The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard to Launch Entertainment Feed Via The Associated Press

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, the two premier entertainment media brands of Prometheus Global Media (PGM), are making their content available worldwide for use on digital platforms to customers of The Associated Press.

Starting this month, the entertainment feed of breaking news and feature stories from Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter can be purchased for online use under the content-distribution arrangement with the AP.

"We're thrilled to be able to provide The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard material among our content offerings to customers," said Lou Ferrara, AP's managing editor for entertainment. "It makes for a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive package of entertainment stories every day."

Named Entertainment Publication of the Year by the LA Press Club, The Hollywood Reporter is a leading source for breaking news and in-depth reporting on the entertainment industry. Providing exclusive, all-access features on Hollywood and scooping stories that range from the History channel's decision to drop The Kennedys miniseries amid political pressure from the Kennedy family to CBS' decision to replace Charlie Sheen with Ashton Kutcher on Two and a Half Men, THR has garnered more than 55 billion media impressions during the past year. Its website, which draws 10.4 million unique monthly visitors, now receives more web traffic than its three biggest competitors combined.

"Being part of AP's massive distribution network will open THR to huge new audiences from around the world," said The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Janice Min.

THR's co-partner in the AP content-distribution deal, Billboard, is widely considered to be one of the most authoritative voices in music. The multiplatform, trend-setting brand has been responsible for breaking some of the music industry's biggest headlines, including putting a then-largely unknown Adele on its January 2011 cover, breaking news of Mattel's plans to create a Nicki Minaj Barbie doll and scooping the story of Enrique Iglesias' decision to pull out of Britney Spears' North American tour last year. With 11.6 million unique monthly visitors, Billboard.com is one of the premier online music destinations worldwide.

"Billboard is already synonymous with 'music' all around the globe, but the reach of the brand's content will now be increased exponentially thanks to the AP," said Billboard editorial director Bill Werde. "AP is truly the top news agency in the world when it comes to distributing entertainment stories, and we're pleased and excited to contribute to that effort."

Said Michael Dutton, global director of AP entertainment products: "In-depth coverage from two leading entertainment media brands offers AP's distribution partners a whole new layer of vibrant and rich content for their readers." 

The AP has covered the entertainment industry since the early days of Broadway, the London stage and Hollywood. Today, it covers entertainment worldwide in video, photos, text and audio for all platforms and devices and is one of the top outlets for breaking entertainment news. It was the first outlet to report the divorces of Katy Perry and Demi Moore as well as the Feb. 11 death of Whitney Houston.  

About The AP

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the Net: www.ap.org.

About The Hollywood Reporter

The Hollywood Reporter is the entertainment industry's flagship news media brand. Named Entertainment Publication of the Year by the LA Press Club in 2011, THR leads the category in providing breaking news, feature stories and industry analysis to readers of its glossy print edition as well as to 10.4 million unique monthly visitors online. The entertainment industry's paper of record, THR is widely read among Hollywood's top insiders and influencers, making its print edition cover "prized real estate," according to the New York Times, and driving 55 billion media impressions last year. The Hollywood Reporter is available online at www.thr.com.

About Billboard

Billboard is the world's most powerful music brand, reaching key influencers in and around the music business and music's most passionate music fans. From Billboard.com — the brand's award-winning website that has increased its monthly unique visitors by over 100% since it relaunched in 2009 — to Billboard magazine, an iconic, authoritative weekly publication, Billboard content is consumed and referenced by millions of people in more than 100 countries. 

The brand also is built on its over 200 exclusive charts, and includes additional assets such as the Billboard Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard conferences and consumer events, Billboard.biz, the Billboard Bulletin, the Billboard mobile chart app, targeted newsletters, social media extensions and a robust global licensing business.

Contact:

The Associated Press
Jack Stokes, AP media relations manager, 212-621-1720

The Hollywood Reporter
Lisa Dallos, High10Media, 212-918-2049

Billboard
Eva Ross, DKC Public Relations, Marketing & Government Affairs, 212-981-5218

SOURCE The Hollywood Reporter