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The Press Association has completed its switchover to a new digital distribution network for the newswire, ending a 17-year era of satellite delivery.

The new system, PA MediaDirect, uses both a secure private network and the public internet to provide customers with news, sport and photos.

"The new digital distribution network is faster than ever before," said PA editor-in-chief Tony Watson.

"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."

The end of satellite distribution marks a return to the wire principle that originally gave the service its name.

The nationalization of the UK's telegraph wires in 1870 made it possible for papers to receive news in close to real time.

The wires were the favoured method of delivery up till the introduction of satellite, leading to use of the term 'newswire'.

The new wire system also has the option of an XML format, which allows a rich feed of information by linking together stories and pictures in real-time.

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Written by
Oliver Luft

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