Associated Press

Professional services

A member-owned, not-for-profit news cooperative that supplies reporting, photographs, video, data and other media services worldwide.

Last updated October 23, 2026

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Overview

The Associated Press, commonly known as AP, is an American not-for-profit news agency and cooperative headquartered in New York City. It was established in 1846 by newspapers seeking to share the cost and logistical burden of gathering news about the Mexican–American War. From that original arrangement, AP developed into one of the world's most influential news organizations, supplying written reports, photographs, video, audio, election data, sports information and other editorial services to newspapers, broadcasters, digital publishers and public institutions. AP is structured differently from a conventional commercial media company. Its core cooperative membership consists of news organizations that contribute reporting and receive access to AP's broader service, while many non-member customers license AP material for a fee. This model has allowed the organization to maintain a large reporting network while distributing the cost of coverage across many participating publishers and broadcasters. AP reporting is routinely republished or broadcast by media outlets that do not have the resources to maintain correspondents in every region or subject area. The organization's growth has been closely linked to advances in communications technology. It introduced teleprinter transmission to its New York service in 1914 and launched Wirephoto in 1935, enabling news photographs to be transmitted rapidly over long distances. AP entered radio distribution in 1941, created the Associated Press Radio Network in 1974, and expanded into international television video through APTV in 1994. APTV later combined with Worldwide Television News to form APTN, which became an important supplier of video to broadcasters and online platforms. AP's editorial scope includes breaking news, politics, government, business, international affairs, science, health, climate, entertainment, sports and visual journalism. It also publishes the AP Stylebook, a widely used reference for news writing and editing, and provides sports polls, election surveys and verified election results. Its election operation has historically been especially important to American media because AP combines local reporting relationships, official data and specialized verification before projecting winners in political races. The cooperative has received extensive recognition for its journalism, including numerous Pulitzer Prizes, particularly for photography. Its correspondents have also worked in conflict zones and countries where press freedom is restricted, sometimes under dangerous conditions. AP's international operations have included hundreds of bureaus and regional offices, with services published or distributed in English, Spanish and Arabic. Like other traditional news organizations, AP has faced structural pressure from declining newspaper circulation, digital competition, changing licensing arrangements and the migration of advertising and audience attention to online platforms. It has responded by expanding digital products, video, data services, international customers and philanthropic initiatives aimed at strengthening local journalism. By the 2020s, newspapers represented a much smaller share of its revenue mix than in earlier decades, while broadcasters, international publishers and online ventures had become more significant. In 2024, the organization announced plans for a nonprofit initiative to expand state and local reporting through philanthropic support. AP remains an active global news provider whose role is based less on direct consumer subscription than on supplying trusted, rapidly distributed information to a broad network of media customers. Its continuing importance rests on the scale of its reporting infrastructure, its election and sports data operations, its visual journalism and the ability of its content to reach audiences through thousands of independent publishers and broadcasters.

