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PANPA - Newsroom revolution: Interview with Bruce Davidson, CEO of AAP
5 March 2010
In an era of spending constraints, the new boss of Australian Associated Press believes newspapers will soon be spending more on his company’s journalism.
Editors will dedicate more of their budget to specialist journalists who analyse and comment and will rely on agencies to provide the straight news reporting, predicts Bruce Davidson, who took over as the chief executive of Australia’s largest news agency earlier this month.
By providing the “nuts and bolts” of the news, AAP will free editors to focus on distinctive content that reader's value.
Editors might decide they won’t use their own journalists to cover “every court story, or the road toll, or those sorts of things which everyone wants to know about, everyone wants to hear about” but are easily covered by a myriad of news sources.
Instead editors will ask, “What can we do to distinguish ourselves from everyone else”, says Mr Davidson.
“AAP will become more important, more relevant, as everyone struggles with where they’re going to be in the next 10 to 15 years.”
Mr Davidson says newspapers are unlikely to look the same in a decade as they try to find the editorial balance to sustain print and digital models.
“As revenue shifts to the website, they (publishers) must come up with the compelling content for those platforms. AAP has a fantastic role to provide the base of the news every day for all publishers,” he continues.
Mr Davidson’s vision for the future of the newsroom will be sobering for many journalists, but he is not alone in his view.
The need to hire specialist journalists and editors to create content that the reader values is a priority for the chairman and chief executive of News Ltd, John Hartigan.
He told The Bulletin last October: “Commercially, we are going to need to focus on journalism that makes a difference.
“For print we are going to have to hire more specialists – individuals with great knowledge of specific subjects who have the ability to write and communicate in all forms – a style of journalism that really gives context, and the truth.”
Such a mission for exclusivity and quality will take its toll on editorial budgets even in robust economic times.
Mr Davidson believes the option to reduce costs dedicated to straight news stories to pay for higher value journalism will benefit AAP.
His optimism is tempered by the current challenge that the economic downturn has given the agency, and the difficulty in recovering revenues to previous levels.
The company has created diversity in its media portfolio so that it does not have to rely on the news agency alone for its profit.
The agency also runs a media services business, Medianet.
“The challenge is that as one revenue stream slows down and then goes into another area, there are sometimes short-term difficulties in keeping something alive, because all of a sudden you’re not making any money out of it any more.
“We need to be ready to meet those shifts so we maintain the health of the agency in terms of the ability to pay for all our business units and make it all work.
“AAP is first and foremost a news agency, which has a very long standing tradition of quality journalism and fast and accurate supply of editorial, of text and image and now video on a daily and hourly basis.
Mr Davidson presents an optimistic vision for print media, mentioning several times that he believes the “death of newspapers” is an exaggeration.
“Sometimes, we’re our own worst enemies,” he continues.
“There’s been a lot of woe-is-me about newspapers recently, and it’s probably time we got off that treadmill.
We should be talking about the health of newspapers.
“I don’t think newspapers will die now that the internet has come along, but they’ll be different. They may not sell as many copies, but they still should be healthy in whatever sphere they end up being in.”
Although he’s only been in the job for a few weeks, taking over from Clive Marshall who left for the top job at the Press Association in London, Mr Davidson brings with him the experience of running Pagemasters – the most profitable part of AAP.
“I’ve got some advantages in that I was managing director of Pagemasters, so I have a fair bit of knowledge of the inner workings of AAP,” he says.
“That’s made the transition a bit easier than if you’d come directly in from outside.”
Mr Davidson started Pagemasters with Martin Thomas in 1991, after both finished working for the Herald & Weekly Times, the Melbourne-based newspaper company owned by News Corporation.
After 15 years of gradual growth, Mr Davidson says the AAP acquisition in 2002 gave Pagemasters the opportunity to extend further into editorial work, which led to the editorial outsourcing for sub-editing for APN New Zealand, Fairfax Media in Australia, and the Daily Telegraph in London.
Pagemasters’ future lies in markets outside of Australia. “We’re continually talking to other publishers, not just [in Australia] but also in the UK and Asia, about trying to develop more editorial services,” he says.
“We’re becoming known in the industry as someone to approach, and talk to and see what we can offer.”
Overseas, other companies offering editorial services have begun outsourcing to India in an effort to lower costs.
While he doesn’t rule out going down a similar path, Mr Davidson says it is unlikely that will happen in the medium term, believing that sub-editing and listings require culture-specific knowledge to be done well.
“I’d rather develop technology here to enable us to be more efficient,” he says.
“The interesting model that we’ve got, as opposed to perhaps the Indian companies that are working in America and elsewhere, is that we’re not about a wage arbitrage.
