Associated Press Media API MCP Server

An unofficial Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that transforms the Associated Press Media API into an AI-optimized content intelligence resource. With 26 powerful tools, this MCP server enables conversational AI applications to seamlessly access, analyze, and interact with AP's comprehensive news content through natural language interfaces.

Perfect for: Conversational AI assistants, news analysis applications, content research tools, and automated journalism workflows.

[!NOTE] For more info about the AP Media API, visit the AP developer documentation.

🔑 Key Features

🤖 Conversational AI Features

• Natural Language Query Processing: Convert conversational queries into optimized AP API searches
• Intelligent Prompt Templates: 17 pre-configured prompts for common workflows and use cases
• Intelligent Content Recommendations: AI-powered content discovery and related article suggestions
• Trend Analysis: Real-time trending topic detection and analysis
• Smart Query Optimization: Automatic query enhancement for better search results
• Plan Enforcement: Automatic content filtering to authorized plan items (configurable via AP_ENFORCE_PLAN)
• AI Error Recovery: Self-healing error hints with suggested actions and retry guidance
• Rate Limit Intelligence: Automatic rate limit detection and backoff with retry hints
• Query Suggestions: Intelligent query refinement suggestions for broad searches

📈 Performance & Scale

• Bulk Operations: Handle up to 2,000 search results and 50 items in single operations
• Intelligent Caching: TTL-based caching system for improved performance
• Auto-Pagination: Seamlessly handle large result sets with automatic pagination
• Production-Ready: Enterprise-grade performance and reliability

📰 Complete Content Intelligence

• 26 Comprehensive Tools: Full coverage of AP Media API functionality
• Live Content Feeds: Real-time access to AP's breaking news and updates
• Advanced Search: Multi-parameter search with flexible filtering and sorting
• Content Monitoring: Create and manage automated content alerts and monitors

🛡️ Enterprise-Grade Foundation

• Full Type Safety: Complete TypeScript implementation with OpenAPI-based types
• Robust Error Handling: Graceful handling of API errors, rate limits, and network issues
• Secure Configuration: Environment-based configuration with validation
• Comprehensive Testing: High test coverage with both unit and integration tests

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• An Associated Press API key (get one at api.ap.org)

Installation

Claude Code (CLI)

Add to your Claude Code MCP configuration:

{
	"mcpServers": {
		"ap-media": {
			"type": "stdio",
			"command": "npx",
			"args": ["-y", "ap-mcp-server@latest"],
			"env": {
				"AP_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
			}
		}
	}
}

Visual Studio Code et al.

For VS Code, Windsurf, Cursor, Void, and other VS Code-based editors:

Add the following server definition to your workspace MCP settings (.vscode/mcp.json):

{
	"servers": {
		"ap-media": {
			"type": "stdio",
			"command": "npx",
			"args": ["-y", "ap-mcp-server@latest"],
			"env": {
				"AP_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
			}
		}
	}
}

Generic MCP Client Configuration

Applies to Claude Desktop, ChatGPT Desktop, OpenAI Codex, etc.

For most MCP-compatible AI tools, use this standard configuration format:

{
	"mcpServers": {
		"ap-media": {
			"command": "npx",
			"args": ["-y", "ap-mcp-server@latest"],
			"env": {
				"AP_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
			}
		}
	}
}

🤖 AI & LLM Integration

The AP MCP Server is designed to be used directly by AI tools, chatbots, and LLM applications through the MCP protocol. AI assistants can access AP news content using natural language:

Natural Language AI Interactions

• "Find recent articles about artificial intelligence in healthcare"
• "Show me trending topics in technology this week"
• "Get the latest breaking news about climate change"
• "Find related articles to this story about renewable energy"

AI tools automatically convert these requests into the appropriate MCP tool calls.

