I attended a brief seminar yesterday demonstrating some new services being offered by the Associated Press to its members.
The program was for journalists, but I believe it is a sign of what is to come for newspapers in general and how they will be providing information to readers.
The basic idea is that AP is offering full access to all of its articles to reporters and editors, who can then choose to filter the "firehose" of information to receive stories and photos on specific topics.
These advanced, personalized menus could search for anything from Cleveland Indians baseball scores to articles about Pope Benedict XVI or Fidel Castro. You build a database of daily articles that are of interest and helpful to you and your job.
These articles can be accessed on any computer or smart phone, although the only phone now linked to the service is Apple's iPhone (but the rest will follow).
Turning this around to the consumer angle, I believe that's how newspapers will provide information to readers in the not-too-distant future.
You may want to know about celebrity gossip and chicken recipes; the guy next door might want stock tickers and crime news. Your sister wants the editorials, letters to the editor, and news on the Middle East. Each person can have his or her "personalized" newspaper delivered electronically to whatever device is most convenient.
Yes, Virginia, yesterday's AP demonstration looked to me like it might herald the future of the newspaper industry. I give AP a lot of credit for its vision, forward thinking and proactive approach to the imminent changes coming in this fast-moving information age.
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Sylvania, Ohio
July 9, 2008