“We’re more about efficiency, productivity, centralising and using the economies of scale and having 10, 12, 15, 29, 30 or 40 people in one room that can be more flexible, can iron out the deadline fluctuations throughout the day.”
“You’ve got these peaks and troughs in any newspaper cycle, and if you’ve got a group of people working across several titles, or across several parts of titles, you can make that more efficient.”
As far as the quality of sub-editing goes, Mr Davidson challenges anyone to distinguish the work of Pagemasters from in-house subbing.
“Pick up the Sydney Morning Herald and tell me who subbed what,” he says as a challenge.
“I’d be very interested if you can tell me which bits Pagemasters have subbed, and which bits the internal editors subbed.”
Mr Davidson says he is privileged to have become the chief executive, and he is proud of the agency’s history, which enters its 75th year.
“It’s a lot different than it was 75 years ago, and it’ll be a lot different in another 75 years,” he says philosophically.
By: Nick Evershed
Bruce Davidson appointed CEO of Australian Associated Press
10 December 2009
The Board of Directors of Australian Associated Press Ltd (AAP) has appointed Bruce Davidson as the national news agency’s Chief Executive Officer.
Mr Davidson, currently Managing Director of AAP subsidiary Pagemasters, succeeds Clive Marshall, who is joining the UK’s Press Association as its CEO.
Mr Davidson, a journalist with more than 30 years experience in the newspaper industry, was a founder of Pagemasters, which has in recent years won contracts to provide editorial production services to titles such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The New Zealand Herald and London’s Daily Telegraph.
Since the acquisition of Pagemasters by AAP in 2002, Mr Davidson also has been a member of the agency’s executive team.
AAP Chairman Michael Gill said Mr Davidson will bring a combination of editorial leadership and business experience to the role.
“Bruce has steered Pagemasters through a major expansion, particularly in the past three years, and his proven management skills and entrepreneurial approach will be a great asset to AAP,” he said.
Mr Davidson said he was delighted and honoured to be appointed as CEO.
“AAP, as with all news agencies around the world, has a vital role to play, especially as the media landscape shifts – and it seems to be shifting almost daily,” he said.
“We can serve the industry well, not just as a reliable and trusted source of news, but as an organisation that can provide new and creative services to help the industry survive and thrive in these turbulent times.
“I am also fortunate to inherit and strong and healthy AAP, much of which is the result of Clive Marshall’s leadership over the past nine years. I trust I can continue in that vein.”
Mr Davidson began his career as a cadet journalist in regional Victoria, before moving to community newspapers in Melbourne and a stint in the UK. He joined the Herald and Weekly Times in Melbourne in 1980, where he was a sub–editor on The Herald. He switched to the Sun News-Pictorial in 1985, and served in several senior editorial roles, including News Editor and Features Editor. He was also the founding Deputy Editor of the Sunday Sun, now the Sunday Herald Sun.
He formed Pagemasters in 1991, and remained with the company as Managing Director when it was acquired by AAP.
Mr Davidson will assume responsibilities as AAP CEO in January 2010. He will maintain a strong presence in the continued expansion and development of Pagemasters.
For further information contact
Michael Gill, Chairman
Phone: +61 (0) 2 9322 8701
Australian Associated Press CEO to Step Down in New Year
12 November 2009
Australian Associated Press announced today that Chief Executive Officer Clive Marshall will leave the company at the end of January 2010 following his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Press Association Group in London.
Michael Gill, the Chairman of AAP, said Clive Marshall had transformed the business into a dynamic, customer-focused and diversified media group with a growing reputation worldwide.
“Clive fostered the essential news focus of our agency and managed the business smoothly into some well-suited diversification,” Mr Gill said.
“While Clive will be missed, his efforts and management have built in AAP a team of executives that we are confident will provide strong leadership in the years ahead.
“We certainly wish Clive well in his new – or perhaps renewed – challenge,” Mr Gill said.
Clive Marshall said: “It has been my privilege to head up AAP for the past nine years.
During that time, the company has gone through an extraordinary period of change. We have significantly strengthened and developed our news and information services whilst broadening and diversifying our revenues through a number of stand-alone commercial businesses including Pagemasters, Medianet and Newscentre.
“It is testimony to the skill, commitment and dedication of our employees that Australian Associated Press is now recognised by its peers as one of the world’s leading news agencies.
“I am particularly proud of the success of our page production business Pagemasters. In the past seven years Pagemasters has grown from a company employing 30 people providing TV listings to Australian newspapers, to one which today employs over 140 people and produces 4500 editorial and data pages each week for newspapers in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Pagemasters is receiving enquiries for its services from newspaper publishers around the world.”
