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Jan. 30, 2004

Dear AP Sounding Board:

We asked whether "TV Boxes" filed on DataStream ahead of major news events serve any purpose in an era of ubiquitous live TV.

Looking over the 13 replies, Managing Editor Mike Silverman commented:

"The responses show that opinion is divided on whether these TV boxes still provide essential information to editors and readers in an age when any major news event is going to be live on all the cable news channels.

"Since there was some sentiment for continuing them, we'll continue to review the fixture, balancing its value to you against the considerable amount of time it takes to produce.

"Last week, ahead of the State of the Union, we put a brief advisory on the wire to editors saying, "The major broadcast and cable networks plan live coverage." That seemed to make more sense than compiling a box listing all the networks.

"(If one or more networks turn down a request for live coverage, that would more than likely warrant a story.

Thanks for responding. Your responses follow:

— David Hylton, front page editor, The News & Advance:

TV Boxes' serve basically no purpose to me. It's not that they're not important, but just like the e-mail says, there are now all-news channels 24/7. If the event is important enough, all the news channels, plus the broadcast channels will cover it (like the State of the Union speech).

— Martha Malan, St. Paul Pioneer Press:

I like the TV box fixture for its reader-friendliness. Beyond that, it makes sense to me for the AP to make the requisite inquiries than for all of us to do it separately.

I also must confess to concern that this may be a portent of things to come in the new AP. While we're happy to get exclusives and investigative stories from AP, we also rely on them for a lot of nuts-and-bolts coverage. I'd hate for this to be the first of those to go.

— Fred Zipp, Austin Statesman:

TV Boxes not needed.

— Lenore Devore, The Ledger:

Please, do not eliminate them. We find them helpful, even if just to remind us to use them.

— Cindy McGowan, Topeka Capital-Journal:

We haven't used the "TV Boxes" for a while and don't see a need for them anymore.

— Reed Eckhardt, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle:

Yes, they do. Clearly box should include all of the major networks as well as the cable TV news networks. But, yes, our readers do look for them.

— John Bartosek, The Palm Beach Post:

I look for that TV Box every time the prez is on, or any other big event. True, most networks cover most scheduled news events, but not always. We'd like to see it it continue.

— Ralph Baldwin, The Clarion-Ledger:

TV boxes unnecessary.

— Dave Butler, Los Angeles Daily News:

Yep. Good for starters and reminds the desk to check beyond the listed channels.

— Steve Bell, Buffalo News:

Now that you mention it, I remember we used to use those. But now, with the proliferation of cable news stations, we've stopped. When you could find Bush last night on about 20 stations, there no longer seems to be much need to put a box on one saying the three networks are carrying him.

— Mark Bowden, The Gazette:

The Gazette's copy desk develops broadcast/online reference boxes on major televised events, such as the President's speech. We usually build upon the AP's offering, but always check with the local stations to confirm they plan to follow the network leads.

— Daryl Kannberg, The Plain Dealer:

I still find them useful because occasionally one or more of the networks has opted out of covering some presidential speeches and the like. And, while I hate to admit it, selfishly it sometimes reminds me to add one into our package to help readers know how they can see it for themselves.

— Ozzie Kleinas, Dayton Daily News:

While it's true that the proliferation of 24-hour news networks ensures live coverage of far more "important" events, I think it's still helpful to remind readers that major staged news events will be televised and also to remind them that they have a range of viewing choices if they care to watch the thing in its entirety.

Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I'd hate to see those kinds of prompts disappear.

Have a question the board should pose to AP? Send it to AP National Desk Editor David Minthorn at dminthorn@ap.org, who is coordinating the Sounding Board.

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