Global newsgathering network the Associated Press and live video broadcasting service Bambuser announced today an arrangement to provide Bambuser users with the opportunity to share newsworthy video via the AP.

"Our cooperation with AP is significant to us and a natural step to take,” said Bambuser Executive Chairman Hans Eriksson. “For the first time, the work of any Bambuser user can be shared and acknowledged in potentially all major media outlets. This is a real breakthrough for content providers as they can contribute to the wider story with their unique footage."

Around the world unprecedented numbers of people are broadcasting live video to the web. The probability of someone being at the scene with a smartphone when news breaks is increasing by the day. More and more Bambuser users are utilizing their handheld devices to capture news stories to share on their blogs, on Twitter and Facebook and on other social media. Starting today, Bambuser users also have the opportunity to share their content with a global audience through AP's worldwide network of news organisations.

"The people with the best view of any breaking news event are citizens in the right place at the right time with a LIVE-broadcasting app. What we've seen lately is the increasing impact of user generated content contributing to the major media stories," said Eriksson.

The AP will be able to access and use Bambuser content it vets, verifies and considers newsworthy. As part of the arrangement with Bambuser, the AP also will explore use of Bambuser’s live video platform as a newsgathering tool for AP journalists.

“User generated content has become integral to covering breaking news, particularly where access is restricted. As a global newsgathering organization in more than 300 locations worldwide, AP has the expertise to verify it, and to add context via our own reporting,” said AP Deputy Director of International Video Mark Davies.

“Bambuser users have already provided AP with live feeds of fighting inside Syria. This agreement will allow us to share even more Bambuser news video with a worldwide audience, via more than 700 broadcast networks.”

The agreement between Bambuser and AP provides a unique opportunity for all Bambuser users to achieve worldwide distribution and get recognized for their content with full credit. People using Bambuser can easily let AP distribute content to all media globally under AP's terms of use, through the settings on bambuser.com/dashboard.