Mr Marshall joined AAP in 2001 having originally spent eight years at the PA Group in a number of senior roles. He was appointed a director of the PA Group in 2000.
Australian Associated Press (AAP)
Founded in 1935, AAP is the national news agency of Australia employing more than 600 people. It provides a comprehensive domestic and international news service to the Australian media, business sectors and beyond - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
In addition to the news agency, AAP’s businesses include Pagemasters, the page production outsourcing service; Newscentre, the news monitoring and media intelligence company; and Medianet, Australia’s largest distributor of corporate news releases.
Virtually all of Australia's newspaper, broadcast and digital media subscribe to AAP news services.
http://www.aap.com.au
About PA Group
PA Group owns the Press Association the national news agency of the UK and Ireland.
For over 140 years, the Press Association’s network of journalists has been gathering news and information for the media. Today the company supplies everything from breaking news and showbiz interviews to real-time sports results and weather forecasts.
Other PA Group companies include international weather forecasting business MeteoGroup and CNW Group, Canada’s leading news distribution company.
PA Group employs almost 1500 people. Its headquarters are in London, UK with major operations centres in Yorkshire, England and Mangalore and Puna, India.
PA Group Limited is a private company with 27 shareholders, including Associated Newspaper Holdings Limited, News International plc, Trinity Mirror plc and United Business Media plc.
www.pressassociation.com
For further information contact
Michael Gill, Chairman
Phone: +61 (0) 2 9322 8701
Pagemasters’ editorial production services launched in North America
13 August 2009
Australian editorial production house Pagemasters has announced a deal that will lead to the services it pioneered in Australasia being offered to newspapers in North America.
Under an alliance with The Canadian Press, Pagemasters North America will provide newspapers in Canada and the US with a complete range of editorial services, from design to sub-editing and headline writing.
The launch of Pagemasters North America by The Canadian Press follows Pagemasters’ success in providing editorial production services to newspapers in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, including sub-editing for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The New Zealand Herald and the UK’s Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph.
Under the agreement with The Canadian Press, Pagemasters will provide consulting and advisory services and earn revenue based on the success of Pagemasters North America.
Pagemasters currently produces more than 10,000 editorial pages per month in four production centres in Australia and New Zealand and employs more than 100 sub-editors. Pagemasters is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australian Associated Press (AAP).
AAP chief executive Clive Marshall said: “Pagemasters has experienced extraordinary growth over the past few years as more newspapers outsourced their editorial production. The launch of Pagemasters North America will enable us to capitalise on the high level of interest that we have received in Pagemasters’ services from newspapers in both the US and Canada – the largest English language newspaper market in the world.”
Pagemasters managing director Bruce Davidson said: “The launch of Pagemasters North America is a major development and I believe one which has the potential to lead to significant changes in the editorial production model for US and Canadian newspapers.
“We will be heavily involved with The Canadian Press in setting up editorial production centres in North America, working closely with newspaper publishers as they grapple with the radical changes sweeping the industry.”
Eric Morrison, president of The Canadian Press, said: “We wanted to be a part of the solution to the industry’s current difficulties so it was a natural choice to work with a world leader like Pagemasters to give Canadian and US newspapers the benefit of their expertise in significantly reducing editorial production costs.
“The key is the savings through greater productivity and efficiencies are not achieved by sacrificing the quality of the pages.”
The Pagemasters model being adopted in North America guarantees quality in two main ways:
- Pages will be developed in close consultation with clients, allowing pages to be highly customised while publishers retain complete editorial control of everything from story selection to placement and treatment. Pages can be created live within the client’s editorial system using advanced technology that enables clients to monitor quality throughout the process, raising the standards of accountability even higher.
- Features, news pages and common pages will be edited by North American staff on North American deadlines, adhering to local language and style guidelines and ensuring proper use of sports, political and other terms specific to Canadian and American culture.
For further information or interviews contact
Australia
Kate Priestley
Phone: +612 9322 8892
Email: kpriestley@aap.com.au
Canada
Sharon Hockin
Phone: +1 416 507 2137
Email: sharon.hockin@thecanadianpress.com
Pagemasters wins editorial sub-editing contract from Britain’s Daily Telegraph
9 January 2009
Pagemasters, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australian Associated Press (AAP), has been awarded a contract by the UK’s biggest selling newspaper, The Daily Telegraph and sister title The Sunday Telegraph, to provide sub-editing for the newspapers’ weekend supplements.
