(4 February 2009 10:00 pm)

MUMBAI: News organisation the Associated Press (AP) is taking a multimedia approach to its stock footage business, offering programme makers in key international markets access to its vast still photos collection in tandem with its archives of film and video, via AP archive at www.aparchive.com.

The company claims that its archive collection is one of the world’s largest news archives, dating from 1896.

AP director of international archives Alwyn Lindsey says, "Many of our customers no longer think in terms of just footage or just photos because media convergence has meant that they generally need both."

"This approach is a direct response to the new market needs and it allows us to provide customers with the diversity of materials they require," he adds.

Lindsey also notes that AP is seeing a trend in that more and more producers are no longer thinking purely in terms of TV, but are also looking at wider outlets for productions, including online vehicles, books and interactive media. "AP also believes that it can provide better financial value with this approach, which it sees as being essential in light of the present economic situation" he said.