Probably a coincidence, but Andy Plesser of Beet.tv has a text and video exclusive, based on an interview with Jim Kathman, head of global broadcast strategy at the Associated Press.
The story says that "One year ago, Microsoft and The Associated press launched the Online Video Network, a distribution platform for the video clips created by the Associated Press television unit." It will stream "about 7.5 million clips this month". Now it's extending it.
The program currently in beta involves a much bigger pie: it's the 7,000 newspapers, television and radio stations that are affiliated with the Associated Press and who will create their own content, locally. The clips will be staff and user-generated video.
The AP projects that as many as 50 percent of affiliates, or some 3,500 local news organizations, will eventually participate in the new video program.
For the nation's 1000 television stations, many of which have news gathering operations, the opportunity to publish and monetize video is immediate. For 1500 newspapers and 4500 local radio stations, whose staffs produce very little video right now, the opportunity will be a little bit further off. It could be that the most immediate opportunity for newspapers and radio stations will be user-generated content. We'll have to see.
Plesser's interview is shown via Google Video....