The agreement with Telegraph Media Group (TMG), which will result in Pagemasters sub-editing 150 pages a week, is the fourth major sub-editing contract awarded to Pagemasters. Pagemasters is now sub-editing more than 1800 pages a week, at four centres, for clients in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. The Telegraph sub-editing will be carried out at Pagemasters’ operation in Sydney
Bruce Davidson, Managing Director of Pagemasters, said: “This is a ground-breaking decision that further establishes Pagemasters as an important part of newspaper editorial production, not just in Australia and New Zealand, but now on a global basis.”
Clive Marshall, the CEO of AAP, said. “I am absolutely delighted that newspapers of the quality and prestige of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph have selected Pagemasters to provide them with sub-editing services. Since we were awarded our first sub-editing contract by APN in New Zealand 18 months ago, we have received enquiries from newspaper publishers around the world. It is a testimony to the quality and professionalism of our company that Telegraph Media Group has awarded Pagemasters this contract.”
Richard Ellis, TMG’s Executive Director, Editorial, said: “As Britain’s most pioneering and innovative multimedia company, Telegraph Media Group is delighted to be using the services of Pagemasters, whose staff have impressed us with their professionalism, dedication and commitment to quality.”
For further information or interviews contact
Rita Athanassiou
Phone: +61 2 9322 8701
Email: rathanassiou@aap.com.au
AAP's Newscentre Set to Shake up the News Monitoring Market
27 August, 2008
Newscentre, the news monitoring division of Australian Associated Press (AAP), today announced a significant expansion of its monitoring services with the launch of broadcast monitoring - a move that will provide clients with fast access to video and audio news clips at highly competitive prices.
"For far too long there has been no significant competition in the Australian broadcast news monitoring market" said Clive Marshall the CEO of Australian Associated Press. With the launch of Newscentre's radio and television news monitoring service, business and government now have a real choice in broadcast news monitoring - and the opportunity to make significant cost savings."
Two years in the planning and utilising the very latest search technology, the broadcast monitoring service will complement Newscentre's extensive newspaper, magazine and text monitoring service, providing a one-stop solution for organisations who wish to monitor the Australian news media.
To coincide with the launch, Newscentre clients will be able to access their print, text, internet, radio and television clips via a newly-designed online platform, with all their content available at the click of a mouse.
Kylie O'Reilly Managing Director of AAP's commercial divisions said, "Over the past few weeks we have been trialling the service with a number of clients and the feedback has been fantastic. Customers love the ease of use of the new platform, the fact that they can access all of their print and broadcast clips without delay and particularly in the current business environment that they can make real savings on their monitoring services."
"I am delighted that with the launch today, Newscentre can now showcase the service to companies and government departments across Australia.'' Ms O'Reilly concluded.
For further information, please contact:
Kylie O'Reilly, Managing Director - Commercial Divisions
Phone: +61 (2) 9322 8120
AAP acquires The Media Research Group
5 July 2007
Australian Associated Press, the national newsagency, today announced the acquisition of The Media Research Group (MRG) the Melbourne based media monitoring and analysis company.
Under the terms of the deal, MRG will continue its current operations in Melbourne and its principal, Michael O'Connell, will remain with the company as Managing Director.
AAP Chief Executive Clive Marshall said: "This investment is part of a major commitment by AAP to develop our range of media monitoring, analysis and media distribution services. The acquisition of The Media Research Group will complement AAP's existing media monitoring business, AAP Newscentre. The combined business will enable us to expand our current range of services whilst continuing to provide clients with the highest quality of service."
Michael O'Connell Managing Director of MRG said "Over the last 10 years we have enjoyed considerable success in growing and developing our business. Following the sale of the company to AAP we will be able to invest in our systems, infrastructure and services to ensure that we can continue to capitalise on the enormous growth in demand for media monitoring and analysis services. In addition MRG clients will, for the first time, have the ability to monitor around the clock, in real-time, the editorial newswires of AAP."
Media Enquiries: Clive Marshall, CEO, Australian Associated Press, Tel: +61 (2) 9322 8701
About Australian Associated Press. Australian Associated Press (AAP) is the national newsagency of Australia providing Australian focused news and information 24 hours a day to media, corporations and government in Australia and around the world. Established in 1999 AAP Newscentre provides corporate and government clients with relevant media coverage on any topic from a wide range of Australian publications and sources.
About Media Research Group. The Media Research Group (MRG) was established in Melbourne in 1996 with the objective of providing clients with focused high quality cost effective media monitoring and analysis. The company has expanded to become a national operation, undertaking media analysis, monitoring and related services to a diverse group of client roster that include some of Australia's largest and most successful public and privately-listed companies, government departments, not-for-profit organisations and public relations specialists.
