US: AP lets affiliates upload and monetize

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on January 11, 2008 at 10:43 AM

The Associated Press (AP) has launched a tool that enables affiliate news sites to directly upload and monetize their own content including video.

The service aims to attract local readers and advertisers, who might be draw to topics such as high-school sports, local events and local breaking news.

Local online advertising is predicted to rise 48%, to $12.6 billion in 2008, according to Borrell Associates.

The AP’s Online Video Network services about 1,900 media outlets in the US including newspapers, television and radios.

AP affiliates can now upload their video by using a “local” tab within their video player, using a tool developed by Microsoft. Affiliates can also choose to sell local advertising against their uploaded content.

“We've seen some early adopters dramatically increase stream counts by using this capability, which allows affiliates to keep all their video in one place, and which lets them sell local advertising against it," said Bill Burke, AP's director of online video, in a statement.

Source: MediaPost