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AP launches virtual reality and 360 video channel in collaboration with AMD

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The Associated Press will launch a virtual reality and 360 video channel in collaboration with AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) to feature the news organization’s latest advances in immersive journalism.

Audience viewing "Seeking Home: Life Inside the Calais Migrant Camp," a VR experience placing viewers at the center of the migrant camp via Samsung Gear VR. (AP Photo)
Audience viewing “Seeking Home: Life Inside the Calais Migrant Camp,” a VR experience placing viewers at the center of the migrant camp via Samsung Gear VR. (AP Photo)
Audience viewing "Seeking Home: Life Inside the Calais Migrant Camp," a VR experience, via Google Cardboard. (AP Photo)
Audience viewing “Seeking Home: Life Inside the Calais Migrant Camp,” a VR experience, via Google Cardboard. (AP Photo)

Virtual reality and 360 video transport users into the middle of the action by enabling them to travel into and explore different environments. AP aims to deliver these rich news experiences by combining its reporting depth and global reach with AMD’s image rendering and graphic technology. 

AMD is known for innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies. 

“Each new publishing technology reinvents how we experience news, and VR promises the next revolution by immersing us deep in a story,” said Paul Cheung, AP’s director of interactive and digital news production. “With AMD’s collaboration, AP will leverage their expertise in image rendering and graphic technology so that we can enhance and strengthen the VR news experience.”

“The global VR ecosystem is set for expansion, and AMD Radeon graphics is set to power the most realistic experiences possible,” said Raja Koduri, senior vice president and chief architect, Radeon Technologies Group at AMD. “In collaboration with The Associated Press, we’re excited to bring this realism to audiences everywhere, letting them connect with global issues and news in an unprecedented format, bringing emotion and understanding to the human condition.”

AP’s editorial uses of virtual reality have included a behind-the-scenes 360 look at Worldport, a massive packaging and sorting facility in Louisville, Kentucky, and the first virtual reality report on the migrant camp in Calais, France. The piece was part of an all-formats project, including five days of video, photo packages and short text pieces.

AP will retain complete control over the editorial content presented via its new virtual reality channel, powered by AMD Radeon. The channel can be found at www.bigstory.ap.org/VR360.

Contact

Paul Colford
Vice President and Director of Media Relations
The Associated Press
212.621.1895
PColford@ap.org

Lauren Easton
Media Relations Manager
The Associated Press
212.621.7005
LEaston@ap.org

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