Associate Press' plan to charge for snippets of content -- 5 words and up

[steven johnson]

Looks like posting AP stories on DU will be costing the website money. They plan on embedding 'tracking code' (?a worm) into their news stories so they can track their where their stories are reprinted in part on line.

BusinessWeek
Technology July 26, 2009

By Ian Paul

San Francisco - Yesterday, the Associated Press came out with its anticipated scheme to protect AP content from unauthorized use. The news co-op's latest brainchild (described in this announcement) is a content management database that will keep tabs on where AP articles, photos, and videos appear online. The content registry will start out with AP staff-originated material only, but will start reaching out to content of member news outlets early next year.

AP Content: Now with Spyware?
As part of its protection scheme, all AP content will come with a piece of software that will set out the terms of use for each article, and have a "built-in beacon" to let the AP know how its content is being used. If a member news organization decides to join up with the AP on its voyage to nowhere, the new system will provide content owners with "detailed metrics on content consumption, payment services, and enforcement support." Not only that, but the AP says the new database will also allow members to create pay walls around their content—I guess because pay walls have worked so well in the past.


The AP has tried something like this before. Last year, the news organization underwent a sever lambasting after the AP decided to take on bloggers over their habit of quoting the AP's articles. That led to an AP content pricing scheme where you can pay as much as $12.50 for excerpting five words of an AP story.


Murky Waters: The AP's New Content Protection Plan

words fees
----------------------------
5-10 $12.50
26-50 $16.50
51-100 $25.00
101-250 $75.00
more than 250 $100.00

http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/007122.html?tk=rel_news

[sandnsea]

1. Good. People will look for the press release

And start linking to original sources. There's no reason to link to the AP bullshit spin when you can usually go to the original govt info with a few more minutes effort.

[paulsby]

2. that's great but as i understand it the law of the land is still the :"fair use doctrine:

i could be wrong. this is not an area of law i am that familiar with (subtble disclaimer lol), but my understanding is that as long as the person complies with the fair use doctrine guidelines, the AP can pound sand, at least within our borders. any comments from people knowledgeable in this area of the law?

[Journeyman]

3. Seems like a nifty way for trolls to cost a site a bundle in very short order. . .

if the Moderators can't delete content before AP detects it, will a site be liable for a commenter's mischievous behavior?

[DJ13]

4. So we start posting AP stories on Freerepublic?

[KT2000]

5. Looks like detection happens immediately

trolls could run up a bill as high as they want it seems

[rpannier]

7. I wondewr what would happen if I moved the story to Word and then copied it from there?

[DCKit]

6. Jeebus, we'll have to pay to post the URL.

How 'bout we just post the URL and fact-check their articles from now on. Should do far more damage to the shreds of credibility the AP still retains. McClatchy is about the only group left still doing accurate reporting and actual journalism anyway.