LONDON– The Associated Press (AP) news network and live-broadcasting service provider Bambuser have formed a partnership to allow AP customers to share citizen journalists’ news video.
The new agreement will enable eyewitnesses, in addition to AP journalists, to “share the news” in real time with customers via the Bambuser platform. Under the terms of the deal, AP has negotiated a level of exclusivity and jointly developed the “share the news” tool on Bambuser, making it the only news agency to be integrated into platform.
“User-generated content is integral to covering breaking news events," said Mark Davies, AP deputy director of international video. "Through the Bambuser deal and use of the ‘Share The News’ function, AP has pre-approval to use the Bambuser content, allowing us to check and verify content we deem newsworthy and put it live to air incredibly fast."
AP’s social media specialists verify the video shared through Bambuser before it is shared via the news agency’s worldwide network of approximately 700 broadcasters.
The agreement also puts Bambuser’s live streaming ability in the hands of more AP journalists, increasing the amount of live content AP can exclusively offer.
The deal follows five months of collaboration between AP and Bambuser, which has already given AP subscribers access to Bambuser ‘s content creators. In the last four AP customers have utilized content from Bambuser, with a focus on citizen journalist reports from the front lines in Syria, either as standalone content in real time or integrated into longer pieces.
Since April, Bambuser’s platform now extends throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Australia, demonstrating the increasing trend in live reporting from laymen. According to the company, their users are more beginning to more frequently post content on mobile handhelds and share via social media on those devices.
“We have already had enormous success working with AP in getting live news video distributed globally, and this is because users can rely on AP’s expertise as a very credible and professional news organization,” Hans Eriksson, executive chair of Bambuser said.
