wire services

Free facts, Reuters, and CNN

CNN International is the good CNN, the serious global news service that I want on my TV, as compared with the pathetic pandering trash network CNN has become in the United States. It's announced that it's dumping its $10 million Reuters service in favor of spending the money on its own reporting infrastructure. Since Reuters now puts all its content on the Web for free on its own site, CNN doesn't need to subscribe to know what Reuters has discovered. Philip Stone has an interesting analysis.

R.I.P. ASAP

AP's youth-focused ASAP service is shutting down in October, E&P reports. As a tool for AP to discover how to tell stories in the 21st century, it made perfect sense. As a business proposition, I could never see a way for it to succeed.

ASAP has two parts. One is content intended for print, delivered to member newspapers. The other is an online hosted service with audio and video components.