Lance
Josh Adams
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davenate
Mike O
Reading on Walden Bookstore
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jack3566
Garnet SpyA fellow blogger at the PoliGazette, Michael van der Gailen, has some good commentary on the AP’s decision to restrict quoting of their articles. I think he’s as upset about it as I am:
This is freaking hilarious. $12.50 for five words? Are you all insane? Five words, what, two entire paragraphs should be for free. You don’t charge people because they quote 200 words or something. You charge people for stealing your articles in their entirety.
And a question; what’s considered quoting the AP? If President Bush says something, and the AP quotes Bush, are we then not allowed to quote Bush anymore because the AP also quotes him?
Good thing he won’t charge me for quoting him.
Never quote me again Lance, or I’m charging $3.50 per infraction.
Like hell I won’t; that’s $50 please. ;)
On the one hand, I don’t blame them. I think there’s a lot of ‘borrowing’ that goes on and it partly responsible for propping up plenty of blogs. On the other hands, the rates are ridiculous. This is the same b.s. that record companies pulled with internet radio - upping and upping the fees (with Congressional support) until tons of stations and providers went out of business. Never mind the fact that the stations were legally providing extra income for the record companies and providing free exposure for new artists.
It’s not about money, it’s about controlling the market, plain and simple. The only difference is that the AP is in the business of words, not music.
Simple solution; never use or link to an AP article; exclusively use other sources and dry up AP readership. UPI, AFP Reuters, and others can pick up the slack. Let them know we ain’t buying what they’re selling.