io.github.rbonestell/ap-mcp-server

Official

by rbonestell · TypeScript

Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for the Associated Press Media API

Access Associated Press media and news content via API.

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:

json

{
	"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):

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:

json

{
	"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:

Discover Trending Topics: Use get_trending_subjects to identify what's currently trending
Comprehensive Search: Use search_content_all to get extensive results on trending topics (up to 2,000 items)
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:

Query Optimization: optimize_search_query converts natural language to precise search parameters
Trend Analysis: analyze_content_trends provides insights into content patterns and emerging stories
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:

Create Monitors: Set up content alerts for specific topics, keywords, or breaking news
Track Performance: Monitor status and get historical data to understand content patterns
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

bash

# 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

Use bulk operations for processing multiple items
Enable caching for repeated queries
Leverage trending topics cache for real-time applications
Batch related requests to minimize API calls
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:

bash

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

"AP_API_KEY is required"
- Ensure your .env file contains AP_API_KEY=your_key_here
- Check that the key is valid and active
"401 Unauthorized"
- Verify your API key is correct
- Check that your key has the required permissions
"Rate limit exceeded"
- The server will automatically retry with backoff
- Consider reducing request frequency
"Network timeout"
- Increase AP_TIMEOUT in your environment
- Check network connectivity

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging:

bash

export AP_DEBUG=true
export AP_LOG_LEVEL=debug
npm start

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Make your changes
Add tests if applicable
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

Install

Configuration

Environment variables

YOUR_API_KEYrequiredsecret

Your API key for the service

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ap-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ap-mcp-server@1.2.6"
      ],
      "env": {
        "YOUR_API_KEY": "<YOUR_YOUR_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Associated Press Media API MCP Server

🔑 Key Features

🤖 Conversational AI Features

📈 Performance & Scale

📰 Complete Content Intelligence

🛡️ Enterprise-Grade Foundation

Quick Start

Prerequisites

Installation

Claude Code (CLI)

Visual Studio Code et al.

Generic MCP Client Configuration

🤖 AI & LLM Integration

Natural Language AI Interactions

Smart Content Discovery

AI Application Types

Configuration

Environment Variables

🎯 MCP Prompts (17 Available)

🔍 Search & Discovery Prompts

breaking-news-search

topic-deep-dive

multimedia-search

regional-coverage

smart-search

📊 Analysis & Insights Prompts

trend-analysis

content-recommendations

coverage-comparison

quick-trending

🔔 Monitoring & Alert Prompts

create-news-monitor

breaking-alert-setup

list-monitors

manage-monitor

📰 Workflow Prompts

daily-news-briefing

research-workflow

content-curation

story-development

🛠️ Available Tools (26 Total)

🔍 Core Search & Content Tools

search_content

search_content_all

get_content_item

get_content_bulk

get_content_feed

get_rss_feeds & get_rss_feed

get_ondemand_content

🤖 AI-Powered Intelligence Tools

optimize_search_query

analyze_content_trends

get_content_recommendations

get_trending_subjects

📊 Account Management Tools

get_account_info

get_account_plans

get_account_downloads

get_account_quotas

get_followed_topics

🔔 Advanced Monitoring Tools

create_monitor

list_monitors

get_monitor

update_monitor

delete_monitor

get_monitor_status

get_monitor_history

🔧 Utility Tools

build_search_query

get_content_rendition

📈 Complete API Coverage

Content Endpoints

Account Endpoints

Monitoring Endpoints (Complete Implementation)

🚀 AI & Performance Enhancements

📊 Performance Benchmarks

My Plan Enforcement

💡 AI Usage Patterns

Bulk Operations Workflow

`breaking-news-search`

`topic-deep-dive`

`multimedia-search`

`regional-coverage`

`smart-search`

`trend-analysis`

`content-recommendations`

`coverage-comparison`

`quick-trending`

`create-news-monitor`

`breaking-alert-setup`

`list-monitors`

`manage-monitor`

`daily-news-briefing`

`research-workflow`

`content-curation`

`story-development`

`search_content`

`search_content_all`

`get_content_item`

`get_content_bulk`

`get_content_feed`

`get_rss_feeds` & `get_rss_feed`

`get_ondemand_content`

`optimize_search_query`

`analyze_content_trends`

`get_content_recommendations`

`get_trending_subjects`

`get_account_info`

`get_account_plans`

`get_account_downloads`

`get_account_quotas`

`get_followed_topics`

`create_monitor`

`list_monitors`

`get_monitor`

`update_monitor`

`delete_monitor`

`get_monitor_status`

`get_monitor_history`

`build_search_query`

`get_content_rendition`