AP was first to provide live video of the chaos unfolding, and its journalists worked quickly to gather on-camera interviews with witnesses and make photos of police responding and civilians fleeing.
“The first AP journalists on the scene got a live feed up immediately. This is great for our customers, but it also enables a whole range of other newsgathering to happen,” said Managing Editor Brian Carovillano. “This was step one in what became a dominant overall performance by the Nairobi bureau, across formats.”
Vice President for International News Ian Phillips said:
It was the epitome of essential news agency journalism: Being first on the scene of a breaking news story, getting the first live video as well as gripping photos and fast facts out to customers and the general public.Elite performance of that magnitude doesn’t happen by chance. We have invested valuable time in developing local journalists in Africa and across the globe. The knowledge, resourcefulness, professionalism and sheer bravery of AP’s local journalists in Kenya shone through during the attack and thereafter.
In addition to exclusive photos from inside the complex as police stormed the hotel, the team on the ground Tuesday continued to provide live pictures overnight, making AP the only news agency to offer live video when more gunfire and explosions were heard Wednesday.
See AP video from the scene:
Read AP’s coverage of the attack.
