• by Ray Schultz , March 19, 2024

In unprecedented moves, Gannett and McClatchy will stop using Associated Press.

The news about Gannett was reported on X Tuesday by Ben Mullin based on an internal memo. Mullin posted, “Scoop: Gannett will stop using AP content in its publications on March 25, according to a memo from chief content officer Kristin Roberts. “This shift will give us the opportunity to redeploy more dollars..where we might have gaps.” 

Gannett confirmed the news. 

“This decision enables us to invest further in our newsrooms and leverage our incredible USA TODAY Network of more than 200 newsrooms across the nation as well USA TODAY to reach and engage more readers, viewers and listeners,” says Lark-Marie Anton, chief communications officer, Gannett.

However, Gannett will continue to use AP for its election data. And it will maintain its use of the AP stylebook, The New York Times reported. McClatchy will also use the election data.

McClatchy will stop using AP content after March 31. 

It is not clear how these newspaper chains will replicate the reach of AP, or whether they will even try. Gannett has signed a contract with Reuters for global news, the Times added. 

The news rocked the news industry. 

Eric Deggaans at NPR posted, “Wow. This is a big one. Never heard of a news organization big as Gannett dropping its subscription to the Associated Press. Wonder how this will affect journalism in general and the AP in particular.”

David Folkenflik called it “a blow to AP in readers.”

AP said it was “shocked and disappointed" to see the Gannett memo,” according to The Wrap. “Our conversations with Gannett have been productive and are ongoing. We temain hopeful Gannett will continue to support the AP beyond the end of their membership term at the end of 2024, as they have done for over a century.”

The cancellation of AP might be seen as a cost-cutting move. In another such action, Gannett is also moving more toward a hybrid work model, without newsrooms in some places. (See Publishers Insider.) 

For its part, AP told the Times that the cutting of its service "would be a disservice to news consumers across the U.S. who would no longer see fact-based journalism from The A.P.” It denied that the loss of these two clients would have a material impact on its revenue.