Here is a quote from an AP article suggesting that sites such as this one shouldn't be quoting from AP articles:

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Associated Press, following criticism from bloggers over an AP assertion of copyright, plans to meet this week with a bloggers' group to help form guidelines under which AP news stories could be quoted online.

Jim Kennedy, the AP's director of strategic planning, said Monday that he planned to meet Thursday with Robert Cox, president of the Media Bloggers Association, as part of an effort to create standards for online use of AP stories by bloggers that would protect AP content without discouraging bloggers from legitimately quoting from it.

People are right to be upset in this instance.

There are already 'guidelines' for quoting news stories online (and elsewhere) - the guidelines are called FAIR USE LAW (starting with section 107 of the Copyright Act). Many would justifiably argue that even the current fair use guidelines are too limiting with today's technology. But AP's efforts here are a clear attempt to roll back such rights and privileges even further - and should be forcefully rebuffed without compromise.

UPDATE: AP irony alert as the organization 'steals' content from a blog - using its content more extensively than many blogs use AP materials from single articles. Check out the details here.

AP are attempting to reinforce and extend their privilege (of copyright) and roll further back the rights of their readers.

'Fair use' is a small set of exclusions that permit readers a defence should they be prosecuted for infringement. There are guidelines that help readers know which infringements they are likely to be able to defend in the event of prosecution.

Frankly, 'fair use' (aka fair dealing) isn't worth the paper it's written on. You might as well argue for longer recreation breaks from confinement in your prison cell.

I suggest readers would be better persuaded to 'forcefully rebuff without compromise' the publisher's privilege of copyright in order to enjoy their natural intellectual property rights without further interference.