AAP announces the redesign and upgrade of the AAP Image Website
30 March 2007
Australian Associated Press (AAP) has launched the redesign and upgrade of its online image library - AAP Image. AAP Image is the home of timely and creative national and international photography; offering stock images, royalty free downloads, as well as current news, sport, entertainment, and celebrity and fashion photography from Australia and around the globe.
In keeping with AAP's policy of continued improvement, the AAP Image website has been upgraded to enhance overall usability and appearance, resulting in a more streamlined and efficient service for users.
In improving AAP Image's functionality, AAP has chosen to include more popular and relevant functions on the site, making it easy to navigate through.
"The new AAP Image website has been upgraded to reflect the needs of our customers and we believe that our clients will find the new layout enhances their overall experience" said Managing Director Kylie O'Reilly.
She added "Our clients told us they wanted a website that is effortless to use. So not only does the site look amazing, our customers can now search and download their chosen images faster and simpler than ever before".
AAP Image, a division of Australian Associated Press, allows access to images 24 hours a day and has the ability to provide news photography before it breaks in the media.
Other services offered by AAP Image include obligation free image research assistance and customer service for those wishing to speak directly with the AAP Image team.
"We are very excited about the launch of the new AAP Image website and believe that the improvements to it's design will enhance our current customer's needs and position AAP Image at the top of Australia's major image providers within the photography distribution market" said Kylie O'Reilly, Managing Director of AAP's Commercial division.
The AAP Image website address is www.aapimage.com.au
For further information, please contact:
AAP Group Marketing
Phone: +61 (2) 9322 8933
AAP Announces the redesign and upgrade of the Medianet Website
26 February 2007
Australian Associated Press (AAP) has launched the redesign and upgrade of Australia's foremost and comprehensive premier online news distribution site - Medianet.
In keeping with AAP's policy of continued improvement of its products, the Medianet website has been completed upgraded to streamline and augment the already highly popular and unique media distribution service.
In improving Medianet's functionality, AAP has chosen to include all the most popular functions on the one main page within clearly defined areas that are easy to access and navigate through.
"The new look Medianet website has been redesigned using our customer's feedback and we believe this is evident in the new layout and design of the site" says Kylie O'Reilly, Managing Director of AAP's Commercial division.
"One main feature our clients wanted was a website that is easy to use. So not only does the site look fantastic, our customers can now distribute their press releases faster and easier than ever before."
Medianet is AAP's premier media distribution tool that is widely used and respected by PR companies, government departments, not for profit organisations as well as media consulting companies.
While clients are using the Medianet website, they are now able to access AAP's other premium media services such as Newscentre, Message Connect and Image.
"A new key feature of the site is the ability for clients who are subscribers of both Medianet and Newscentre for example, to effortlessly move between both service offerings and provide more simplified navigational tools" Kylie added.
Information on AAP's other products are clearly visible as is most importantly, contact information for sales and support. Only Medianet offers dedicated Account Managers, Product Trainers and a customer support team available twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.
"We are confident that the resdesign of the Medianet website will not only enhance our current customer's needs and expectations, but will further push Medianet to the forefront of the media distribution market" said Kylie O'Reilly, Managing Director of AAP's Commercial division.
The Medianet website address is www.medianet.com.au.
For further information, please contact:
AAP Group Marketing
Phone: +61 (2) 9322 8933
Honoured journalists defends the profession
By James Dampney
SYDNEY, June 12 AAP - Journalists, generally, are grouped with used car salesmen, real estate agents and politicians at the bottom end of the career food chain, certainly in regards to honesty and ethics.
 But Ted Simmons, a sports journalist for 63 years who has been named on this year's Queen's Birthday honours list, believes the media industry is simply misunderstood.
Simmons, 78, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to soccer, athletics and tenpin bowling and as a journalist, referee, announcer and coach in this year's list.
His career began as a 15-year-old with the now defunct Sydney Daily Mirror in 1943 and Simmons is all too aware of the industry's reputation.
But the man who has worked for the past 37 years with the national news agency, Australian Associated Press, feels the conduct of a few has tainted the reputation of many.
"I think (the award's) marvellous," he said. "I'm pleased as a journalist, first of all, because it's recognising the work that journalists do.
"We do a pretty good job informing and entertaining the people.
"Unfortunately the few that don't do the same type of job are the one's that get the publicity and everybody seems to think of journalists as people not too high in the popularity list.
"I've always felt we've been an overlooked profession. Look at Watergate in the States, that was a great example of investigative journalism. I've been in the profession since 1943 and I wouldn't change it for the world."
