Our story

Our mission is to advance the power of facts

In 1846, five New York City newspapers funded a pony express route through Alabama to bring news of the Mexican War north faster than the U.S. Post Office could deliver it.

And The Associated Press was born.

400k

stories per year

80k

videos per year

1.2m

photos per year

ap-50rockcrowd-teaser-rt
Crowd views a teletype printing out news in the window of AP’s world headquarters at 50 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, May 10, 1940. (AP Photo)

Our history

We were the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Since 1846, we have been first to inform the world of many of history’s most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today we operate in almost 250 locations in nearly 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world’s stories.

Mahatma Gandhi; Mohandas Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi, right, aboard the S.S. Rajputana, September 1931, with AP reporter James A. Mills, seated center, en route to the Second Roundtable Conference on Dominion Status for India (September – December 1931) in London. (AP Photo/James A. Mills collection)

Corporate Archives

We maintain an official repository for all records of enduring historical value created by AP, regardless of format.

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Donald Trump, Julie Pace
President Donald Trump speaks to Associated Press Chief White House Correspondent Julie Pace following an interview in the Oval Office in Washington, Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

News values and principles

We insist on the highest levels of ethics and integrity in gathering and delivering the news. Learn about the values that drive our news report.

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AP Staff Veerasingham
Associated Press President and CEO Daisy Veerasingham is photographed in the news agency’s New York City headquarters, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

Our leadership

We are guided by a management committee and board of directors devoted to shaping the future of journalism.

Find out more
ap-50rockcrowd-teaser-rt
Crowd views a teletype printing out news in the window of AP’s world headquarters at 50 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, May 10, 1940. (AP Photo)
Mahatma Gandhi; Mohandas Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi, right, aboard the S.S. Rajputana, September 1931, with AP reporter James A. Mills, seated center, en route to the Second Roundtable Conference on Dominion Status for India (September – December 1931) in London. (AP Photo/James A. Mills collection)
Donald Trump, Julie Pace
President Donald Trump speaks to Associated Press Chief White House Correspondent Julie Pace following an interview in the Oval Office in Washington, Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
AP Staff Veerasingham
Associated Press President and CEO Daisy Veerasingham is photographed in the news agency’s New York City headquarters, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)
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