History of Associated Press in Timeline
The Associated Press (AP) is a longstanding American non-profit news agency based in New York City. Established in 1846, it functions as a cooperative, distributing news reports to its members, including major U.S. newspapers and broadcasters. Renowned for its journalistic integrity, the AP has garnered 59 Pulitzer Prizes since 1917. Beyond news reporting, it is recognized for its widely adopted AP Stylebook, sports polls, and influential election coverage.
1900: Legal Challenges and Relocation
In 1900, an Illinois Supreme Court decision ruled that the Associated Press was operating as a public utility and restraining trade, leading to its relocation from Chicago to New York City, where corporation laws were more favorable.
1914: Technological Advancements
In 1914, Kent Cooper, a key figure in the Associated Press's history, introduced the "telegraph typewriter," or teletypewriter, into newsrooms, revolutionizing news dissemination.
1917: Pulitzer Prizes
In 1917, the prestigious Pulitzer Prize was established, an award the Associated Press would go on to win 59 times, including 36 for its impactful photography.
1917: Pulitzer Prizes Established
The Pulitzer Prizes were established in 1917, recognizing excellence in journalism, literature, and musical composition.
1921: Melville Stone's Tenure Ends
Melville Stone, who played a crucial role in shaping the Associated Press, concluded his term as general manager in 1921, after a long and influential tenure from 1893.
1925: Kent Cooper's Leadership Begins
Kent Cooper took the helm as general manager of the Associated Press in 1925, marking the start of his transformative leadership, which would last until 1948.
1935: Hugh Baillie Takes Charge at UPI
In 1935, Hugh Baillie assumed leadership of United Press International (UPI), the Associated Press's main competitor, a position he would hold for two decades.
1935: Wirephoto Network Launch
In 1935, the Associated Press launched the groundbreaking Wirephoto network, enabling the transmission of news photographs over leased private telephone lines on the very day they were captured.
1936: AP College Football Rankings Created
The AP college football rankings were created in 1936.
December 1941: AP Expelled from Nazi Germany
The Associated Press was expelled from Nazi Germany in December 1941 when the United States officially entered World War II.
1941: Expanding into Broadcast
The Associated Press made its foray into the world of broadcast in 1941 when it started distributing news to radio stations, a move that would significantly broaden its reach.
1944: AP's Photo Exchange Operation Expands
By 1944, the AP expanded its photo exchange operation with Nazi Germany to include its bureau in Stockholm, Sweden, under Eddie Shanke. This route was established because the exchange via Lisbon was taking too long.
1945: Supreme Court Ruling on Antitrust
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1945 that the Associated Press had been in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act due to practices that restricted the sharing of news with nonmember organizations.
1948: End of an Era: Cooper's Departure
After a remarkable 23 years at the helm, Kent Cooper's tenure as general manager of the Associated Press came to an end in 1948, leaving behind a legacy of expansion and innovation.
1949: AP College Basketball Poll Launched
The AP first began its poll of college basketball teams in 1949.
1953: First Publicly Available Edition of the AP Stylebook Published
The first publicly available edition of the AP Stylebook was published in 1953.
1955: Baillie's Tenure at UPI Concludes
After leading United Press International (UPI) for 20 years, Hugh Baillie's time at the helm came to an end in 1955.
1959: AP Begins Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award
The AP began its Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award in 1959, recognizing a manager in each league.
1960: AP College Basketball Poll Reduced to 10 Teams
The AP college basketball poll, which started with 20 teams, was reduced to 10 during the 1960-61 college basketball season.
1968: AP College Basketball Poll Returns to 20 Teams
In 1968-69, the AP college basketball poll returned to including 20 teams.
1969: Final AP College Football Poll Released After Bowl Games
Since 1969, the final AP college football poll of each season has been released after all bowl games have been played.
1974: AP Radio Network Launch
In 1974, the Associated Press established its own radio network, further solidifying its presence in the broadcast realm.
August 1977: First Modern Edition of the AP Stylebook Published
The first modern edition of the AP Stylebook was published in August 1977 by Lorenz Press.
1984: AP MLB Manager of the Year Award Given to One Manager
From 1984 to 2000, the AP MLB Manager of the Year award was given to one manager in all of MLB.
1989: AP College Basketball Poll Expands to 25 Teams
Beginning in the 1989–90 season, the AP college basketball poll expanded to include 25 teams.
1989: Top 25 Teams Included in AP College Football Rankings
In 1989, the AP college football rankings began including the top 25 teams.
1994: Associated Press Television (APTV) Founded
London-based Associated Press Television (APTV) was founded in 1994 to provide agency news material to television broadcasters.
1994: APTV: Global Video News
The year 1994 saw the Associated Press venture into the world of video news with the establishment of APTV, a global video newsgathering agency.
1994: AP Reporter Tina Susman Kidnapped in Somalia
In 1994, AP reporter Tina Susman was kidnapped in Mogadishu, Somalia while reporting on U.S. peacekeeping troops leaving the country.
