Global news agency AFP will launch the world's first high definition news video service Wednesday, providing client websites and broadcasters with daily footage in the latest industry format.
"Being the first global news agency to launch high definition videos signals AFP's continued effort to adapt to the market's latest technological advances," said the agency's chairman and chief executive, Emmanuel Hoog.
Agence-France Presse's video service, AFPTV, operates around 80 news gathering units around the world, distributing 1,000 new videos per month covering news stories and features in seven languages.
Wednesday's switch to high definition will cover videos in English and French, and be expanded to cover those in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, German and Polish over the coming weeks.
The company will also provide video formatted for Apple's iPad mobile media platform. With its partners Paris Modes and Getty Images, the service provides particularly rich coverage of fashion and show business events.
AFP is one of the world's oldest and biggest news gathering organisations, with 2,900 journalists covering almost every country in the world.
Source: AFP Global Edition
