Spokane Paper Reverses Threat to Drop AP Early

By: Joe Strupp The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., which had planned to drop Associated Press service at the end of 2008 -- ignoring a two-year notice rule -- has pulled back from the threat and will not drop the service until at least 2010.

"Our publisher informed AP earlier this month that while we have not changed our objections to the terms and cost of our relationship with AP, we have decided to honor the contract," Editor Gary Graham told E&P in an e-mail. "Our plan now is to remain an AP client until our current contract expires on Aug. 28, 2010. We'll reconsider our termination if AP continues to work toward competitive pricing and bundling of its services. We remain convinced that there are good alternatives to AP and we will continue to study those options."

Publisher W. Stacey Cowles did not respond to requests for comment.

In reaction to the news, AP Spokesman Paul Colford stated: "We value The Spokesman-Review's longstanding membership in AP and will continue to serve the paper and its readers with a robust news report."

The Spokesman-Review is among several newspapers that have informed AP of plans to drop service in reaction to a new rate structure change set to take effect in 2009. Newspapers that include the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, the Bakersfield Californian, and all Tribune Co. dailies, have given their two-year notices in recent months because of the rate change, as well as other service complaints.

But the Spokesman-Review was the only paper to inform AP that it would ignore the two-year notice rule and drop service at the end of 2008.

In a letter to AP dated Aug. 27, a lawyer for the Spokesman-Review claimed that the new rate structure represented a new contract. Therefore, the letter contended, the newspaper was not bound by the old agreement that required a two-year notice.

"The Spokesman-Review intends to retain its current relationship with the Associated Press through December 31, 2008, but will not be executing a new contract reflecting the changes as required by the AP in the new Member Choice program," the letter from attorney Duane M. Swinton said at the time.

It also added that: "The new contractual arrangement represents a continued and material shift by the AP of separating services from the basic package so that some services will be available only by signing up for supplemental programs. Thus, AP services that formerly were part of a basic plan will now only be available through a supplemental plan approach. This dilutes the value of the basic Breaking News plan and constitutes a material change in the quality and breadth of the services offered by the AP under the basic contract."

Graham did not indicate why the publisher changed his mind. It is not known if the departure of former editor Steve Smith, who left in October, played a part in the decision.