Apple iPad to receive Associated Press news

The Associated Press has revealed that it intends to launch a paid news application for Apple's forthcoming iPad tablet, as part of its plan to generate income for online content.

Tom Curley President and CEO of The Associated Press announced the plans while talking to the Colorado Press Association. A new AP business unit will be created, called AP Gateway, expanding such products as the AP Mobile news service for smartphones and online platforms including Apple's iPad.

While some services will be free, supported by ads, AP believes people will be willing to pay for an iPad service, which will offer custom packages of headlines, stories, photos and video from the AP and from newspapers and broadcasters that choose to contribute their content and potentially share any revenue. The AP's members also could use the same system to offer their own iPad applications that show their own content the company notes.

"At last, we truly will be able to deliver the right content to the right people at the right time to the right device," the AP's Curley said. "We must seize this opportunity to reinvigorate our business models as well as our journalism."

"For publishers, it is likely the defining moment," Curley added.

The AP provides more than 15,000 media outlets worldwide and thousands of commercial customers with news stories, photographs, audio, video and multimedia online products. Client's include Internet-only outlets such as Yahoo and MSNBC.

The AP already offers an iPhone application free. Available from the Apple iTunes App Store, AP Mobile requires the iTunes 3.1.2 Software Update or later.