Proper attribution question

[BigJim5190]

This came up a few weeks ago and I'm sure there's a hard-and-fast rule for it, but here goes:

Awhile back there was a incident that happened locally that got minor AP play. We covered the incident as it happened and when we did a follow, the writer inserted AP quotes and attributed with "soandso told the AP".

I think that's a better way to do it, but a co-worker argued that we should leave the attribution off the quote and run a reader at the bottom "Materials from the AP and so on".

Who owes who a beer?

 

[In Cold Blood]

I'd go with it attributed with the quote. Seems more accurate to me.
"AP contributed to this report" or whatever at the bottom seems much less specific and leaves a lot up to the imagination about exactly what the AP contributed. Was it one small fact, like the player's middle name, or did they contribute every single word except the lede?
With the attribution by the quote, I have a better understanding of who did what.

My .02, FWIW.

 

[pressmurphy]

Attribute the quote to AP. You don't want to be left holding the bag if there was a mistake.