Is Fournier saving or destroying the AP?

Not sports, but interesting I think ...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11716.html

 

Destroying. I don't care what someone whose stories will not appear regularly in my paper thinks.

 

I'd be a much-happier night editor if the AP would send more than 22 stories on a Saturday or Sunday. Many weekends I have 18- to 20-page news holes, and AP just doesn't send enough stories my circulation area gives a rat's ass about. The Jersey AP office is pretty good most weekends, but I still need to fill a lot of national and world pages. Also, ever hear of sending shorter, for-tabloid-size pieces?

I think AP would be wise to hold a weekend conference to get suggestions on how to better serve its members.

 

If he wants to have a reporter or two who just writes commentary, I'm OK with that.

Otherwise, AP needs to play it down the middle.

 

I liked this paragraph because that last thought was running through my mind from the start of the story:

I come from that school of thought -- treat wire copy as malleable. I about shit myself during an interview in the 1990s when an editor told me that even on AP stories, they "try to preserve the writer's voice." I wonder if they are having second thoughts now.

 

I've been told to hack the shit out of AP stories.

 

If we use a quoter on an AP baseball story, we automatically axe the lead.

 

I was one upset camper when Sandy left. She was and is a pro's pro. Nice lady with titanium cajones.

Ron was a kick-ass staff writer.

It's the new AP. Little Lou is gone. Curly's in charge. They've ratcheted up the pressure on bureaus, though I never thought that was possible.

My best guess is Mother AP will become the training ground for delivering news in new ways. Better? We'll see.

 

Media Matters on Fournier ...

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200807220006?f=h_column

 

How 'BOUT that! . . .

 

They need to drastically improve their state coverage. We have one freakin' state page and it's a struggle to fill every day. We get about 10 5-inch bullshit stories they've lifted from local papers. We're lucky to get anything over 15 inches and damn near doing handstands if we can get a photo with it.

 

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I logged into AP Exchange and saw that I now have a link to all 50 states for news. It could be someone here upgraded my account but whatever the case I like having more news links to choose from. Usually I was limited to Philly, Jersey and Maryland for state news. I still prefer local news, and beyond that Jersey and Philly stories, but now I can click onto any state to fill news holes, which I had to do a few times this weekend. California's always good for juicy stories i.e. murder, gangsta life, shit like that.

I'm pretty happy with Jersey AP.