[abb]

Apparently, much of AP’s so called journalism apparently comes from its customers. So as its customer base disappears, they will be more dependent on other “free/private” sources.

I have a couple of AP and UPI history books in my "to read" pile, so I'm not as educated on this as I should be.

The best I can tell of how the 'cooperative' deal between the AP and its subscribers works is that the AP is entitled to all original stuff from the members - news stories, photos, video, etc. Then the AP rearranges the paragraphs in the story, adds/deletes a few prepositions and then turns around and sells it back to the members.

The AP has a few reporters scattered around who do some original reporting sometimes. But the only thing going for them for so many years was their wire network that allowed information distribution among the members. Their own little internet, so to speak.

They're not long for this world.

[Grampa Dave]

abb, thanks for your reply.

That is how I remember our photographer friend explaining how he, other photographers and writers for AP’s customers got shafted when AP took their product and made it their product.