• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 10, 2008

The Associated Press has launched a new tool for affiliate news sites to upload and monetize their own content.

The service is designed to attract local viewers and advertisers, which are both responding well to relevant content like high-school sports, local events, and breaking state news. "Local video allows these sites to really shine in their markets," said Ilana Arazie, an AP product specialist.

The affiliate sites also expressed an interest in making more money, Arazie said. Local online advertising is forecast to jump 48% to $12.6 billion in 2008, according to Borrell Associates.

Featuring exclusive AP content, the AP's Online Video Network serves some 1,900 newspaper, television and radio sites nationwide. AP affiliates can now control a "Local" tab within their player and fill it with their own video using a Web-based uploading tool developed by Microsoft.

Affiliates have the option of selling local advertising against the content they upload, or allowing Microsoft to oversee the process.

"We've seen some early adopters dramatically increase stream counts by using this capability, which allows affiliates to keep all their video in one place, and which lets them sell local advertising against it," said Bill Burke, AP's director of online video, in a statement.

Targeted news coverage uploaded by affiliate sites also allows the AP to more easily and comprehensively report on local events. The AP is in the process of developing a system to compensate local affiliates whose content is syndicated across the AP's network of sites.