But services to journalism, including working on AAP's sports desk since 1969, only scratches the surface of Simmons' involvement in the sporting arena.
As he says: "When you're interested in something and prepared to stand up and support or argue for it, they tend to notice.
"The usual reaction of administration is to get you onto the committee and I often, invariably, became president." And how.
The Eastern Suburbs Soccer Referees Association, Greater Sydney Tenpin Bowling Association and Australian Churches Soccer Association are just a fraction of the organisations Simmons has served as president.
He has been an official announcer for Athletics Australia since 1961 and still competes for NSW in over-50 tenpin bowling competitions.
And he isn't finished yet.
"I was born 5 August, 1928," he said.
"That means I'm two years off 80 and 22 years off 100.
"I've marked them both down in the calendar and will be looking forward to them both."
Australia's oldest news agency announces new look
26 April 2006
Australian Associated Press, Australia's national news agency is proud to announce the launch of its new official website - www.aap.com.au.
Combining functionality with style - the new look AAP site covers all aspects of the news agency from editorial content provision to services provided by AAP's commercial business units.
Kylie O'Reilly, Commercial Director of AAP, said the site represents the synergy between AAP's commercial and editorial divisions.
"The new website gives a clear and easy to understand breakdown of all AAP units allowing for a fuller understanding of how AAP functions as both Australia's national news agency and an invaluable service provider to Australia's business and media communities," Ms O'Reilly said.
Ms O'Reilly said, the site's ability to highlight AAP's products and services is aided by a newly designed site navigation menu, more focused content and a cleaner user interface, which all enhance usability and promote a wider understandings of AAP.
The new site harbours a wealth of information and features including:
- Live news and finance updates from the AAP NewsWire
- Daily images from around the world
- Clear and concise information on AAP News products and commercial services
Australian Associated Press launches AAP Message Connect
March 27: Australian Associated Press has launched its latest messaging solutions service, AAP Message Connect.
AAP Message Connect allows businesses to send and receive information en masse via fax, email, SMS and voice formats , and also offers the capability to convert messages from one format to another.
"AAP Message Connect is an example of AAP's commitment to using both our technology and experience in information to create new products" , said Kylie O'Reilly, Commercial Director of AAP.
AAP Message Connect offers online access, www.aapmessageconnect.com.au, or can integrate with a client's existing IT network or email systems.
AAP has over 30 years experience in the capture and dissemination of business critical information to Australia's business, financial and government institutions.
For more information please contact Kylie O'Reilly, Commercial Director - AAP on +61 2 9322 8127 or koreilly@aap.com.au.
AAP officially opens Rhodes headquarters
The new Australian Associated Press headquarters at Rhodes Waterside is a perfect platform for the agency's future, according to chief executive Clive Marshall. The state-of-the-art facilities not only promote a vibrant working environment, they also ensure the business can function through potentially crippling cuts to power and water.
"Our relocation from Lang Street (in Sydney's CBD) to Rhodes was an opportunity to assess all aspects of our business as they pertain to the future growth and prosperity of the business," Mr Marshall said.
"A lot of detailed planning and contingencies went into design, layout and infrastructure. This is a business well equipped to tackle the commercial and technical challenges of the future," he said.
AAP's search for a new home began over two years ago.
"We'd simply outgrown our CBD premises. While it was a good geographic location, the internal structure no longer suited our needs," Mr Marshall said. "Our departments were spread over 10 floors in the building which made important internal communication difficult. "Rhodes Waterside offered a building with a large floor plate enabling the operation to fit on two floors. These are separated by a wide internal stairway for easy access," he said.
Business continuity is critical to AAP, according to Information Technology director Peter Woods.
"Interruptions to supply are not an option so we were also able to build in a complex series of back-up systems to ensure the business could still operate even if power and water to the area were cut off," Mr Woods said.
AAP's move to Rhodes came at a significant investment - in the multi-millions.
"We're proud of the result," Mr Marshall.
 "AAP has a well-designed newsroom and support departments. It's a functional and visually appealing environment.
"And Rhodes Waterside is a good location. There are great amenities for staff," Mr Marshall said.
"While we haven't conducted our own studies on the impact of our business to this area, we know it will be significant.
"The whole precinct we're sure is making its mark on the community in an economic sense. It's been a great vision by the developers."
Creating and delivering news for all traditional and new media is the core of AAP's business, says Editor-in-Chief, Tony Gillies.
"More than 200 journalists in 15 locations create the domestic news service while commercial partnerships with a dozen international news agencies enables AAP to provide a comprehensive world service to subscribers," Mr Gillies said.
