AOL Enhances Video Search

AOL is nurturing video uploads, launching new tools to make it easier to publish clips to its search engines.

Inviting Videographers

The company is announcing this week a program to let external developers build applications based on its video search engines, a step AOL has taken for other of its online services, like its AOL Instant Messaging platform (AIM).

With the launch of the program on Monday, AOL will publish application programming interfaces (APIs) to let developers integrate AOL video search technology into their Web sites, said Tim Tuttle, AOL Video's vice president.

Applications will be able to access AOL's video index, offer keyword searching, sort and filter results, support RSS, and provide browsing of clips by category, channel, tag, or user.

Internet companies like AOL have embraced open APIs to let external developers extend and advance their online services with add-ins, applications and devices.

Another part of the program is a new system called AOL Director Account to let video owners and site publishers automatically feed their clips to AOL's video search engines.

Access to the APIs and to the feed system is open to everyone and free of charge. More information can be obtained from AOL.

Integrating Video Sites

AOL has a variety of video sites and video search sites, including AOL Video, UnCut, Truveo, and Singingfish.

However, AOL is creating an integrated platform for all of them, and the first program to take advantage of it is this new developer initiative, Tuttle said.

Also on Monday, AOL is announcing that its online videos will be available on PCs running Microsoft's Media Center operating system and Intel's Viiv technology

Note: PC World has a partnership agreement to provide content to America Online.