Associated Press launch AP Middle East Extra to sate regional demand

Additionally reports, interviews and perspectives on international news, alongside AP’s existing global video news service, will add depth to its extensive coverage of the region.

AP Middle East Extra is designed to meet a significant demand in this area for the media industry. Research from AP and Deloitte shows that 97 per cent of consumers in the region regularly discuss news and current affairs, and their average daily consumption of news is 72 minutes, which is significantly higher than their counterparts in the UK and Germany.

Ian Phillips, Middle East director of news AP, said: “For people in the Middle East it is not just about bombs, bullets and unrest, there are more positive stories that can, and should, be told.

“By creating unique content within a new service, customers can combine this with our existing offering to tell in-depth and relevant stories that their audience really wants to see, on top of the stories that do still need to be told.”

With the creation of AP Middle East Extra, AP has invested further in its global news offering significantly expanding its presence and resources in the region. Content for AP Middle East Extra will be provided by a team of video journalists based across the region and five stories, with both Arabic and English scripts, will be delivered daily between Sunday and Thursday, as well as four special features every Friday.

Alwyn Lindsey, AP’s director of sales Middle East and North Africa, said: “As an organization that is continuing to invest heavily in news, we can see that the Middle East is significant not only for us but also for our customers, both inside and outside of the region.

“The market offers enormous potential and this product is about helping our customers engage with their audiences by providing the mix of content that they want to see.”

AP Middle East Extra is available for delivery through AP Media Port and AP Video Hub. AP now provides all video news services in HD.