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Media Cloud (BYOK) — connector documentation

  • MCP endpoint: https://byok-mediacloud.connectorbay.com/mcp
  • REST API: POST https://byok-mediacloud.connectorbay.com/v1/tools/{tool_name}, described by the OpenAPI 3.1 spec at https://byok-mediacloud.connectorbay.com/openapi.json
  • Transport: Streamable HTTP, stateless, MCP specification 2025-06-18 or later
  • Authentication: your own Media Cloud API key, sent in the X-Upstream-Key header of every request (never stored, logged or cached)
  • Health: https://byok-mediacloud.connectorbay.com/health · Tool schemas: https://byok-mediacloud.connectorbay.com/tools.json
  • Publisher: Unify Dynamics LLC · connectorbay.com/byok-mediacloud · agent@connectorbay.com

What Media Cloud (BYOK) is for

Media Cloud (BYOK) lets an AI assistant read your own Media Cloud data through the Media Cloud API with a key you supply (API key). Read-only: 10 tools (count_matching_stories, story_counts_over_time, list_stories, top_sources, language_mix, get_story, list_collections, get_collection, list_sources, get_source). The BYOK key travels with each request, is used for that one call only and is never stored, logged or cached; it is only ever sent to search.mediacloud.org. Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Media Cloud. Media Cloud and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with.

Ask your assistant things like:

  • "How many news stories mentioned climate change in September?"
  • "How did coverage of climate change trend during September?"
  • "Which news stories covered the city climate plan this month?"
  • "Which outlets wrote most about climate change in September?"
  • "In which languages was climate change covered in September?"
  • "Show Media Cloud story abc123"

What it does

  • count_matching_stories: Count how many news stories match a query in a date range, and how many stories were indexed in total in that range. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • story_counts_over_time: Get the number of matching stories per day for a query, with the total stories indexed that day and the ratio. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • list_stories: List stories matching a query with title, link, outlet, language and dates (no article text). Page with the pagination token. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • top_sources: List the news outlets that published the most stories matching a query, with story counts. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • language_mix: Show which languages the stories matching a query are written in, as a share and a count. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • get_story: Get one story's metadata by its Media Cloud story ID: title, link, outlet, language, publish and index dates. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • list_collections: List Media Cloud collections (curated groups of news outlets) with ID, name, platform and notes. Search by name; use the IDs in the search tools. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • get_collection: Get one Media Cloud collection by ID: name, platform, notes and flags. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • list_sources: List Media Cloud sources (news outlets) with ID, name, homepage, media type, country and language. Filter by name or collection. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.
  • get_source: Get one Media Cloud source (news outlet) by ID: name, label, homepage, media type, country and primary language. Media Cloud rate-limits requests per minute and is meant for academic, nonprofit and journalistic research.

BYOK key

You bring your own Media Cloud API key (https://search.mediacloud.org/). Your assistant sends it in the X-Upstream-Key header with each request. ConnectorBay uses it for that one call only: it is never stored, logged or cached, never shown in an answer, and it is only sent to search.mediacloud.org over https, with no redirects followed. Create a key with the fewest permissions the tools need (read-only if the provider offers it), and revoke it at the provider whenever you like.

Notices

Read-only. Article full text is not returned. Media Cloud's terms describe it as a research platform, not a commercial brand-monitoring tool.

Data sources

Live from the Media Cloud API (search.mediacloud.org) with a BYOK key; documentation: https://www.mediacloud.org/documentation/search-api-guide. Endpoints checked against that documentation on 2026-10-16.

What it is not

Unofficial connector by Unify Dynamics LLC: not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Media Cloud. Media Cloud and its logos are trademarks of their owners and are used only to say which service the connector works with. It is read-only: it never creates, changes, sends or deletes anything in your Media Cloud account.

Built for: Worldwide. Languages: English.