About 130 journalists and sub-editors work in the Rhodes newsroom while AAP maintains an office for 18 reporters in York Street in the CBD. Reporters based at Rhodes also use this office as a 'drop-in office' as required.
"But technology is so mobile these days, reporters can do their job from the 'road'." Mr Gillies said.
"The office works well. We spent a lot of time on the design to ensure internal communication was most efficient. From most points in the newsroom we can see the desks of all of our staff. It helps."
Prime Minister John Howard addresses AAP
Prime Minister John Howard officially opened the new headquarters for Australian Associated Press on Friday, February 3, 2006.
The following is the text of his speech to AAP's shareholders, major subscribers, suppliers and staff.
By JOHN HOWARD
Mr Gill, Mr Marshall, my Federal parliamentary colleague John Murphy, the member for Lowe, ladies and gentlemen:
As you all know there is a love-hate, symbiotic, whatever other description you might choose to employ, relationship between politicians and journalists. We simply can't exist without each other.
On occasions, as particular issues arise and particular personalities go across the stage of public life, we might wish it otherwise but I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to open these new premises for AAP for a number of reasons.
As a lifetime resident of the city of Sydney I think [Rhodes Waterside] is a magnificent redevelopment of this part of Sydney.
To see the extraordinary changes that have occurred in this part of Sydney, the reclamation and the new development both commercially and residential, is quite impressive and I congratulate Lang Walker and others associated with the construction of this building and of the project.
The other reason of course is that I do genuinely respect the role of AAP and the role of the media generally in maintaining democracy in Australia.
I had the opportunity in a speech I gave to the National Press Club last week on the eve of Australia Day to say something about a number of things.
The issue that has been most widely reported out of that speech was the comments I made about the teaching and understanding of history in this country.
But another perhaps less widely-remarked reference in the speech was to what I regard as the three pillars of democracy and those three pillars of democracy are a robust parliamentary system, an incorruptible judiciary and a free and sceptical media which politicians absolutely adore.
And it is the case that if you have those three things, in my opinion, you don't need a Bill of Rights - but that is something for another time and for another debate.
But AAP has in its 70 years of existence - and remembering that its founding chairman was Sir Keith Murdoch whose family has made an immense contribution to the media in this country - acted, as some have described it, not only as a comprehensive provider of news but also as a safety net for the provision of news.
I've been fortunate in the last few months to have been invited to contribute a fortnightly column to AAP.
It's an opportunity that I grabbed with alacrity because the consequence of that amongst other things, and I understand incidentally that in even-handed fashion the same opportunity has been extended to the leader of the Opposition Mr Beazley, is the opportunity that it provides for the dissemination of one's message particularly to the print media of regional and rural Australia.
I'm also encouraged by the number of occasions that what I've said in that particular column has found its way either onto the front page or page three of one of the broadsheets and even put in column form in one or two of the tabloids.
So I can remind the proprietors that I do follow very carefully what happens to the product and I'm regularly advised as to the quality of the investment that I make in that particular exercise.
The media, as you more than anybody would know, has changed incredibly - not only in the last 10 years - but I think back to my interaction with the media when I first came into parliament in 1974.
Of course that pre-dated the era of what has now become virtually a 24-hour-a-day seven-day-a-week news cycle.
It was long before we had cable television.
It was a time when the dominant individuals in the media were print journalists - that's not to say many of them aren't still dominant, but they're not the only dominant ones.
It was a time when the ABC's radio programs, especially AM and PM, tended to completely dominate the dissemination of news with one or two exceptions over radio.
It was a very different era and when I think of the changes in the last five years, particularly with the expansion of news coverage on cable television, subscription television and pay television - it's a remarkable change within 32 years.
It's quite astonishing how through all of that AAP has remained not only a constant but an organisation that has grown and expanded and continues to provide the service of which your chairman and your chief executive spoke so well.
The media in this country is indispensable to our democracy but we in the political life have our moments with them, and that will always be the case and it should always be the case, because in the end we can only be made accountable to the Australian community through reporting of our deeds and recording of our responses.
And for all the pressures and irritations that presents on occasions I would genuinely not wish it otherwise as it is not in the interest of this country that it should ever be otherwise.
We have a competitive media despite what some of the cynics say.
It's a very competitive media and AAP, owned as it is by a number of its competitors, is in fact part of that competition.
Because of its joint ownership it is quintessentially free of the influences of one or other of the major media players and as a result it provides a high quality service.
So Mr Gill and Mr Marshall, thank you very much for the opportunity.
I wish everybody who works here good fortune.
It's another example of the increasing trend of large organisations to leave the CBD. I think that does bring enhancements.
