A sad story to bring you today: After 85 years in the game, the Australian Associated Press is ceasing operations on June 26th of this year.
A press release from the company read in part:
“This difficult decision has been forced by the decline in the number of media companies subscribing to the news wire service in recent years. …The unprecedented impact of the digital platforms that take other people’s content and distribute it for free has led to too many companies choosing to no longer use AAP’s professional service. We have reached the point where it is no longer viable to continue.”
AAP CEO Bruce Davidson said of the move, “AAP has been a critical part of journalism in Australia since 1935, and it is tragic that it will come to an end. Our reporters, photographers, videographers and production staff are second to none.”
PetaPixel reports that some 180 people will lose their jobs as a result of this closure.
While tragic, many analysts are pointing out just how tough the traditional media landscape has become and that’s a situation no one expects to improve anytime soon.
The press release reiterated this point, saying, “AAP has been providing a newswire to Australian media companies for 85 years but recently the number of companies subscribing to the service has declined to the point that it is no longer viable.”
What do you think about this news story?
Are we going to read more about the end of traditional media in the coming years?
Let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments section below if you like.
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