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Dec. 28, 2004

Dear AP Sounding Board,

There were eight responses to our query about use of AP columns from Washington. Six said they don't use AP political columns or only rarely; two said the polling column got some use during the election season. The HealthBeat column is regularly used by three.

The idea of cutting back AP political columns in favor of timely spot analysis, including domestic and foreign topics, drew favorable replies from five panelists. Two of you suggested spending the staff time on strong enterprise.

Regarding other AP columns — business, technology, TV and movies — five Sounding Board members are regular users.

Your full responses follow:

1. Do you use the following Washington columns? How frequently?

• Washington Today, by George Gedda, focused on foreign news, moves early Wednesday.

• Washington Today, by Will Lester, focused on politics and polling, moves early Friday.

• Washington Today, by Tom Raum, topics du jour, moves Friday for Sunday publication.

• HealthBeat, by Lauran Neergard, on health/medicine, moves Monday afternoon.

• FarmScene, on food and farm topics, moves Friday for Sunday publication.

— Dave Butler, Los Angeles Daily News: The L.A. Daily News runs none of these columns.

— Jana Collier, assistant managing editor, Dayton Daily News: It doesn't look like we use any of the specific columns you asked about.

— Jake Sherlock, night editor, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle:

• Washington Today, by George Gedda: Occasionally but not often.

• Washington Today, by Will Lester: Used more during election season. Rarely used otherwise.

• Washington Today, by Tom Raum: Rarely.

• HealthBeat, by Lauran Neergard;: We use this regularly on our Medicine page. This is our favorite of the bunch.

• FarmScene, on food and farm topics, moves Friday for Sunday publication: Rarely

— John Bartosek, Palm Beach Post: The Post does not run these cols on a regular basis.

— Louise Seals, Richmond Times-Dispatch: Our wire desk uses Neergard's Healthbeat occasionally as a centerpiece for our Nation page or r.o.p. if it's topical. Our Explore section (science, medicine, published each Thursday) uses Neergard if she is writing on something that grabs our interest for the section (and that hasn't already been covered) but not on a regular basis. We don't use any of the others.

— Rick Everett, The Star-Ledger: In most cases, we save the space for our own columnists. We do sometimes use Neergard's HealthBeat — usually as a new story, which is how it reads.

— Rick Hall, Deseret News: No, don't use Washington columns.

— Steve Bell, Buffalo News: We use these as stories if and when they strike a chord. Will's ran most recently, due the the election. But the others find their way in as well. We don't slot any regularly.

2. If AP were to cut back any of these Washington columns in favor of more spot analysis, what topics are of particular interest and you'd be apt to print?

— Butler: I'd trade 'em for strong enterprise stories.

— Sherlock: More impact-focused analysis on foreign news. Why do my readers care about the Ukraine election dispute, for instance? What will it mean for Ma and Pa Kettle in Wyoming?

— Bartosek: We're not likely to pick up any Washington cols regularly. We'd be interested in spot analysis of whatever's hot for the day.

— Seals: Spot analysis preferable to columns. Subjects to stay on top of: the Middle East, and the Social Security debate.

— (Wire editor notes: I'd prefer they spend their resources keeping an eye on Bush's push to privatize Social Security, on Halliburton's billings — on the issues that affect how taxpayer money is spent. And keep John Solomon fat, happy and on the trail of FBI foul-ups.

— Features editor says: This category may be a bit of a stretch for our pages, but maybe analyses of lifestyle or arts trends, or political reactions to arts issues.

— Hall: I like the spot analysis idea. Topics would necessarily vary with the news of the day/week. We'd like anything timely and topical.

— Bell: It's hard to say which other topics we'd use or want to see more of. It's that old saw, we'll use 'em if we like 'em if we see 'em.

3. Any other AP columns you regularly use or like a lot (TV, technology, business, sports, etc.?)

— Sherlock: AP Business columns we use regularly include The Business of Life, Good Question and Watercooler. We're less likely to use All Business, of Mutual Interest and Small Talk. We like the columns that are more geared for the common man and less for the business insider. We also use the Tech Test columns frequently for our high-tech page, and we rely heavily on the sports columns as well.

— Bartosek: We do run these with some regularity: On the Money, Small Talk, Business of Life, Watercooler and Tech Test.

— Seals: DME: Staying on top of technology is critical. Features editor: We frequently use the TV columns.

— Associate Business News editor: Farm Scene. VERY occasionally; more good technology stories; quirky stuff. Tech Test most of all (a couple times a month); then All Business (a few times a year).

— Hall: None regularly.

— Bell: We regularly use Dave Bauder and others on TV and Dave Germain (upstate AP alumni, both) on movies in our Life & Arts section. I'd say when we think of columnists, we think of opinion writers, like our own. We let them have personal voice, use their pictures, and express opinions. There aren't any AP columns we use that way.

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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