Press Releases

09/23/2008

AP switches tech providers for Web video network

By RACHEL METZ
AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Associated Press said Tuesday it is switching technology providers for its online video network, changing from a system run by Microsoft Corp. to one from thePlatform, a video system owned by cable operator Comcast Corp.

The AP, a not-for-profit cooperative, launched the ad-supported online video network in late 2006 and uses it to provide news videos to more than 2,000 newspaper, broadcast and other media Web sites throughout the United States.

The AP had used Microsoft's MSN media player to distribute videos. Microsoft sold ads along side the material, sharing the revenue with the AP and its members. Member sites also can post their own videos and have Microsoft sell ads for them, or sell their own ads for that content.

However, with the two-year contract between Microsoft and the AP expiring, Microsoft said in a statement that it decided to "wind down" the technology relationship "in an effort to concentrate on expanding our core (video) publishing business."

Jane Seagrave, the AP's senior vice president of global product development, said that change in Microsoft's business direction meant the company was not going to be able to provide the AP with the technical support it needed for the network.

Under the new arrangement, the AP will now license the underlying video delivery system from thePlatform, beginning in December, Seagrave said. The news organization will also roll out an updated version of its video player at that time.

The change in technology providers will give the AP the ability to send out higher-quality videos, and give affiliates that post the videos on their sites more flexibility in how they use the content, Seagrave said.

The AP will continue to have Microsoft sell the ads that run with the videos, she said.

Seagrave would not give specific financial terms of the agreement with thePlatform, but said that it is not more favorable than the deal the AP had with Microsoft.