Cihan News Agency

Cihan News Agency, known in Turkish as Cihan Haber Ajansı, was a Turkish news organization headquartered in Istanbul. Established in 1994, it operated within Feza Publications, the media group associated with Zaman newspaper and the Aksiyon weekly magazine. The agency developed as a national and international provider of news content, serving newspapers, television channels, radio stations, and other media organizations. Its output covered current affairs, politics, economics, international news, arts and magazine reporting, and sports. The agency distributed several forms of media rather than relying solely on written dispatches: its reported daily production included approximately 450 written news items, 315 photographs, and 100 video reports. It also supplied technical and broadcast support, enabling foreign television organizations to use material gathered in Turkey and in other regions. Cihan had a substantial presence in the Turkish media market. The agency reported that it served 78 percent of national newspapers and 53 percent of national television channels, while also maintaining subscribers among local newspapers, television stations, and radio broadcasters. Its local activities included joint broadcasting projects. Internationally, it provided news and technical services to more than 100 foreign television channels, with cited partner organizations including CNN International, the BBC, NBC, MTV, CBS, ABC, Al Jazeera, Abu Dhabi TV, ARD, ZDF, SAT.1, TF1, Canal+, RAI, TVE, Antena 3, TV 2 Denmark, Norsat, MJTV, NTV Japan, KBS, NTV Russia, TV6, IRIB, Mega Channel, Bloomberg, MSNBC, ANS, and Lider TV. The organization combined a broad domestic reporting network with overseas coverage. Its reported staffing consisted of 520 employees working across all 81 Turkish provinces and 284 counties. Abroad, it maintained 25 offices and 37 correspondents in regions including Central Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, Europe, South America, Africa, and the Far East. It maintained permanent offices in conflict-sensitive locations such as Gaza, Erbil, and Kabul, where it could transmit live material and distribute recorded footage to international media organizations. Cihan also became an important source of Turkish election information. During Turkey's final three elections before its closure, the agency supplied election results to television news channels. This role placed it within the country's wider election-night information infrastructure, alongside broadcasters and other news providers. The agency's operations ended in the aftermath of the attempted coup in Turkey in July 2016. On July 27, 2016, it was closed under a statutory decree issued during the state of emergency. The closure was justified by alleged links to the Gülen movement, which Turkish authorities blamed for the coup attempt. Cihan therefore ceased to operate as an independent news agency, and its history is closely connected both to the expansion of multimedia news distribution in Turkey and to the state-led restructuring of Turkish media after the 2016 coup attempt.

Cihan News Agency was established in Turkey in 1994 and was based in Istanbul. It became part of Feza Publications, a media group that also owned Zaman newspaper and Aksiyon magazine. Within that group, Cihan functioned as a news-gathering and distribution organization, supplying material to media outlets rather than operating primarily as a consumer-facing newspaper or broadcaster. The agency's scope covered the principal categories expected of a full-service news provider. Its reporting included domestic current affairs, politics, economics, foreign news, arts and magazine subjects, and sports. Cihan also operated as a multimedia service. Its reported daily output consisted of approximately 450 written news stories, 315 photographs, and 100 video reports. This combination allowed clients to obtain material for print, television, and other forms of news distribution. Cihan occupied a significant position in Turkey's media supply chain. It provided services to a reported 78 percent of national newspapers and 53 percent of national television channels. It also had local subscribers among television and radio stations and newspapers, and participated in local joint broadcasting projects. The agency's activities therefore extended beyond large national outlets to regional and local media organizations. Its international business involved both content and technical assistance. Cihan supplied more than 100 foreign television channels, including broadcasters from North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and other regions. Its international network included 25 offices and 37 correspondents in various countries and regions. The agency reported correspondents or operations across Central Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, Europe, South America, Africa, and the Far East. Permanent offices in Gaza, Erbil, and Kabul supported live transmissions and the delivery of recorded footage from areas of major international news interest. The domestic network was also extensive. Cihan reported employing 520 people across Turkey's 81 provinces and 284 counties. This structure enabled it to gather local information at scale and distribute it to national and international clients. The agency also supplied election results to television news channels during Turkey's last three elections before its closure, making election reporting one of its notable public-facing functions. Cihan's existence ended during the political and legal measures that followed Turkey's attempted coup in 2016. On July 27 of that year, the agency was closed by statutory decree under the state of emergency. The closure was associated with allegations that it had links to the Gülen movement, which Turkish authorities held responsible for the coup attempt. Because the organization was shut down rather than transferred into a continuing commercial operation, it is now a defunct news-agency brand. Its history reflects the growth of large-scale, multimedia news syndication in Turkey, as well as the severe impact of post-coup state measures on media organizations connected by authorities to the Gülen movement.

1. 2016Agency closed by statutory decree

   On July 27, Cihan was closed during the state of emergency following the attempted coup in Turkey, amid alleged links cited by authorities to the Gülen movement.

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2. 1994Agency established

   Cihan News Agency was established in Turkey and based its operations in Istanbul.

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A high-volume Turkish multimedia news agency serving national newspapers, television broadcasters, local media, and international television organizations.

• Written news serviceNews dispatches

  Cihan produced and distributed written reporting on Turkish and international current affairs, politics, economics, foreign news, arts and magazine subjects, and sports. Its reported output was approximately 450 written news items per day, supporting national newspapers, local publications, broadcasters, and other media clients.

• Photo serviceNews photography

  The agency supplied news photographs as part of its multimedia content operation. Its reported production was approximately 315 photographs per day, gathered through its extensive Turkish reporting network and its international offices and correspondents.

• Video news serviceVideo news

  Cihan produced around 100 video news reports per day and distributed recorded footage to television organizations. The service supported domestic broadcasters and foreign channels requiring news pictures from Turkey and other regions covered by the agency.

• Election-results serviceElection reporting

  Cihan supplied election results to Turkish television news channels during the final three elections before the agency was closed. The service made its reporting network part of the broadcast infrastructure used for election-night coverage.

• Broadcast and technical servicesBroadcast support

  In addition to editorial content, Cihan provided technical and broadcast opportunities to more than 100 foreign television channels. Its international operations could transmit live coverage and dispatch recorded material from locations including Gaza, Erbil, and Kabul.

• 2016State-ordered closureOther

  Following the attempted coup in Turkey, the government introduced emergency measures and issued statutory decrees affecting organizations it alleged were connected to the Gülen movement.

  What changed. Cihan News Agency was closed on July 27, 2016, ending its news, election, photographic, video, and broadcast-support operations.

  Aftermath. The agency became defunct. Its closure removed a major Turkish news supplier from the domestic and international media market.

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• 2016Closure after the attempted coupControversy

  Cihan News Agency was shut down on July 27, 2016, under a statutory decree issued during Turkey's post-coup state of emergency. The closure followed allegations by Turkish authorities that the agency was linked to the Gülen movement, which the government blamed for the attempted coup.

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1. Cihan News Agency