Associated Press

The Associated Press, commonly known as the AP, is a major American not-for-profit news agency.

It functions as a cooperative, which is an unincorporated association owned by its members. This structure allows the agency to produce news reports for a massive variety of outlets. These include major United States daily newspapers and various radio and television broadcasters. The AP is highly respected for its journalism quality. Since the Pulitzer Prize was established in 1917, the AP has earned 59 of them. This total includes 36 awards specifically for photography.

The agency operates through a sophisticated global mechanism to distribute information. The AP maintains 235 news bureaus located across 94 different countries. It publishes its news reports in three languages: English, Spanish, and Arabic. To reach its audience, the AP uses a vast network of technology and staff. Many member news organizations grant the AP automatic permission to distribute their local news. This creates a massive flow of information from local areas to the global stage. Non-member subscribers can also pay a fee to access this material. This system ensures that news travels quickly from the source to the consumer.

The history of the AP began with a specific need for shared information. In May 1846, five daily newspapers in New York City formed a group. They wanted to share the high costs of transmitting news about the Mexican-American War. Moses Yale Beach helped organize this initial venture. At first, the group was known as the New York Associated Press. It eventually faced competition from the Western Associated Press, which formed in 1862. After an investigation into secret agreements between rivals, the original New York group dissolved. In December 1892, the Western Associated Press was incorporated in Illinois as the modern Associated Press.

Legal challenges and leadership changes shaped the organization's growth. A 1900 Illinois Supreme Court decision ruled that the AP was a public utility. This ruling required the AP to move its headquarters from Chicago to New York City. New York offered more favorable corporation laws for cooperatives. Melville Stone served as the general manager from 1893 to 1921. Later, Kent Cooper led the agency from 1925 to 1948. Cooper expanded the bureau staff into South America, Europe, and the Middle East. He also worked to make the AP a stronger competitor against other global news agencies.

Technological innovation has always been central to how the AP works. In 1914, the agency adopted teletype technology for its New York service. This allowed for faster communication through telegraph wires. In 1935, the AP launched the Wirephoto network. This was the world's first wire service for photographs. It allowed news photos to be transmitted over private telephone lines on the same day they were taken. This gave the AP a significant advantage over other media outlets. The agency also entered the broadcast field in 1941 by distributing news to radio stations. In 1994, it established APTV, a global video newsgathering agency.

The economic landscape for the AP has shifted significantly over time. In 2007, only about 30% of its revenue came from United States newspapers. By 2024, this proportion had declined to just 10%. Today, the agency relies on a more diverse range of income sources. Global broadcast customers provide 37% of its revenue. Online ventures account for 15%, while international newspapers and photography provide 18%. The agency faces challenges from large publishers, such as Gannett and McClatchy, which have recently stopped using some AP content. Despite these changes, the AP remains a digital powerhouse. As of 2025, it attracts more than 128 million monthly website visits.

The AP provides many essential tools and services beyond basic reporting. It publishes the widely used AP Stylebook, which helps journalists maintain consistency. The agency also produces election polls and results during U.S. elections. It tracks NCAA sports through specialized polls and sponsors annual awards for the National Football League. These services connect the AP to many different fields, from politics to professional sports. The agency's mission is to provide full and prompt coverage of every news area. This commitment continues even as digital technology turns news distribution into an interactive process.