The Associated Press will start charging its members for posting its collective news service materials online, according to Poynter Online. Since 1995, the AP has allowed its roughly 15,000 licensees to repurpose its content willy nilly. The new policy will take effect at the beginning of 2006.

Earlier this month, the AP hinted that it was unhappy with news aggregation services running its material.

Google News and others run the stories of many local newspapers, which in turn, use AP materials. AP indicated in might sue if it can't come to an accommodation, although it's unclear if it will have the law on its side.

Users of Google News and other news aggregators may in fact find it a relief if the many, many redundant AP entries were curtailed in the news listings.