World media follows referendum via Anadolu Agency data

By Ilker Girit and Sorwar Alam

ANKARA (AA) - Global media organizations on Sunday used Anadolu Agency as the main source of information about the outcome of an historic constitutional referendum.

The Ankara-based agency published the results in 11 languages for broadcast, electronic and print.

The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies, along with CNN and the U.K.-based Sky News television channels frequently updated results by using data supplied by Anadolu Agency.

German media outlets, including Welt newspaper and Süddeutsche Zeitun also used the agency’s output.

French daily Le Figaro, Greece-based Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), the Netherlands' daily evening newspaper NRC Handelsblad, Bosnian online Dnevni Avaz and Italian La Repubblica newspaper and ANSA news agency were among other global media outlets that followed Anadolu Agency to publish available results.

A total of 24 news institutions and 70 local televisions in the Arab world used Anadolu Agency as their primary source.

State-run news agencies in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates published headlines of the “Yes” victory by using figures received from Anadolu Agency.

The agency also was the primary source for Qatar-based Al Jazeera news channel and the U.K.-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

TASS, Ria-Novosti and Interfax in Russia, along with Kommersant, Vedomosti, RBK and KP relied solely on Anadolu Agency for results.

Official, semi-official and privately owned news outlets in Ukraine, Georgia, Iran and Iraq also depended on the Turkish news agency.

Millions of Turkish voters went to the polls Sunday to decide changes to the country’s Constitution that would usher in an executive presidency.

Unofficial results shows 51.41 percent voting “Yes” while “No” had 48.59 percent.