According to Associated Press: AP Video hub launched in beta last April and is designed to meet the increased demand for video news from a growing segment of customers – digital publishers.
AP has designed Video Hub specifically with these customers in mind and has developed the site in conjunction with some of the world’s leading newspapers. One of the first customers includes the UK’s Daily Telegraph. The 24/7 live news stream allows access to breaking news events as they happen, anywhere in the world. Customers also have the ability to book and schedule live coverage of planned news events on an ad-hoc basis.
In addition to offering the new live feature, AP Video Hub gives access to AP’s broadcast-quality world news, entertainment, SNTV (sport) and lifestyle video. The platform delivers video news from AP’s journalists in the field to online customers’ desktops, faster and easier than ever before.
“We’re excited about cementing a new closer relationship with the AP,” said James Weeks, Telegraph Media Group's head of video. “Combining AP's excellent live video products with the flexibility of AP Video Hub product will boost our strong coverage of international news. Top quality video content is a key part of our strategy and we're confident website users and digital subscribers will like what they see. This deal confirms us as leaders in online news delivery, and proves we are willing to invest in order to offer the best service in the business.”
AP was the first news agency to launch a live news service, in 2003, covering the invasion of Iraq in real time. Today nearly 200 broadcasters use it regularly as a live video source, benefiting from AP’s expertise in providing coverage of key breaking news and scheduled news events. Recent events available live have included the 2012 London Olympics, breaking news from the Syrian civil war and the Norway trial of Anders Breivik. AP’s live video service uses incoming material from AP’s fixed and mobile links around the world and delivers unedited breaking news video to broadcast customers via satellite and now streams to online customers via the AP Video Hub platform
“AP Video Hub is already proving itself as an indispensable tool for online news providers,” said Sue Brooks, AP director of video transformation. “The addition of live content will enable our customers to create even richer storytelling experiences for their customers.”
AP Video Hub’s interface design is simple and intuitive for users, making accessing content easy. Unique functionality includes a “follow” stories feature that alerts users via Twitter as new content on a followed story arrives. Additional features include curated topic pages, quick video previews, one-click download direct to desktop and real-time search content filters. Curators select and promote breaking news content together with relevant footage from AP’s historic archive, allowing the development of richer online storytelling for customers who until now have lacked easy access to this kind of content.
“AP Video Hub is a major opportunity for the AP,” said Daisy Veerasingham, senior vice president of Business Development and Partner Relations. “Video news is no longer the sole preserve of terrestrial and satellite broadcasters and AP Video Hub addresses this with an offering for the rapidly growing segment of the media market – online digital publishers. Overall AP estimates that by 2015 the value of the already booming online video news market across Europe and Asia will grow by as much as 16 percent a year.”
The site is now in full production, with live news available to customers from today. Further functionality will be added over the coming months.
