Tribune Co. Dumping AP for a Week

AFP:

The Chicago Tribune said the plan to “utilize as little content from the Associated Press as practical” was aimed at determining whether the Tribune Co., which declared bankruptcy in December, can sever ties with the AP.

The Chicago-based Tribune Co. has been looking for ways to cut costs and in October 2008 it gave the AP the required two-year notice that it might drop the service.

The Chicago Tribune said Tribune Co. television stations and newspaper websites would not take part in next week’s experiment.

The newspaper also said sports statistics from the AP will still be used along with items “considered vital.”

“But the company wants to see to what kind of void the absence of AP stories and photos would have,” the Chicago Tribune said.

As newspapers continue to cut costs, focus on more local news and publish smaller papers, this could become a trend.