The Associated Press, in collaboration with LiveU, recently announced the launch of AP
Live Community, the first live video content and service exchange platform for global
newsgathering. The new platform will go live at the IBC exhibition on 15 September
2017.
Combining AP’s global news network with LiveU’s technological expertise, the
innovative online platform expedites live coverage of breaking news and events in any
location by connecting live video publishers and contributors around the world.
AP Live Community, which is free to access, makes it straightforward and cost-
effective for any broadcaster to book a service provider for a specific time to cover
anything from live breaking news to the coverage of planned events. The platform
enables publishers to offer their consumers a wide range of live content, including
events they otherwise may not have been able to cover, and those where a live feed
is needed immediately.
All service providers registered to the platform use LiveU’s groundbreaking technology
for cellular bonded transmission with automatic pairing through the AP Live
Community platform, ensuring seamless live broadcasting directly into the live video
publisher’s LiveU server.
All billing is handled by AP, eliminating the need to set up ad hoc payments and
guaranteeing that service providers are paid promptly by a single and reliable entity.
Paul Shanley, director of business development and partnerships at AP, said: “AP Live
Community builds on AP’s expertise in live video coverage through our Global Media
Services, giving news organisations, broadcasters, digital publishers and corporate
users of live video content the ability to commission unique live video coverage
worldwide.’
He added: “As demand for live content increases, this platform eliminates the
complexity broadcasters currently face in having to source video production crews
who are able to competently deliver live coverage. And because the AP Live
Community platform provides automatic pairing, receiving the live transmission is
hassle-free.’
Following a successful pilot programme across Europe, AP Live Community has now
been expanded globally with service providers joining the platform from around the
world. The platform gives service providers the opportunity to pitch exclusive content
or, with LiveU’s cloud-based technology facilitating content sharing, increase their
revenues by offering their content to multiple publishers simultaneously.
Users of AP Live Community benefit from a flexible service, offering live video content
where and when needed at a price that is negotiated directly with the service
provider. Using on-the-ground crews means that users can take advantage of local
knowledge to deliver high quality live video coverage and minimises travel costs and
time.
Helen Duponselle of Belgium’s VTM Nieuws, said: “Our experience using AP Live
Community was very good. As a means of improving our ability to produce and
publish live video content, AP Live Community will be a very powerful tool.’
David Yakov, vice president for business development at LiveU, said: “We are proud
to cooperate with AP on this innovative operation, serving the ever-growing demand
for live content 24/7 from every corner of the globe. Working closely with AP, we are
constantly developing new capabilities, based around the platform’s centralised
environment, to extend our customers’ newsgathering reach even further.’
Ahead of its formal launch at the International Broadcasting Convention in
Amsterdam, AP Live Community is now open to any content-providing news
organisation, broadcaster, digital publisher or corporate brand. Video production
crews that are interested in becoming AP Live Community service providers can
register interest through the AP Live Community platform website.
AP Live Community complements the extensive global broadcast infrastructure
already offered by AP Global Media Services, including fixed studio and live positions
in over 30 locations worldwide and live facilities at international special events.
The AP Live Community platform will be demonstrated at AP’s and LiveU’s respective
stands at IBC2017: 7.D30 and 3.B62.
