Bob CollinsThe Associated Press, the news cooperative that is widely known for it unbiased reporting, is going to start blurring the line between content and advertising.
The AP announced today it will start using its twitter account for sponsorships.
But it’s OK, the news agency says, because someone not connected with the editorial side of things will type the tweet and push the button.
“We are thrilled to be taking this next step in social media,” said Lou Ferrara, the AP managing editor overseeing its social media efforts, in a statement. “As an industry, we must be looking for new ways to develop revenues while providing good experiences for advertisers and consumers. At the same time, advertisers and audiences expect AP to do that without compromising its core mission of breaking news.”
The execs at Twitter say they view the move as equivalent to a banner ad.
Whether it works or not — or spreads, for that matter — depends on whether Twitter users view it as spam.
