AP reporters in London can now transmit live video content back to the London production center in broadcast-quality high definition from various continents.
International news agencies have expanded their handling of portable video live streaming with the deployment of a series of professional broadcasting technology equipment from LiveU worldwide. The Associated Press has also taken a stake in the Swedish emerging tech company, Bambuser, which specializes in live streaming video via smartphones. The agreement includes a backpack unit with full HD uplink capabilities that can be clipped to a belt, as well as a laptop that converts into a smaller real-time video transmission unit. These compact and lightweight devices allow a single professional camera to operate for filming and streaming live footage. The investment in LiveU technology means that the Associated Press can now frequently deploy multiple units for the same story, providing a multi-camera environment, as demonstrated by the ongoing health story of Nelson Mandela, showcasing its flexibility. LiveU units are located at the hospital in Pretoria, where he is receiving treatment, surrounded by various camera angles, and video from outside his home in Johannesburg where his family is visiting and speaking with the media.
"Live broadcasting is an urgent priority," said the Associated Press: "Because we launched our broadcasting service for the first time back in 2003, global video director Sandy MacIntyre at the AP. "Now we have over 200 television stations and digital publishers with good reason to expect our commitment. We believe that wherever news is happening, live content will be available within minutes. To achieve this goal, the AP operates on two levels."
"McIntyre said: 'Firstly, we are rapidly deploying more specialized live broadcast equipment than ever before, enabling our video journalists to capture more footage in high-definition broadcast quality. LiveU is the market leader in this field - they are all technical experts with internal knowledge of how broadcasting works on location. This makes them an easy choice for people like us who need to be first and who are a reliable news source. Secondly, with Bambuser, we are equipping citizens, our representatives, and their smartphones as a form of 'first strike' reporting capability to stream live video as video witnesses.'"
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