Anadolu Agency marks 105th anniversary as top tier global media outlet

By Ozcan Yildirim and Asiye Latife Yilmaz

Anadolu Agency, one of the world’s most prominent news organizations, celebrates its 105th anniversary on Sunday, April 6, commemorating more than a century of journalism since its founding in 1920 by Türkiye’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during the Turkish War of Independence.

Launched under difficult wartime conditions, Anadolu distributed its first news bulletin on April 12, 1920, with the mission of informing the public and safeguarding national unity.

Over the decades, Anadolu has evolved into a globally respected media outlet, reporting from some of the world’s most active and challenging regions. Today, the agency operates in 13 languages --including Turkish, English, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, Sorani, Persian, Indonesian, Bosnian, Albanian, Macedonian, and Kurmanji --delivering news, photos, and videos to audiences in Türkiye and around the globe, and making a powerful impact through compelling visuals and news stories.

With 84 domestic offices across Türkiye’s 81 provinces and 38 international bureaus, Anadolu’s extensive network of journalists provides 24/7 coverage. The agency has also forged partnerships with 49 international news organizations and distributes content to press outlets worldwide under the motto "Reporting the Changing World."

- 'A media organization operating on a global scale'

In a statement marking the anniversary, Anadolu President and CEO Serdar Karagoz said the agency has grown from its early role as the "Reporter of the Republic" into a global media organization with operations in 137 countries and a staff representing nearly 140 nationalities, operating under its motto, "Reporting the Changing World."

Highlighting the agency's commitment to innovation, Karagoz announced 2024 as the “Year of Breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence,” part of Anadolu’s broader push to modernize its technological infrastructure and transform the media sector.

“We accelerated our digital transformation by establishing Anadolu Technology and producing our own news drone, TEPE,” Karagoz said. “As part of the National Technology Movement, we also became the Global Communication Partner at TEKNOFEST.”

He added that Anadolu is investing in training young people in media technologies and plans to host the second Media Technologies Hackathon in collaboration with major partners in the coming months.