History

The Associated Press originated in New York City in May 1846, when five daily newspapers formed a cooperative arrangement to share the expense of transmitting news from the Mexican–American War. Moses Yale Beach, publisher of The Sun, helped organize the venture with the New York Herald, New York Courier and Enquirer, Journal of Commerce and New York Evening Express. The organization was initially known as the New York Associated Press. The New York Times joined in 1851, further strengthening the cooperative's position in the city's newspaper market. During the late nineteenth century, AP's organizational structure and market power were contested. The Western Associated Press emerged in 1862, and an investigation led by Chicago Daily News publisher Victor Lawson later uncovered undisclosed arrangements involving the New York organization and a rival news service. The New York Associated Press was dissolved, and the Western Associated Press was reorganized in Illinois in 1892 as the Associated Press. Melville E. Stone became general manager the following year and guided the organization through a period of national expansion. A 1900 Illinois Supreme Court decision treated AP as a public utility and found aspects of its operation to be restraints on trade. The ruling contributed to the cooperative's move from Chicago to New York, where the legal environment was more favorable. AP nevertheless continued to face antitrust scrutiny. In 1945, the United States Supreme Court held that AP had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act through restrictions that made it difficult for non-member newspapers to join and limited members' ability to provide AP material to non-members. The decision encouraged a more open membership and distribution structure. Technological development was central to AP's growth. The organization used wireless telegraphy to cover the America's Cup in 1899, adopted teleprinter transmission in 1914 and introduced Wirephoto in 1935. Wirephoto allowed photographs to travel through leased telephone lines, giving newspapers much faster access to visual coverage. AP expanded into radio in 1941 and later created its own radio network. It also developed a substantial international presence under Kent Cooper, who led the organization from 1925 to 1948 and expanded bureaus in South America, Europe and the Middle East. AP journalists covered major conflicts and political events throughout the twentieth century. Some correspondents were killed or imprisoned while reporting, while the organization also experienced internal controversies over wartime publication decisions. In 1945, correspondent Edward Kennedy reported Germany's surrender before an Allied news blackout had been lifted and was subsequently dismissed. The episode became one of the most debated moments in AP's history. The organization also continued to diversify its visual and broadcast operations, eventually switching completely to color photography in 1987. The modern international video business began with the creation of APTV in 1994. APTV merged with Worldwide Television News in 1998 to form APTN, extending AP's reach among international broadcasters, websites and other video customers. AP later introduced digital products including AP Mobile, joined YouTube and expanded online distribution. Its content increasingly reached audiences through portals, search platforms, broadcasters and digital publishers rather than only through traditional member newspapers. The economics of the news industry created sustained pressure in the 2000s and 2010s. Newspaper circulation and advertising weakened, licensing relationships changed and digital platforms became more important intermediaries. AP reduced prices for some customers and diversified into broadcast, international, online, photography, data and other services. It also developed AP Votecast in 2018 as a replacement for traditional election exit polling in U.S. elections. In the 2020s, AP continued to operate as a global cooperative while seeking new ways to support local reporting. Its newspaper revenue base had declined substantially compared with earlier decades, and several large newspaper groups reduced their use of AP services in 2024 while retaining election data. That year, AP also announced plans to establish a philanthropic nonprofit focused on expanding state and local journalism. In 2025, the organization became involved in a First Amendment dispute with the White House after its reporters were restricted from some presidential events over a naming policy. The dispute illustrated AP's continuing role as both a news supplier and an independent institutional participant in debates about press access.

2024
Local journalism nonprofit initiative announced
[3]Associated Press plans nonprofit to expand local newsaxios.com
AP announces plans for a nonprofit initiative intended to expand state and local news coverage through philanthropic funding.
2018
AP Votecast replaces traditional exit polling
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP introduces AP Votecast for U.S. elections, combining survey research with election-results reporting.
2012
Gary Pruitt becomes chief executive
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
Gary B. Pruitt succeeds Tom Curley as AP president and chief executive officer.
2008
AP Mobile launches
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP introduces a multimedia mobile news service and an early dedicated iPhone application.
1998
APTV merges with Worldwide Television News
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
The two video organizations combine to form APTN, expanding AP's international television offering.
1994
APTV is launched
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP creates APTV as a global video newsgathering and distribution operation.
1974
Associated Press Radio Network launches
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP establishes a dedicated radio network providing regular newscasts and sports programming.
1945
Supreme Court antitrust ruling
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that AP practices restricting membership and redistribution violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
1941
AP enters radio news distribution
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
The organization begins distributing news to radio stations, broadening its role beyond print newspapers.
1935
Wirephoto launches
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP begins its Wirephoto network, enabling rapid long-distance transmission of news photographs.
1914
Teleprinter service begins
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
AP introduces teleprinter transmission, allowing news to be sent directly to printing operations over telegraph lines.
1892
The Associated Press is reorganized
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
The Western Associated Press is reorganized in Illinois as the Associated Press after the dissolution of the New York Associated Press.
1846
New York newspapers establish a cooperative news service
[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
Five New York daily newspapers create a shared news-gathering and transmission arrangement, providing the foundation for the Associated Press.

Products and positioning

A trusted, independent and highly distributed source of verified journalism and media infrastructure for publishers, broadcasters, digital platforms and the public.

