Responding to a growing demand for online video from digital
customers, the Associated Press has gone live with a new video archive platform
that will provided easier access to its archive.
"AP's footage revenues have grown steadily in recent years
with sales in 2011 growing by 27 percent," said Alwyn Lindsey, director of AP
video archive in a statement. "The overall market for online video news across
Europe and Asia is predicted to grow annually by up to 13 percent and 16
percent, respectively, and AP sees a great opportunity for archive footage
within these sectors. We believe the digital expansion of our footage business
will allow us to better service existing customers and better target new market
segments. This includes digital publishers who are looking for quick and easy
access to richer video footage to engage their audiences."
The new platform is part of a series of efforts to expand
its video archive business. In February, AP began to digitize its back catalog
and is expecting to complete the digitization of 32,000 hours of footage and
film stock into HD by mid-2013.
In addition to its own library, the AP has also expanded its
content partners and in November of 2011 announced a deal to represent British
Movietone in key territories. Other content partners include the Press
Association and KRT, the state broadcaster of North Korea.
The video archive platform allows customers to download and
license footage online and includes a number of new features to make it easier
to find content and share research.
Overall, it gives customers access to over 1.3 million news
and entertainment stories dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.
This archive also includes footage from the British Movietone from 1895 to
1986.
Additional features and newly digitized content will
continue to be added to the platform in the coming months, the AP reports.
