Lou Ferrara of the Associated Press and sports editor Roy Hewitt of the Cleveland Plain Dealer engaged in a contentious tit-for-tat during the first general session of the 2009 APSE Convention on Thursday morning.
The exchange between panelists came as part of a forum titled "Sports Sections and The Associated Press," with Hewitt unhappy with AP’s treatment and response to one of his staffer’s breaking news stories. Ferrara didn’t want to discuss the issue publicly, suggesting to Hewitt that the men step outside to address the topic.
Coincidently, the exchange came just a couple of hours after sports editors attending the convention were witnesses to a presentation regarding the Ultimate Fighting Championship during a breakfast chat.
The general session otherwise included a variety of ideas, many of them centering on content sharing and AP’s potential role in that endeavor. Hewitt’s newspaper has been a leader in Ohio in establishing sharing of stories.
"This isn’t a substitute for AP. This is additional content," Hewitt said. "(AP is) now just one of our sources. It’s not our exclusive source. … Our real competition is just getting the readers’ attention."
Brad Lehman of the San Antonio Express-News, pointed out to the panel that he would like to see the AP do a better job crediting sources when picking up stories from member newspapers.
Ferrara, who’s vice president and managing editor for sports, entertainment, lifestyles and multimedia at the AP, pointed out that there has been a recent rates reduction for member news organizations.
Ferrara said editors have told the AP that that many newspapers aren’t using as much from AP as in the past because of space reductions, but that they want more choices in selecting what level of service to purchase. He said more possibilities and options will be rolled out to newspapers within the next year.
"It’s in our best interest that newspapers do well," Ferrara said.
Hewitt said his emphasis on some content sharing comes because it gives readers something other than AP, which is available to a widespread audience across numerous avenues.
"AP is out there everywhere else," Hewitt said.
Panelist Glenn Proctor, executive editor and vice president for the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, said member newspapers should keep AP updated on what their needs are and the time frames for those needs.
Proctor, whose paper is in the Media General chain, said more changes are in the works regarding content placed on news organization’s Web sites.
"We can not, as an industry, continue to give it away," Proctor said.
Proctor also offered a sobering message from an upper management perspective.
"Money rules and nothing else. Not content," he said.
Moderator Jerry Micco of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said the AP shouldn’t be on the defensive during such sessions.
"This is not AP on the firing line," Micco said. "I don’t want it to turn into that."
Ferrara said AP routinely receives requests from members for certain coverage or storylines. He said there are limitations on what can be pulled together, but he provided examples of when AP came through to produce off those requests.
"We do what we can when we get that request," he said.