It brings travel opportunities and residential opportunities that are not always available for employees of companies that work in the centre of Sydney and I'm sure that you've chosen well.
I wish you well and I have great pleasure in declaring these new headquarters of AAP open for reporting.
Thank you.
News agency plays a key role in democracy, says Prime Minister
SYDNEY, February 3: Prime Minister John Howard said he "genuinely respected" the role that Australian Associated Press had played in maintaining democracy in this country.
 As he opened the national news agency's new headquarters in Sydney's Rhodes Waterside, (Friday, February 3) Mr Howard said a robust parliamentary system, an incorruptible judiciary and a free and sceptical press were the three cornerstones of a democratic society.
In all its 70 years as a comprehensive provider of news he said AAP "has kept abreast of media developments and maintained a high quality of service to the industry."
Australia's leading media proprietors, chief executives, publishers, editors and industry representatives attended the official opening.
Chairman Michael Gill said AAP was "one of a handful of the world's national news agencies not funded or managed under government influence."
"It's a successful commercial entity," he said.
He told the gathering that AAP delivered 4500 stories, photos, video and data files to print, radio, television and news media customers each day.
 Chief executive Clive Marshall said the two-year project from a hole in the ground to the finishing touches a few days ago accommodated an environment capable of meeting the ever-changing needs of all media.
"Management and staff are very proud of our new facility," Mr Marshall said.
"It's a great location, the office design assists internal communication and cosmetically it's a wonderful reminder of who we are as a business."
Iconic news images and famous quotes by news makers of the past century adorn the walls; a rolling headline news ticker overlooks the newsrooms; and all broadcast news channels are beamed out from dozens of large plasma screens around the clock.
While the company has grown since it was founded in 1935, Mr Marshall said its principles - impartiality, independence, accuracy, reliability and speed - remained at its core.
AAP's four media shareholders (John Fairfax Holdings, News Limited, West Australian Newspapers and Rural Press) do not influence news coverage but fiercely protect its editorial impartiality and independence, Mr Marshall said.
The news agency's highly valued domestic wire service is produced by almost 200 journalists and photographers in 15 locations.
Commercial partnerships with a dozen international press agencies including AP, Agence France-Presse, EFE, DPA, PA, Kyodo, Knight-Ridder and NZPA provides global news for Australian subscribers.
AAP and Cubit form strategic relationship in press monitoring and media analysis
February 10: AAP NewsCentre, the press monitoring arm of Australian Associated Press, has today formed a strategic relationship with Cubit Media Research.
The relationship with Cubit Media Research, a specialist media analysis company, will give AAP NewsCentre clients access to its next-generation, hybrid media analysis tools.
"This strategic relationship represents a new and exciting direction for AAP NewsCentre. With many of our customers increasingly requiring analysis of the press clips we are providing them, this will be a natural progression of our service offering," said Kylie O'Reilly, Commercial Director of AAP.
"The ability to offer analysis will strongly compliment our comprehensive press offering of PDF press clips and text content services".
Cubit Media Research continues to be Asia-Pacific's fastest growing media content analysis house, and with its expansion into North America, the company expects continued growth and success.
CEO of Cubit Media Research Warren Weeks said, "AAP NewsCentre is a strong player in the market and the ability to offer both pull and push techniques for press monitoring content delivery is an attractive addition to our work in helping the top businesses in Australia with their monitoring research and analysis."
Cubit Media Research is a high-technology analytics firm that has pioneered the development of next-generation, hybrid media analysis methods. Its application of powerful computer processing and data storage systems, together with trained human content analysts, has created arguably the most advanced Media Analytics capability in the industry.
AAP NewsCentre provides comprehensive press monitoring services, available by email delivery as well as by customised internet and extranet delivery. AAP NewsCentre exclusively offers real time access to breaking news from the AAP NewsWire, and operates 24 hours a day.
For more information please contact Bernie Callan, Business Manager - AAP Newscentre on +61 2 9322 8010.
AAP wins News Photography Walkley Award
Australian Associated Press's Sydney-based staff photographer Mick Tsikas has won the News Photography Walkley Award for 2005.
The Walkley Awards recognise excellence in journalism.
Mick won the coveted Walkley for his coverage of the Bali Nine - the nine young Australians accused in Indonesia of trying to smuggle heroin to Australia.
Judges said each of his striking photos was strong enough to be used on a newspaper's front page.
As well as his coverage of the Bali Nine, Mick has in the last year produced powerful images of the tsunami disaster in Banda Aceh, and of the Schapelle Corby and Michelle Leslie court appearances in Bali.
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