete AP byline on when it comes across, for cryin' out loud. Just do it.

Flying Headbutt · Dec 17, 2008

That's not entirely true, and in fact I've heard some non-guild members are participating too. Obviously where I am I'm going to have a better idea of what happens in the DC bureau, and from what I hear, it's been pretty noticeable. Hell the Christmas party last week was universally ignored by the reporters working there last week. Rumor has it you could count on one hand, with fingers to spare, the number of editorial staff who showed up for it. That was intentional, to go along with the byline strike.

clutchcargo · Dec 17, 2008

Flying Headbutt said:

That's not entirely true, and in fact I've heard some non-guild members are participating too. Obviously where I am I'm going to have a better idea of what happens in the DC bureau, and from what I hear, it's been pretty noticeable. Hell the Christmas party last week was universally ignored by the reporters working there last week. Rumor has it you could count on one hand, with fingers to spare, the number of editorial staff who showed up for it. That was intentional, to go along with the byline strike.
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They had a Christmas party??!! They should be so lucky---if my shop has one, I"m going to grab for every piece of food I can---hey if it's their money paying for it, I"m there.

Flying Headbutt · Dec 17, 2008

The staff petitioned to cancel it. Honest to goodness.

cranberry · Dec 17, 2008

JayFarrar said:

My point was that if you say the reader doesn't give a damn about the byline, than that means by extension it doesn't matter who writes the story.
As long as the paper has the story.
But then that means the reader doesn't notice that a stringer was sent to cover the game, or it was generated off a call-in.
So in terms of value it means nothing to the reader that a veteran sportswriter was sent to cover the game as opposed to the alternatives of wire, stringer or call-in.
In my experience, people do notice who covers the game they want to read about.
By saying the reader doesn't give a damn, that means that you are saying what you do has no value. And I don't think that is true.

And in numerous cases of layoffs and buyouts, one of the biggest complaints by readers is what happened to the reporter who covered this or the columnist who wrote about that. I've seen it in action personally and it just isn't anecdotal, Poynter has posted numerous stories from different papers about the same thing.
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Great post. Why all the self-loathing people? Our work isn't the reason the industry, generally, is struggling. What we do is important and does have value. But if we don't place a value on it, why should we expect anyone else to?

There is a reason for the byline strike: It's a three-day demonstration by the union workers at AP that tells management that a) our work has value, b) we're paying attention to the insulting proposals you're giving to our negotiators, and c) we're sticking together.

buckweaver · Dec 17, 2008

I support the AP writers who are striking right now, but I'm not really losing sleep trying to figure out whose byline should be over this slug that just came across:

BC-GLF--Tiger Talks, 1st Ld-Writethru,1060

Just sayin'.

Inky_Wretch · Dec 17, 2008

Looking at the wire, it seems several AP sports writers are not on board.

Dickens Cider · Dec 17, 2008

Inky_Wretch said:

Looking at the wire, it seems several AP sports writers are not on board.
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I saw Newberry's byline not long ago.

buckweaver · Dec 17, 2008

Quite a few bylines on the wire in the last hour: Iacobelli, Nadel, Rieken, Aron, Dubow, Kay, Fendrich, Cranston, Martel, Russo, et al.

(Mind you, I'm in no way trying to call people out for not participating. I have no idea what the circumstances are and am not judging any of these writers.)

forever_town · Dec 17, 2008

I don't get the point of a byline strike, to be honest.

I'm not trying to be snarky. I really don't get why they happen.

NoOneLikesUs · Dec 17, 2008

Speaking of AP, why the fuck does it take so long for AP Top 25 college basketball box scores to move? I had a few 9 p.m. east coast games to deal with tonight and it's getting pretty fucking close to deadline.

zebracoy · Dec 17, 2008

buckweaver said:

Quite a few bylines on the wire in the last hour: Iacobelli, Nadel, Rieken, Aron, Dubow, Kay, Fendrich, Cranston, Martel, Russo, et al.

(Mind you, I'm in no way trying to call people out for not participating. I have no idea what the circumstances are and am not judging any of these writers.)
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It ended Tuesday. That's why.

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byline strike?

clutchcargo Active Member

Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

clutchcargo Active Member

Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

cranberry Well-Known Member

buckweaver Active Member

Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

Dickens Cider New Member

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byline strike?

clutchcargo Active Member

Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

clutchcargo Active Member

Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

cranberry Well-Known Member

buckweaver Active Member

Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

Dickens Cider New Member

buckweaver Active Member

forever_town Well-Known Member

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zebracoy Guest

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