1994: Christopher Newton Begins Working at the AP
Christopher Newton began working as a reporter for the Associated Press in 1994.
1998: Formation of APTN
APTV, the Associated Press's video news agency, merged with WorldWide Television News in 1998, leading to the creation of APTN, a major provider of video content for international broadcasters and websites.
1998: AP Purchases Worldwide Television News (WTN)
In 1998, the AP purchased Worldwide Television News (WTN) from the ABC News division of The Walt Disney Company, Nine Network Australia and ITN London.
September 29, 2000: AP Publishes Misleading Photo from Second Intifada
On September 29, 2000, the first day of the Second Intifada, the AP published a photograph that it claimed showed an Israeli policeman confronting a Palestinian on the Temple Mount. The photo, which showed a bloodied young man and a police officer with a raised baton, was widely circulated. However, it was later revealed that the injured man was actually a Jewish yeshiva student being protected by the officer from a Palestinian mob.
2000: Last Year the AP MLB Manager of the Year Award is Given
The AP Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award was given to one manager in all of MLB until 2000.
2000: Christopher Newton Begins Fabricating Sources
While writing about federal law-enforcement at the Justice Department, Christopher Newton began fabricating sources in 2000.
2001: AP MLB Manager of the Year Award Discontinued
The AP Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award was discontinued in 2001.
September 2002: AP Reporter Christopher Newton Fired for Fabricating Sources
In September 2002, Washington, D.C. bureau reporter Christopher Newton, an AP reporter since 1994, was fired after he was accused of fabricating sources since 2000.
2003: AP Launches First Live Video News Service
The AP was the first news agency to launch a live video news service in 2003.
2004: Relocation of Headquarters
After decades at its iconic 50 Rockefeller Plaza address, the Associated Press relocated its headquarters to 450 West 33rd Street in Manhattan in 2004.
April 2006: Mannie Garcia Takes Photo of Barack Obama for the AP
In April 2006, Mannie Garcia took a picture of Barack Obama for the Associated Press.
2007: Revenue Diversification
By 2007, the Associated Press had successfully diversified its revenue streams, with only about 30% coming from United States newspapers, signaling a shift in the media landscape.
2007: Google Partners with AP
In 2007, Google announced a significant partnership with the Associated Press, agreeing to pay for the right to display AP content on its Google News platform.
2007: FBI Agent Impersonates AP Journalist, Infects Teen's Computer
In 2007, an FBI agent working in Seattle impersonated an AP journalist and infected the computer of a 15-year-old suspect with malicious surveillance software.
January 2008: AP Sues All Headline News for Copyright Infringement
In January 2008, the AP sued competitor All Headline News (AHN) claiming that AHN allegedly infringed on its copyrights and a contentious "quasi-property" right to facts.
June 2008: AP Sends DMCA Takedown Demands to Blogs
In June 2008, the AP sent numerous DMCA take-down demands and threatened legal action against several blogs for allegedly violating its copyright by linking to AP material and using headlines and short summaries in those links.
2008: Criticism of AP's Coverage of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
In 2008, former AP correspondent Mark Lavie, in his book "Broken Spring", and Israeli journalist Matti Friedman both criticized the AP's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Lavie claimed that the Cairo bureau's editorial stance unfairly blamed Israel for the conflict while Friedman accused the AP of suppressing his story about the "war of words" between Israel and its critics in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 Gaza conflict.
2008: Shepard Fairey's "Obama Hope" Artwork Popular During Presidential Election
Shepard Fairey's artwork, titled "Obama Hope" and "Obama Progress", was a popular image during the 2008 presidential election.
March 2009: AP Sues Artist Shepard Fairey Over Use of Barack Obama Image
In March 2009, the AP counter-sued artist Shepard Fairey over his famous image of Barack Obama, saying the uncredited, uncompensated use of an AP photo violated copyright laws.
2009: Licensing Dispute with Google
A licensing dispute arose between the Associated Press and Google in late 2009, leading to a temporary interruption in the display of AP content on Google News.
2010: Resolution with Google
The licensing dispute between the Associated Press and Google was resolved in mid-2010, and AP content resumed appearing on Google News.
January 2011: AP Settles Lawsuit with Shepard Fairey
In January 2011, the AP settled its lawsuit with Shepard Fairey with neither side declaring their position to be wrong but agreeing to share reproduction rights and profits from Fairey's work.
May 7, 2012: AP Reports on Foiled Terrorist Plot
On May 7, 2012, the AP published a story about a CIA operation that successfully prevented a terrorist plot to detonate an explosive device on a commercial flight. This report would later become the subject of a Justice Department investigation, leading to the controversial subpoenaing of AP reporters' phone records in 2013.
April 23, 2013: Hackers Post False Tweet on AP's Twitter Account
On April 23, 2013, hackers posted a tweet to AP's Twitter account about fictional attacks on the White House, falsely claiming that President Obama had been injured.
