RIP, ASAP

Seth Sutel reports on the Associated Press shuttering their multimedia service, ASAP, which was originally aimed at a younger, web savvy media audience:

Originally conceived as a premium service to help newspapers reach the 18-to-34 age group, asap had evolved into a broader product aimed at readers of all ages. In addition to news stories, asap produced videos, podcasts and multimedia packages.

In her note, Carroll called the service a “terrific journalism success.” She cited the fact that asap had won an EPpy award — a prize administered by the industry magazines Editor & Publisher and Mediaweek — for best news site with fewer than 1 million visitors.

“Economic success, however, has proved more elusive,” Carroll wrote.

Associated Press: AP to Shut Down Premium ‘Asap’ Service