Associated Press Television News (APTN), the television arm of the Associated Press has provided more than 53 hours of live coverage of today’s Royal Wedding and the events leading up to it to more than 700 television networks worldwide.
APTN was the first news agency to offer a worldwide High Definition (HD) live broadcast of the event, marking a new era in international news distribution. A full 10 hours of High Definition coverage was delivered to news channels on a network of specially-leased satellites.
Since Monday, APTN Direct has delivered more than 53 hours of live coverage from Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Goring hotel, culminating in Friday’s ceremony and long-awaited kiss on the balcony.
The ceremony capped months of comprehensive coverage, with APTN producing more than 85 stories on the approaching wedding since February.
APTN clients received a further 35 wedding edits on Friday alone, capturing the event from every angle, with exclusive analysis from AP Royal Consultant Jennie Bond. “The Royal wedding is a truly momentous event in the history of the monarchy, and I am thrilled to have been part of it.”
In addition to APTN’s record-breaking global output, AP’s Global Media Services (GMS), provided 65 international broadcasters, including Al Jazeera and CCTV English, with operational support and facilities comprising:
- •21,000 minutes of live reports and anchoring for GMS' international broadcast customers
- •10 kilometres of fibre-optic cable transmitting in all world standards
- •20 camera positions along the procession route and a live high definition signal from UK news partner Sky News with many more cameras for the big occasion
- •Five specially-built dedicated transmission booths in front of Buckingham Palace
- •Five permanent studios at New Zealand House, midway between the Palace and Westminster Abbey
- •30 different satellite channels spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East
- •125 telephone, ISDN and DSL lines
