Tribune Co. Gives Two-Year Drop Notice to the Associated Press

Posted on October 16, 2008

Editor & Publisher reports that the Tribune Co. has given the AP a two-year concellation notice. E&P says the notice came after a new controversial rate structure that the AP plans to rol out in 2009.

Tribune, which owns nine daily papers including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, joins a growing list of newspapers that have sought to end AP contracts, or given notice of that, following plans to introduce a new controversial rate structure in 2009. The notice was given earlier this week.
AP Spokesman Paul Colford confirmed the cancellation notice, but said he had no more specifics. He issued the following statement about it:
"We understand that in this climate a lot of newspapers are re-examining their strategies. The Associated Press will continue to work with all members of the cooperative to ensure that we are providing the most efficient, valued and essential news service for them."

Editor & Publisher says the notice does not mean that Tribune Co. will absolutely drop the AP in two years as future negotiations could changes things. The article also says other newspaper including The Star Tribune of Minneapolis have also given the AP a two-year cancellation notice. The Washington Post and Chicago Business also have article about the Tribune-AP development.