(Washington) -- The Associated Press announced today the launch of its real-time audio and video news service for radio, TV and print Web sites in alliance with RealNetworks, Inc. called AP Streaming News.

The new jointly produced service from AP, the world's largest news agency, and RealNetworks, the leading provider of streaming audio and video for the Internet, gives AP's radio, TV and newspaper members easy to use, cost-effective audio and video to enhance their Web sites.

"In this day of merging technologies, it is critical for all our members to have immediate access to AP's complete package of news, business, sports, entertainment, weather and breaking stories," said James R. Williams III, vice president and director of AP's broadcast division. "Technologically advanced shouldn't mean difficult to use or expensive. In fact in this case it means easy to use, cost effective and quite simply a smart way for our members to establish consumer brand loyalty for their web products."

AP Streaming News provides anchored audio news summaries, regularly scheduled video newscasts, sound and video clips for major news stories and live links to selected events on a daily basis for AP's radio, TV and newspaper members. All the video and audio packages are produced by APTN -- AP's worldwide video news agency -- and AP Network News -- AP's 24-hour, live and programmed radio network.

AP Streaming News enables radio, TV and newspapers to strategically place multimedia content on their Web sites without a major investment in staff or technology. No special expertise, additional equipment or technical maintenance is required by the host site. AP and RealNetworks do all the work, refreshing content around the clock and alerting each news organization's site by e-mail to post the updated links.

USA TODAY, the nation's largest daily newspaper, is the first to sign up for AP Streaming News via RealNetworks. Among others inaugurating the service are the Washington Post and Knight Ridder online newspapers affiliated with KnightRidder.com's RealCities network. RealCities specializes in local information and services.

About RealNetworks

RealNetworks, Inc., (Nasdaq: RNWK) based in Seattle, is the recognized leader for media delivery for the Internet. It develops and markets software products and services designed to enable users of personal computers and other consumer electronic devices to send and receive audio, video and other multimedia services using the Web. RealNetworks, which holds 85 percent of the market share of streaming media on the Internet, can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.real.com/.

About AP

Formed in 1848, the Associated Press is the world's oldest and largest newsgathering organization, serving more than 15,000 news outlets worldwide, including over 4,500 television and radio stations with text, audio, video, graphics and photos of news, sports, business, entertainment and weather.