In a move that The Associated Press hopes will help it tap into the growing demand for live content on digital platforms, the news agency has begun offering APTN Direct to digital publishers as a live video news service.
AP is using solutions and technology from Streamworks to offer the service.
AP was the first news agency to launch a live news service in 2003, covering the invasion of Iraq in real time, but up until now, AP Direct, which supplies breaking news to nearly 200 broadcasters worldwide, was only available to customers via satellite. The new Streamworks solution will make the live service available via online, mobile and tablet devices.
"We recognize in today's information driven world it is all about choice and getting the information you want, when, where and how you want it," noted Sandy MacIntyre, vice president and director of video news for AP in a statement. "This new delivery solution from Streamworks offers AP customers access to faster digital content to fill their 24-hour news cycle."
The move to stream AP Direct is also part of a larger multimillion dollar upgrade that AP is making to its video business. As part of that upgrade the agency is switching its entire newsgathering, production and distribution systems to HD and transforming its operations so it can provide its clients with more content to more platforms.
