After 17 years of satellite distribution, the Press Association is again a ‘wire’service after switching to a new digital network.
The new system, PA MediaDirect, will span both a secure private network and the public internet to provide PA customers with it says will be ‘fast, secure and robust’digital delivery of news, sports and photos
“The new digital distribution network is faster than ever before”, says Tony Watson, editor -in-chief for The Press Association. ‘With such a high volume of content now being sent on the wire it was vital we took advantage of the best technology to deliver our customers the highest levels of service and to support our future development.”
PA MediaDirect will provide increased bandwidth allowing extra capacity for data and faster delivery times, increased flexibility with a choice of connectivity options and early problem detection.
It will work by via cable links to news organisations than the satellite delivery system which has been in place for the last 17 years. Satellite distribution was subject to weather problems and could be comparatively slow because of bandwidth limitations.
The nationalization of the telegraph wires in 1870 made it possible for newspaper editors to receive news closer to real time than ever before.
The wires formed the PA’s main method of delivery up until the introduction of satellite, hence the use of the term ‘newswire’to describe the core PA service.
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