How and when we work with outside groups

AP does this to:

• Supplement the news report with topic-specific coverage or in-depth reporting projects.
• Develop tools to adapt AP and the news industry better to the digital world.
• Evolve journalists’ skill sets and storytelling techniques.

Standards for working with outside groups are now available on AP’s website.

“Collaborating is good for our journalism. As a not-for-profit news cooperative, tapping the help of others allows us to offer our members and customers a bigger and better news report,” said Lisa Gibbs, AP director of news partnerships. “In addition, working with emerging tech firms and university researchers enables us to innovate faster. More and more, we see media organizations working together. Soon, I believe, it will become standard industry practice.”

“Trust in AP’s journalism is based on a foundation that its news must be independent, factual, accurate and balanced,” added Vice President of Standards John Daniszewski. “Whenever we work with other organizations, these values and principles continue to apply. AP takes full responsibility for ensuring its core values are followed in any cooperative relationship.”

Last month AP announced an expanded collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education to further enhance science and health coverage. An initial collaboration with HHMI to experiment with presenting science and health news in visual ways began in 2017 with the “Science Says” and “Genetic Frontiers” all-formats reporting series.

With funding from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, AP reported in December 2017 the methodical rape of Rohingya women by Myanmar’s armed forces and the army’s slaughter of Rohingya men and children.

Last September AP announced funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to enhance the news cooperative’s fact-checking and ability to debunk information and has since launched an @APFactCheck Twitter account.