CNN’s Challenge To AP

5:14 pm EST December 1st, 2008 | Media | 2 Comments

CNN is planning to challenge the AP with their own news wire service. Isn’t that a lot like, on the day the first Model T hit the streets, a businessman turns to the other and says “I’m going to make a better horse drawn carriage and I’ll beat that automobile!” The news media is sort of in that place film was at the introduction of TV, coming up with all sorts of gimmicks like 3D and Smell-o-vision. Industries never like to acknowledge when new technology has effectively re-worked the way they do business — and they so often react in the dumbest way possible.

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2 Responses to “CNN’s Challenge To AP”

  1. Sean D. Martin says:
    December 1, 2008 at 5:46 pm

    OW: Isn’t that a lot like, on the day the first Model T hit the streets, a businessman turns to the other and says “I’m going to make a better horse drawn carriage and I’ll beat that automobile!”

    You really should end your questions with question marks, OW, or are you intentionally turning your inquiry into a statement of fact. How FOX of you.

    But to answer the unasked question, no, I don’t think so. And that’s a strange analogy to be making. AP doesn’t have a hot new product and CNN isn’t offering something substantially different in terms of what they want to provide.

    Perhaps it’s more like AP is the aging boxer past its prime but still dominant in the sport who is now facing a challenge from a younger upstart who lacks a lot of the experience (resources) to be competitive but may present a real serious challenge if trends continue.

  2. Brendan says:
    December 2, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    I disagree, Oliver. At least on the surface of it, I think it’s a good thing to have some more competition in the newswire business. Much will depend on CNN’s execution, of course, but given the AP’s behavior during the past campaign, I think it’s to the benefit of news consumers that they’re going to have a new challenger.

    And as to your Model T analogy, I’ll say one word: Corolla.