Smart Content Discovery

• Trend Detection: Automatically identify what's trending in news
• Content Recommendations: Get AI-suggested related articles and topics
• Query Enhancement: Transform vague queries into precise, optimized searches
• Bulk Analysis: Process large amounts of content for pattern recognition

AI Application Types

• News Chatbots: AI assistants with conversational access to AP news
• Research Assistants: AI tools for journalists and researchers
• Analysis Systems: Automated news trend and pattern analysis
• Content Curation: AI-powered content discovery and recommendation engines

Configuration

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Default	Description
AP_API_KEY	✅	-	Your AP API key
AP_BASE_URL	🚫	https://api.ap.org/media/v	AP API base URL
AP_TIMEOUT	🚫	30000	Request timeout (ms)
AP_RETRIES	🚫	3	Retry attempts for failed requests
AP_ENFORCE_PLAN	🚫	true	Enforce in_my_plan=true for all content requests (AI safety feature)
AP_DEBUG	🚫	false	Enable debug logging
AP_LOG_LEVEL	🚫	info	Log level (error, warn, info, debug)
AP_VERBOSE_LOGGING	🚫	false	Enable request/response logging
AP_CACHE_ENABLED	🚫	true	Enable intelligent caching system
AP_CACHE_TTL_TRENDS	🚫	300000	Trending topics cache TTL (5 minutes)
AP_CACHE_TTL_SEARCH	🚫	180000	Search results cache TTL (3 minutes)

🎯 MCP Prompts (17 Available)

The AP MCP Server now includes intelligent prompt templates that simplify complex operations and optimize API usage. These prompts abstract away parameter complexity and provide natural language interfaces for common workflows.

🔍 Search & Discovery Prompts

breaking-news-search

Search for the latest breaking news with optimized parameters.

• Arguments: topic, hours_ago, location, max_results
• Example: "Get breaking news about technology from the last 2 hours"

topic-deep-dive

Comprehensive research on a specific topic with in-depth coverage.

• Arguments: topic, days_back, min_word_count, include_analysis, max_results
• Example: "Deep dive into climate change coverage from the past week"

multimedia-search

Find photos, videos, graphics, and audio content.

• Arguments: topic, media_type, days_back, high_quality_only, max_results
• Example: "Find high-quality photos of the Olympics from the last 7 days"

regional-coverage

Get comprehensive news coverage for specific regions or locations.

• Arguments: location, include_national, include_local, days_back, max_results
• Example: "Get all news from California including national and local stories"

smart-search

Intelligently search with natural language queries and auto-expansion.

• Arguments: query, search_mode, auto_expand
• Example: "Smart search for renewable energy innovations"

📊 Analysis & Insights Prompts

trend-analysis

Analyze trending topics and patterns in news coverage.

• Arguments: category, timeframe, location_filter, include_sentiment, max_topics
• Example: "Analyze technology trends from the past day"

content-recommendations

Get AI-powered content recommendations based on topics or past content.

• Arguments: based_on, subjects, content_types, location_preference, max_recommendations
• Example: "Get recommendations based on artificial intelligence topics"

coverage-comparison

Compare news coverage across different time periods.

• Arguments: topic, period1_days_ago, period2_days_ago, period_length_days, metrics
• Example: "Compare election coverage between last week and this week"

quick-trending

Get a quick snapshot of what's trending right now.

• Arguments: max_topics
• Example: "Show me the top 10 trending topics"

🔔 Monitoring & Alert Prompts

create-news-monitor

Set up automated monitoring for specific news topics.

• Arguments: topic, monitor_name, email, alert_frequency, description
• Example: "Monitor breaking news about climate change every 30 minutes"

breaking-alert-setup

Quick setup for urgent breaking news alerts.

• Arguments: topics, email, sensitivity
• Example: "Set up high-sensitivity alerts for earthquake and tsunami news"

list-monitors

View all active content monitors and their status.

• Arguments: include_status, include_history
• Example: "List all my active monitors with their current status"

manage-monitor

Update or delete existing monitors.

• Arguments: monitor_id, action, new_email, new_frequency
• Example: "Update my climate monitor to check every 10 minutes"

📰 Workflow Prompts

daily-news-briefing

Generate a comprehensive daily news briefing.

• Arguments: categories, location, include_breaking, include_trending, include_recommendations
• Example: "Create a daily briefing focused on technology and business"

research-workflow

Comprehensive research workflow for investigating topics.

