AP's (Associated Press) Board of Directors: A Preliminary Study.

The purposes of this study were to identify the directors of the Associated Press (AP) since 1892, to examine geographic and journalistic representation of the board since then, and to assemble a composite profile of directors' backgrounds and civic involvement, utilizing "Who's Who" sketches and computer analysis of biographical data The study found that AP has had 136 directors (all of them newspaper editors and publishers) since 1892, ranging from 53 years to one-half year in board service. Representation on the board has been disproportionately great for metropolitan areas, for states with metropolitan areas, for areas with relatively few newspapers, and for the morning field of publication. Directors' profiles reveal that less than 50 percent had professional journalism experience and that there were low levels of membership in national, regional, or state journalistic organizations but high levels of involvement in government and non-media corporate affairs. Republicans outnumber democrats two to one, and the board is overwhelmingly Protestant for that half of the directors indicating party and religious affiliation. (Author/RB)