May 13, 2013: AP Phone Records Subpoenaed
On May 13, 2013, it was revealed that the U.S. Justice Department had subpoenaed the phone records of 20 AP reporters, covering a two-month period in 2012. The AP described the subpoenas as a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into their news-gathering activities. The Justice Department did not disclose the reason for seeking the records, but sources indicated it was related to an investigation into a May 7, 2012 AP article about a CIA operation that thwarted a terrorist plot on a commercial flight.
September 2016: Justice Department Report Condones FBI Impersonation of AP Journalist
In September 2016, the Justice Department released a report that the AP said "effectively condone[d] the FBI's impersonation" of an AP journalist in 2007.
2016: Accurate Election Results
The Associated Press continued its long-standing tradition of collecting and publishing presidential election data, achieving a remarkable 100% accuracy rate in calling the president and congressional races in every state during the 2016 election.
2016: AP Releases All-Time Top 25 College Football Teams
The AP released its all-time Top 25 college football teams in 2016.
2016: AP's Reach Expands
By 2016, the Associated Press had grown its reach significantly, with its news reports being published and republished by over 1,300 newspapers and broadcasters.
2016: AP Publishes 70,000 Videos and 6,000 Hours of Live Video
As of 2016, the AP publishes 70,000 videos and 6,000 hours of live video per year.
December 2017: Judge Rules in Favor of AP in Lawsuit Against FBI
In December 2017, following a US court appearance, a judge ruled in favor of the AP in a lawsuit against the FBI for fraudulently impersonating a member of the news media.
2017: Facebook Engagement Study
A 2017 study by NewsWhip revealed that content from the Associated Press garnered higher engagement on Facebook than content from any individual English-language publisher, highlighting the AP's strong social media presence.
2017: 22 Programs Ranked Number One in AP College Football Poll
As of 2017, 22 different programs had finished in the number one spot of the AP college football poll since its inception.
2017: AP's Dealings with Nazi Germany Revealed
In 2017, German historian Norman Domeier brought to light a deal between the AP and the Nazi government during World War II. The agreement involved the exchange of press photos while the U.S. was at war with Germany.
2017: AP Releases List of Top 100 College Basketball Teams of All Time
In 2017, The AP released a list of the Top 100 college basketball teams of all time.
2018: Introduction of AP VoteCast
In 2018, the Associated Press introduced AP VoteCast, a new system developed in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago, aimed at enhancing the accuracy and reliability of its election data.
2019: Global Expansion Continues
By 2019, the Associated Press had expanded its global footprint significantly, boasting more than 240 bureaus worldwide.
May 2020: AP Wins Pulitzer Prize, Sparks Controversy
In May 2020, three AP journalists, Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan, and Channi Anand, were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. However, the award sparked controversy because the winning photograph depicted the situation in Kashmir and used the word "independence" when referring to the revocation of Article 370, which some interpreted as questioning India's authority in the region.
May 2021: AP Reviews Social Media Policies After Journalist's Firing
In May 2021, the AP announced a review of its social media policies following the firing of a journalist who had expressed pro-Palestinian views online. The decision to fire the journalist, Emily Wilder, sparked concern among some AP employees, who signed a letter expressing their unease about the termination. The AP maintained that Wilder's previous activism was not a factor in her firing, citing multiple violations of the company's social media policy.
2021: Israeli Airstrike Destroys AP Office in Gaza
During the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, the Israeli military destroyed a building in Gaza that housed the AP's and Al Jazeera's offices. Israel asserted that the building also housed Hamas military intelligence, but the AP's CEO, Gary Pruitt, disputed this claim, stating that they had no indication of Hamas' presence and called for Israel to provide evidence.
January 10, 2022: AP Enters NFT Market, Faces Backlash
The AP announced on January 10, 2022, that it would begin selling NFTs of its photographs. The organization partnered with Xooa, with the intention of using proceeds to fund its operations.
April 2022: New Chairperson Elected
In April 2022, Gracia C. Martore, former president and CEO of Tegna, Inc., was elected as the chairperson of the Associated Press, bringing her extensive media experience to the role.
2022: Russia Invades Ukraine
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, marking a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has had significant geopolitical consequences and resulted in widespread condemnation and sanctions against Russia.
March 2024: Gannett and McClatchy Cut Content Use
In a significant development in March 2024, Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher by circulation, announced that it would stop using Associated Press content effective March 25, 2024, a move that shocked the AP. Newspaper chain McClatchy also revealed plans to discontinue using some AP services.
March 25, 2024: Gannett Stops Using AP Content
As of March 25, 2024, Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher by circulation, officially stopped using content from the Associated Press, marking a major shift in their relationship.
2024: AP Wins Oscar for Documentary on Ukraine War
The Associated Press won an Oscar in 2024 for their documentary "20 Days in Mariupol." The film provides a firsthand account of the initial days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
2024: Declining Newspaper Revenue
The trend of declining revenue from U.S. newspapers continued, and by 2024, it accounted for just 10% of the Associated Press's total revenue.