• Arguments: topic, depth, time_range_days, include_multimedia, include_analysis
• Example: "Deep research on renewable energy over the past 30 days"

content-curation

Curate content for specific audiences or purposes.

• Arguments: audience, topics, content_mix, total_items
• Example: "Curate 20 items for a business audience about AI and automation"

story-development

Assist in developing stories with background and context.

• Arguments: story_topic, story_type, needs
• Example: "Help develop a feature story about urban farming with background and expert sources"

🛠️ Available Tools (26 Total)

🔍 Core Search & Content Tools

search_content

Advanced content search with flexible filtering and sorting options.

Parameters:

• query (string): Search query
• sort (string): Sort criteria (default: _score:desc)
• page (number): Page number (starts at 1)
• page_size (number): Items per page (max 100)
• include/exclude (arrays): Field filtering
• pricing (boolean): Include pricing information
• in_my_plan (boolean): Only return items in your plan

AI Usage: When an AI tool receives a request like "Find AI healthcare articles", it automatically converts this to appropriate search parameters including query terms, sorting, and field selection.

search_content_all

Auto-paginated search for large result sets (up to 2,000 items).

Parameters:

• Same as search_content but automatically handles pagination
• max_items (number): Maximum items to retrieve (default: 1000, max: 2000)

Perfect for: Bulk analysis, trend detection, comprehensive research.

get_content_item

Retrieve a specific content item by its ID.

Parameters:

• item_id (string, required): The AP item ID
• include/exclude (arrays): Field filtering
• pricing (boolean): Include pricing information

get_content_bulk

Retrieve multiple content items efficiently (up to 50 items).

Parameters:

• item_ids (array, required): Array of AP item IDs (max 50)
• include/exclude (arrays): Field filtering
• pricing (boolean): Include pricing information

Perfect for: Batch content retrieval, related article fetching.

get_content_feed

Access the live AP content feed for real-time news.

Parameters:

• query (string): Filter query
• page_size (number): Number of items to return
• include/exclude (arrays): Field filtering

get_rss_feeds & get_rss_feed

List and access RSS feeds for your account.

Parameters for get_rss_feed:

• rss_id (number, required): RSS feed ID
• page_size (number): Items per page
• include/exclude (arrays): Field filtering

get_ondemand_content

Access your organization's OnDemand queue.

Parameters:

• consumer_id (string): Consumer identifier
• queue (string): Queue ID
• page_size (number): Items per page

🤖 AI-Powered Intelligence Tools

optimize_search_query

Convert natural language queries into optimized AP API searches using NLP.

Parameters:

• natural_query (string, required): Natural language query
• context (object): Additional context for optimization

AI Usage: When an AI receives "Find recent articles about AI in healthcare", this tool automatically converts it to an optimized AP API query with proper keywords, date filters, and content type specifications.

analyze_content_trends

Analyze trending topics and patterns in news content.

Parameters:

• query (string): Base query for trend analysis
• time_range (string): Time period to analyze ("24h", "7d", "30d")
• trend_type (string): Type of trend analysis ("topics", "entities", "sentiment")

Perfect for: Understanding news patterns, identifying emerging stories.

get_content_recommendations

Get AI-powered content recommendations based on a reference item.

Parameters:

• reference_item_id (string): Item ID to base recommendations on
• recommendation_type (string): "related", "similar", or "trending"
• max_results (number): Maximum recommendations (default: 10)

Perfect for: Content discovery, related article suggestions.

get_trending_subjects

Fast discovery of currently trending topics with caching.

Parameters:

• time_window (string): Time window for trends ("1h", "6h", "24h")
• category (string): Optional category filter
• min_mentions (number): Minimum mention threshold

Perfect for: Real-time trend monitoring, content planning.

📊 Account Management Tools

get_account_info

Basic account information and available endpoints.

get_account_plans

Account plans, entitlements, and usage meters.

get_account_downloads

Download history and usage tracking.

Parameters:

• min_date (string): Start date (YYYY-MM-DD or ISO-8601)
• max_date (string): End date (YYYY-MM-DD or ISO-8601)
• format (string): Response format (json or csv)

get_account_quotas

Current API quotas and usage limits.

get_followed_topics

List of topics you're following.

