A case study for why and how AP is using machine-readble rights for photo and video. Presented at DAM NY 12th May 2017

1. DAM NY - 12th May 2017 - Stuart Myles
Rights for Photo and Video Archives
A Case Study by The Associated Press
www.ap.org @smyles

2. www.ap.org @smyles
AP’s Archives
1.7 million video stories - 34 million images -200 million text stories
Dating back to the 1800’s
http://www.aparchive.com/

3. www.ap.org @smyles
The dream of rights management
…And the reality for AP’s archives

4. What are Rights?
www.ap.org @smyles
Permissions and Restrictions on Content
Use e.g. “distribute”
Constraints e.g. “location != France”
Duties e.g. “credit Kyoto”
Generally contracts linked to sources
With per-item exceptions
“NO USE CHINA”

5. What Do Rights Holders
Want?
www.ap.org @smyles
Restrict content use by
Geography
Time
Distribution channel
Enforce duties
Payment
Credit
Complex licenses
Combined constraints

6. What Do Editors Want?
www.ap.org @smyles
Can I use this content?
Any there any duties?
Ideally, not to worry about rights…

7. Traditional Publishing Model
A feed per publication
Tuned
content
set
Licensed
for one
outlet
Editors
review
notes
Often by
media
type
www.ap.org @smyles

8. One Customer
With many publications
Content
still
licensed per
outlet
Newspapers,
magazines,
broadcast
channels
Websites
and apps for
desktop,
smartphone
, tablet
Content
duplication
Enshrines
legacy deals
www.ap.org @smyles

9. Most Customers Take
Content from Multiple
Providers
Lots of
complexity
and waste for
publishers
and
providers.
Harder for
publishers to
respond to
new
opportunities
www.ap.org @smyles

10. The Dream: Automated
Publishing Which Respects
Rights
Content
still
licensed per
outlet
Automatically
route content
Less editorial
intervention
to check
restrictionsNo content
duplication
Apply
restrictions
per content
item
New uses for
content
without a
duplicate feed
www.ap.org @smyles

11. www.ap.org @smyles
AP’s Photo API Added RightsML
Customized rights with other image metadata in photo API
W3C CG ODRL * IPTC RightsML
Available in XML or JSON

12. An Example in JSON
This client can download this particular image for $20
It is only for editorial use
It has a human-readable policy which must be reviewed

13. www.ap.org @smyles
Photo Rights Success Factors
Business case - customer asking for rights
API Technology – relatively easy to add metadata
Formats already designed - ODRL and RightsML
Photos Already Contain Some Rights Metadata

14. www.ap.org @smyles
Video Rights – Early Days
Rights embedded in scripts
Hampers direct-to-consumer publishing
Step one – standardize vocabulary

15. www.ap.org @smyles
Barriers Remain
Legacy workflows and systems
Handshake agreements
Adding rights is work - additional revenue?
Standards not widely adopted

16. Adopting Machine Readable Rights
Challenges are not really technical
Don’t be overwhelmed by the details
Work with others – e.g. W3C, IPTC – for leverage
www.ap.org @smylesThanks!