The
Associated Press will use video streaming technology from New York-based
Livestream to capture Hollywood stars arriving
on the red carpet at this Sunday's 82nd Annual Academy Awards and
make the coverage freely available to consumers through AT&T Entertainment's
Website.
AP
Live's "Oscars Red Carpet" coverage features a newly launched embeddable video
widget with live feeds, social media elements, on-demand clips, photos and news
of major entertainment events. It is being distributed on www.livestream.com/aplive, Facebook.com/aplive and syndicated to
AP publishers and other distribution channels including AT&T Entertainment,
http://entertainment.att.net. On
March 7, the service will feature live red-carpet reports from AP Global
Entertainment Editor Alicia Quarles, who will be on-camera in Hollywood from 6 to 8 p.m. ET. During the
awards show and throughout the after-parties, AP reporters will also post
updates to the interactive chats via Twitter and Facebook.
After
the Oscars, AP Live will continue to feature daily and weekly celebrity
interviews and packaged content such as movie previews.
"This
is the biggest Hollywood event of the year,
and we are excited to introduce a new way for breaking news and entertainment
fans to experience the Oscars," said AP Global Director of Entertainment
Products Michael Dutton in a statement. "We're thrilled to team up with
Livestream, as AP continues to pioneer the distribution of packaged news and
event content using emerging technologies."
"AP
Live is an exciting new service that will help us deliver real-time, compelling
events to AT&T Entertainment visitors," added AT&T Converged Services Senior
VP Dan York in a statement. "This is another example of how we continue to
bring popular content to consumers in more places."
Livestream's
technology is already used by broadcasters such Fox-owned WNYW New York and
CSPAN to produce streaming video coverage. The company, which counts Gannett as
an investor, has also created a portable "Livepack" system that uses 3G/EVDO
cellular modems to backhaul live video from the field.
"Through this strategic content and platform deal, we have
launched the AP Live player which will feature year-round entertainment events
coverage and daily live celebrity interviews," said Livestream CEO Max Haot in
a statement. "We look forward to supporting AP as they move forward to
cultivate their events-based reporting for millions of fans across all screens
and platforms."