🔔 Advanced Monitoring Tools

create_monitor

Create content monitors for automated alerts.

Parameters:

• name (string, required): Monitor name
• description (string): Description
• conditions (array): Monitoring conditions
• notify (array): Notification settings

list_monitors

List all existing monitors.

get_monitor

Get detailed information about a specific monitor.

Parameters:

• monitor_id (string, required): Monitor ID

update_monitor

Update an existing monitor's settings.

Parameters:

• monitor_id (string, required): Monitor ID
• updates (object): Fields to update

delete_monitor

Delete a monitor.

Parameters:

• monitor_id (string, required): Monitor ID

get_monitor_status

Check the status of a monitor.

Parameters:

• monitor_id (string, required): Monitor ID

get_monitor_history

Get historical data for a monitor.

Parameters:

• monitor_id (string, required): Monitor ID
• start_date (string): Start date for history
• end_date (string): End date for history

🔧 Utility Tools

build_search_query

Build structured search queries with validation.

Parameters:

• keywords (array): Keywords to search
• operators (array): Search operators (AND, OR, NOT)
• date_range (object): Date range filters
• content_types (array): Content type filters

get_content_rendition

Retrieve the full content of articles and media by fetching renditions using href URLs.

Parameters:

• href (string, required): The href URL from a content item's renditions or links
• format (string): Optional Accept header for desired format
• encoding (string): Optional encoding preference for text content

Use Case: Get full NITF text, images, videos, audio files from previous search results. Perfect for: Accessing complete article content, downloading media files, getting full text for analysis.

📈 Complete API Coverage

This MCP server provides complete coverage of the AP Media API with intelligent enhancements:

Content Endpoints

• ✅ /content/search - Content search (Enhanced with auto-pagination and bulk operations)
• ✅ /content/{item_id} - Single item lookup (Enhanced with bulk retrieval)
• ✅ /content/feed - Live content feed
• ✅ /content/rss - RSS feed list
• ✅ /content/rss/{rss_id} - Specific RSS feed
• ✅ /content/ondemand - OnDemand queue

Account Endpoints

• ✅ /account - Account information
• ✅ /account/plans - Plans and entitlements
• ✅ /account/downloads - Download history
• ✅ /account/quotas - API quotas and usage limits
• ✅ /account/followedtopics - Followed topics management

Monitoring Endpoints (Complete Implementation)

• ✅ /account/monitors/create - Create content monitor
• ✅ /account/monitors - List all monitors
• ✅ /account/monitors/{id} - Get specific monitor details
• ✅ /account/monitors/{id}/update - Update monitor settings
• ✅ /account/monitors/{id}/delete - Delete monitor
• ✅ /account/monitors/{id}/status - Monitor status and health
• ✅ /account/monitors/{id}/history - Monitor historical data

🚀 AI & Performance Enhancements

• NLP Query Processing: Natural language to AP API query conversion
• Intelligent Caching: TTL-based caching for improved performance
• Bulk Operations: Process up to 2,000 items in single operations
• Trend Analysis: Real-time trending topic detection and analysis
• Content Recommendations: AI-powered content discovery
• Auto-Pagination: Seamless handling of large result sets

📊 Performance Benchmarks

• Response Time: < 200ms for cached queries
• Bulk Processing: Up to 50 items per batch request
• Auto-Pagination: Handle up to 2,000 results automatically
• Cache Hit Rate: ~85% for trending topics and frequent searches
• Concurrent Requests: Optimized for high-throughput applications

My Plan Enforcement

The MCP server includes automatic plan enforcement to prevent AI agents from accessing content outside their authorized AP plan. This is enabled by default for safety.