Digital news
AP News
AP News is the organization's public-facing digital news service, presenting AP reporting across national, international, political, business, sports, entertainment and other categories. It distributes original text, photography and video directly to audiences while also serving as a showcase for journalism that is licensed widely by external publishers and broadcasters.
Editorial reference
AP Stylebook
The AP Stylebook is a reference work for journalists, editors, public-relations professionals and other writers. It provides guidance on grammar, punctuation, usage, reporting conventions and treatment of names and subjects. Its influence extends beyond AP because many newsrooms and communications organizations use it as a common editorial standard.
News photography
AP Images
AP Images provides access to the organization's photographic archive and current visual journalism. The service reflects AP's long history in news photography, including the Wirephoto era, conflict photography, sports imagery, political coverage and visual documentation of major events.
Video news · 1994
AP Video
AP's video operation gathers and distributes international and domestic news footage for broadcasters, websites and other media customers. It developed from APTV and the later APTN combination with Worldwide Television News, and supports both breaking-news coverage and regularly produced video packages.
Radio news · 1974
AP News Radio
AP News Radio supplies regular radio newscasts, sportscasts and related audio material to stations and other audio distributors. It represents AP's long-running broadcast service, which began with radio distribution in 1941 and developed into a dedicated network in 1974.
Election data and polling · 2018
AP Elections and AP Votecast
AP's election services collect, verify and distribute results for U.S. federal, state and local races. AP Votecast adds survey research designed to replace conventional election exit polls. Media organizations use these products when analyzing contests and determining when results can responsibly be projected.

Controversies

2020
Associated Press apologizes for Jefferson Davis quote
The Associated Press apologized for a "Thought of the Day" that it provided and that The Arizona Republic published in its June 3 edition. Editors at Gannett, the newspaper's parent company, also expressed regret for publishing it.
Source
2020
AP apologizes for distributing Jefferson Davis quote and replaces it
The Associated Press said it was appalled that a Jefferson Davis quote had been distributed in its "Today in History" series. AP said it removed and replaced the quote, apologized, and stopped including the "Thought for Today" section where it had appeared.
Source
1945
Edward Kennedy surrender report controversy
AP Paris bureau chief Edward Kennedy reported Germany's surrender before an Allied news blackout had formally ended. The decision caused a major dispute with military authorities and led to Kennedy's dismissal from AP.
Source

2025
Legal challenge over White House press accessOther
Background
The White House restricted AP access to certain presidential events after AP declined to use the administration's preferred terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.
Action taken
AP filed a federal lawsuit challenging the restrictions and asserting that the government had acted impermissibly against a news organization because of its editorial choice.
Aftermath
A district judge later ordered access restrictions lifted while the case proceeded, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit subsequently stayed that order.
Source
2024
Creation of a local-news nonprofit initiativeStrategy
Background
The decline of local newspapers and shrinking local reporting staffs created a broader crisis in community news coverage.
Action taken
AP announced plans for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to expand state and local journalism through philanthropic fundraising.
Aftermath
The initiative positioned AP as a potential participant in efforts to rebuild local reporting capacity beyond its traditional wire-service role.
Source
2018
Introduction of AP VotecastGeneration change
Background
Traditional election exit polls were becoming less reliable as voting patterns and voting methods changed.
Action taken
AP introduced AP Votecast as a new election survey and results-reporting system.
Aftermath
The system became part of AP's broader election-information service for media organizations and the public.
Source
1994
Expansion into global video newsStrategy
Background
International broadcasters and emerging digital publishers increasingly needed professionally gathered video.
Action taken
AP launched APTV as a global video newsgathering and distribution service.
Aftermath
The later combination with Worldwide Television News created APTN and broadened AP's role in international broadcast and online video.
Source
1935
Launch of WirephotoOther
Background
Newspapers needed faster ways to receive photographs from distant events.
Action taken
AP created a leased-line photographic transmission network capable of sending images across major U.S. cities.
Aftermath
The service strengthened AP's competitive position in visual journalism and established an important technological precedent for rapid news imagery.
Source

Recent events

2025
AP challenges White House restrictions on its access[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
Lawsuit · Regulation
After AP declined to adopt the White House's preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico, AP journalists were excluded from some presidential events. AP sued, arguing that the restrictions violated constitutional press protections; later court proceedings produced conflicting access rulings and an appellate stay.
2024
AP announces nonprofit initiative to expand local journalism[3]Associated Press plans nonprofit to expand local newsaxios.com
Other
AP announced plans for a 501(c)(3) organization intended to expand state and local reporting and seek substantial philanthropic support in response to the decline of local news coverage.
2024
Gannett and McClatchy reduce use of AP services[1]Associated Pressen.wikipedia.org
Other
Gannett said it would stop using AP content in much of its newspaper network, while McClatchy announced reductions in some AP services. Both publishers retained AP election-results data.

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