Hey, AP photo desk

How dang hard is it to send out MUG SHOTS on folks who are in the news?

And not a shot from a presser with a guy that's got was looks like a big dick in his face.

Just sayin.' Jeez.

 

You tell'em, Henry.

 

Back when AP had the original story about Greg Maddux retiring -- not from the press conference, but maybe two days before it -- all they sent were two photos from the previous season when he was a Dodger. It almost seemed like the story and photos were a "this-will-hold-you-over-until-the-press-conference" situation.

My boss and I fight with the state AP here all the time. And really, I don't think we blame the individuals; it's the cuts AP has made while jacking up rates. Hell, at one point, South Carolina's men's college basketball team was 14-4 or something like that, and AP wasn't staffing games. Instead, we were getting three-paragraph AP NEWS NOWS (Don't get me started on those). "Sorry, they're not in the Top 25." If AP is only going to cover teams that are good, why the hell does Kansas City still have a bureau covering the Royals and Chiefs.

I'm sorry. I'm done with my rant.

 

Henry bitching about AP. Stunning.

 

Hey, Sonner, you're outta the business!

The one that tickles me is when they only send filers of football players in helmets.

 

Effin' A. The grass has never been greener.

That said, I couldn't be happier not having to deal with AP anymore. While your bitching about the AP is well documented, Henry, it's also warrented.

 

RSN-BBN-Sonner Typo, 2nd Ld-Writethru --

Sub "warranted" sted "warrented."

 

True story: In an e-mail I received about one of my complaints, one of AP's lines was that they're not hearing complaints from other newspapers about the service. I assume it's because people are apathetic and don't bother calling. I know if you call our state bureau at night, you get transferred to Atlanta where a clueless person answers the phone and tries -- in vain -- to help you. I don't blame the guy, but hell, why am I calling Atlanta for a game that was played in Columbia? It's just all too frustrating, and it really is only going to get worse, not better.

 

One of many reasons I'm not in the biz anymore.

 

Funny thing, I had a run this fall of typing "Sonners" when I meant "Sooners."

Far as I know, none of them got in.

 

It's stunning to me the stuff that gets into stories now.

 

Yeah. We're thinking about changing out deadline structure around to provide for some "quality control" time before the press rolls. It would help.