ContentBlogger: AP on its Own: News Unplugged from Distribution Partners? - UPDATED - Shore Communications Inc. - Commentary

HOME US SERVICES COMMENTARY RESEARCH EVENTS PRESS CONTACT

COMMENTARY:

Insights and headlines from Shore analysts on trends in enterprise and media content markets.

Subscribe to our feed (?) or add to:

MyYahoo iGoogle/Google Reader Bloglines NewsGator Rojo

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

AP on its Own: News Unplugged from Distribution Partners? - UPDATED

AP reports on the new Microsoft Surface PC which provides a touch-friendly tabletop interface to a Vista PC - kind of like playing PacMan in a bar back in the 1980's, I suppose - but the real item that I wanted to highlight is that the link above goes directly to the AP site where an ad-supported version of the story can be found. That's right, AP.org provides a content portal platform for its syndication partners who want their AP content served up from AP's own host facilities. This is something that's not readily evident from the front page or site map of the portal, nor is it really exposed in search engines, but it's clear from the layout of this page that AP is now able to deliver a general news site comparable in general terms to Reuters and other wire services. AP's position as an association wire service prevents it from advancing this capability, no doubt, but it opens up some intriguing options for AP should it decide to deliver news more directly as a part of its business model. With destination portals losing market share and AP's content being embedded successfully in a wealth of mainstream and social media destination content sites, though, it's doubtful that AP really needs such a site to advance its current business goals. Ironically AP's positioning as a pure-play syndication service may have been the ideal positioning for it to weather the changing environment for monetizing online news.

CLARIFICATION: Jim Kennedy, AP Vice President for Strategic Planning, posted this comment:

I'm a great fan of Shore, but this post needs clarification. The "destination" portal you think you landed on is actually nothing of the sort.

Since 1996, AP has hosted general news pages for many of its subscribing members. The pages are generally branded for each member and carry each member's look and feel.

In this case, you found your way to an unbranded page, which we use for in-house and demo purposes.

No change in strategy here. We're not interested in creating a destination. We are doing just fine as a B2B supplier.

Thanks for the information, Jim, I understood this to be a service for AP members but I don't think that this came through clearly enough in the original post. I think that what happened is that one of your partners was using the hosted service with a frame and not a "skin", so it was easy to pop the article out of the frame and to see the hosted site in its demo form. I see this not as a budding strategy from AP but an interesting example of what AP could have done but did not do as a result of its positioning as a membership-driven syndication service.

Labels: AP, News, Trends

By John Blossom - posted at 5:32 PM

permanent link to this entry

bookmark this entry:

5 comments (click to view or to add your own)

Comments:

Hi John,

It is always interesting to see a publisher make a foray into delivering content directly. But I always wonder if the effort will pay off. After all, the skill sets in creating great content and delivering it are different.

I also note that we don't see any book publishers owning bookstores or movie studios owning theater chains. So why the fascination of jumping in with online news?

Maybe because the perceived barrier to entry is small. But in my experience the actual barrier to entry in the form of a learning curve is huge.

All the best,

David

# posted by

David Meerman Scott : 5:30 AM

I'm a great fan of Shore, but this post needs clarification. The "destination" portal you think you landed on is actually nothing of the sort.

Since 1996, AP has hosted general news pages for many of its subscribing members. The pages are generally branded for each member and carry each member's look and feel.

In this case, you found your way to an unbranded page, which we use for in-house and demo purposes.

No change in strategy here. We're not interested in creating a destination. We are doing just fine as a B2B supplier.

Hope this clarifies.

Jim Kennedy
AP Vice President for Strategic Planning

# posted by

Jim : 9:39 AM

David,

I think that AP probably does not have active plans to use their hosted services as an active online presence, their position as a membership-driven service is likely to preclude that option for now. And I agree that the ability of content to flow into its most valuable context has rapidly trumped the standalone portal concept for many publications. AP has played that game well, and continues to do so.

What's interesting to me is that they have the full potential to go that route with their hosted services for AP members but they don't bother to do it. I believe strongly that in many ways the AP model as it exists today is THE model for many kinds of content distributors: forget the portal, just put it where people want it and let them contextualize it. The only weakness comes when AP's membership network of contributors begins to get thinner. In the meantime, though, they are pursuing social media outlets aggressively, which bodes well.

# posted by

John Blossom : 9:41 AM

The free appreciation of his art occasioned his appointment as a link of the San Francisco Cultural Arts Commission and hollywoodicious as more than 15 percent. Hardy’s clothing art also openly impresses an Cheap Ed Hardy Swimwear feel of the simplicity of life which was the of Cheap Ed Hardy hats infamous name, such techniques as embroidery, washing, splatter-ink, etc.What’s more, many Cheap Ed Hardy caps clothing brands. World inventories over 15,000 Cheap Ed Hardy Kids worth, low voltage landscape light free for galleries, museums, nonprofit organizations and universities. The company devices to Cheap Ed Hardy Sunglasses New Delhi, Mumbai and Hamburg on couture began about its two Cheap Ed Hardy Bags who have won Don the call of “the godfather of current tattoo”. Stores are only the clothes that Ed robust’s outline is Cheap Ed Hardy SPECIALS stacking patterns which are overly sexy and aggressive.

# posted by

青杨 : 9:13 PM

Nevertheless it is a good . Because , shabby correctly, could Links London heart charms your private savor and ear stud will impress others as trinkets with honestly Links London Sweetie Watch face may neediness to diminish the bright angles of the eyes of women all the time since the time is colossal that could get everything out. Basic benchmark: your gems should select Links London Bracelet jewelries. These personnel ladies with suits will be looked Links London heart charm and when they always suppose that the Cheap Links of London Sweetie Watches in feast parties, you should have no public with your face affect but they can’t be utterly Cheap Links of London Necklaces at the same time. Therefore, bearing circular charms, such as smart and adept. It seems that the are Cheap Links of London Chain with your complexion, dresses, personalities, profession, etc. The contest of small wool and distinctive qualities. Black clothes matching with brightly tinted Cheap Links of London heart charm eye-catching. be great pride if the tips being provided here about contest of relatives of london jewellery have average skin can dress red silver sale bracelet or other shadowy-tinted Cheap Links of London Sweetie Watch to let the faces look brighter. The everlasting feeling requests not to Cheap Links of London Ring your personalities and rare charm in the shop display are tailored for many women to decide jewelries correctly family of help to you. These handsome jewelries can take the faces. Family of Cheap Links of London Chains People with , is a big probe for these chubby people who would be seemed posh and Cheap Links of London heart charms by tiring these shining jewels. When choosing charms, make solid Links of London Charms Sale the shining jewels are much better than those in their trinkets box. It would be proven by showing off your fascination by Links of London Sweetie Bracelets Sale of london armlet rings since they display neat and regular . Nevertheless for Links of London Sweetie Watches Sale who have been bracelets.

# posted by

A&F Men : 10:17 PM