The Associated Press announced today that it has chosen the Seattle-based video management and publishing company thePlatform to bring broader coverage and higher-quality video to its Online Video Network. For the first time, the AP’s 2,100 affiliate sites will be able to post AP videos to their destination pages using an embeddable player.

Andy interviewed thePlatform CEO Ian Blaine in June, and I reposted the video in light of the news. "For perspective, this is easily one of the largest online video initiatives to occur in 2008," Blaine was quoted as saying in the AP press release.

As online news video becomes increasingly popular, AP will be enhancing its content as well as its technology platform, according to the release. The AP Online Video Network reaches 61 million unique viewers.

–Kelsey Blodget, Associate Producer