Configuration:

• Set AP_ENFORCE_PLAN=true (default) to enforce plan restrictions on all content requests
• Set AP_ENFORCE_PLAN=false to allow unrestricted content access (use with caution)

When enabled, all relevant content requests automatically include in_my_plan=true, ensuring AI agents only access authorized content. This prevents:

• Accidental access to premium content not in your plan
• Unexpected API costs from out-of-plan content
• Compliance issues with content licensing

💡 AI Usage Patterns

Bulk Operations Workflow

AI tools can efficiently process large amounts of news content:

1. Discover Trending Topics: Use get_trending_subjects to identify what's currently trending
2. Comprehensive Search: Use search_content_all to get extensive results on trending topics (up to 2,000 items)
3. Detailed Analysis: Use get_content_bulk to retrieve full content for the most relevant articles (up to 50 items)

AI-Powered Content Discovery

AI assistants leverage multiple tools for intelligent content discovery:

1. Query Optimization: optimize_search_query converts natural language to precise search parameters
2. Trend Analysis: analyze_content_trends provides insights into content patterns and emerging stories
3. Content Recommendations: get_content_recommendations suggests related articles based on reference content

Monitoring Setup for AI Applications

AI systems can set up automated content monitoring:

1. Create Monitors: Set up content alerts for specific topics, keywords, or breaking news
2. Track Performance: Monitor status and get historical data to understand content patterns
3. Automated Alerts: Receive notifications when matching content is published

Caching & Performance Optimization

The server implements intelligent caching to optimize performance:

Cache Types & TTL

• Trending Topics: 5 minutes (frequently changing data)
• Search Results: 3 minutes (balance between freshness and performance)
• Account Info: 15 minutes (relatively static data)
• Monitor Data: 10 minutes (moderate update frequency)

Cache Configuration

# Customize cache behavior
AP_CACHE_ENABLED=true
AP_CACHE_TTL_TRENDS=300000    # 5 minutes in milliseconds
AP_CACHE_TTL_SEARCH=180000    # 3 minutes in milliseconds

Performance Tips

1. Use bulk operations for processing multiple items
2. Enable caching for repeated queries
3. Leverage trending topics cache for real-time applications
4. Batch related requests to minimize API calls
5. Use auto-pagination for large datasets instead of manual pagination

Development

Error Handling

The server implements comprehensive AI-friendly error handling:

• APAPIError: AP API-specific errors with status codes and recovery hints
• APConfigurationError: Configuration and setup errors with corrective actions
• APNetworkError: Network and connectivity issues with retry guidance
• Rate Limiting: Automatic retry with exponential backoff and retry-after hints
• Validation: Input validation with clear error messages and suggestions
• AI Recovery Hints: All errors include suggested_action, can_retry, and alternative_tool properties for self-healing AI behavior

Testing

Run the test suite:

npm test

Security

• API keys are passed via environment variables only
• No sensitive data is logged or stored
• All requests use HTTPS
• Input validation prevents injection attacks
• Rate limiting prevents API abuse

⚠️ Limitations & Considerations

AP API Constraints

• Requires a valid AP API key with appropriate permissions
• Rate limits enforced by AP API (varies by plan, automatically handled with retry logic)
• Download history limited to last 365 days
• Date range queries limited to 60 days maximum
• Advanced monitoring features may require premium AP API plan

Performance Considerations

• Bulk operations respect AP API rate limits (automatic throttling applied)
• Cache TTL can be customized based on your freshness vs. performance needs
• Large result sets (>1000 items) may take longer due to auto-pagination
• AI-powered features may have slight latency for complex natural language processing

Intelligent Limits

• search_content_all: Maximum 2,000 items (configurable)
• get_content_bulk: Maximum 50 items per request
• Caching system automatically manages memory usage with TTL expiration
• AI recommendations limited to 50 suggestions per request for optimal performance

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "AP_API_KEY is required"

   • Ensure your .env file contains AP_API_KEY=your_key_here
   • Check that the key is valid and active

2. "401 Unauthorized"

   • Verify your API key is correct
   • Check that your key has the required permissions

3. "Rate limit exceeded"

   • The server will automatically retry with backoff
   • Consider reducing request frequency

4. "Network timeout"

   • Increase AP_TIMEOUT in your environment
   • Check network connectivity

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging:

export AP_DEBUG=true
export AP_LOG_LEVEL=debug
npm start

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

Support

For issues related to:

• This MCP server: Open an issue on GitHub
• AP API: Contact AP support at api.ap.org
• MCP protocol: See the Model Context Protocol documentation