AP To Charge For Web Content

News Service To Impose Fee To Papers Posting Its Material Online

(AP) 
Monday's meeting also featured five AP reporters who addressed trends changing the world, from evolving international alliances to strong currents of change within Christianity.

A bit of drama penetrated the conference hall when religion writer Rachel Zoll addressed the crowd from the Vatican, where she is covering the papal conclave. As Zoll spoke via video link, the crowd in St. Peter's Square could be heard roaring in the background.

"It's black smoke," she said, signaling that the gathered cardinals had not selected a pope during the conclave's first day. "We'll just continue with our speech for now."

Sally Buzbee, chief of Middle East services, spoke about the rise of China and the influence of Shiites in the Middle East; technology writer Brian Bergstein addressed the increasing capacity to archive digital information of all types; science writer Malcolm Ritter warned of the prospects of a global pandemic; and political writer Ron Fournier discussed the emergence of new American "hometowns" centered on churches and social groups.

Four incumbents and one new meLmber were elected to the AP board of directors in results announced Monday.

Re-elected to three-year terms were Burl Osborne, publisher emeritus of The Dallas Morning News, owned by Belo Corp.,; Michael E. Reed, president and chief executive officer of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.; William Dean Singleton, vice chairman and CEO of MediaNews Group Inc.; and H. Graham Woodlief, vice president of Media General Inc. Dennis J. FitzSimons, chairman of Tribune Co., also was elected to a three-year term.

Incumbent Joe Hladky, chairman and publisher of the Gazette Co. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and new member David R. Lord, president of Pioneer Newspapers Inc., were appointed to two-year terms.

AP's meeting was held in conjunction with the annual convention of the Newspaper Association of America.