Directory · 8 entries

Wire services directory

This directory lists major news agencies with their owner or legal status, what each supplies and any independence or credit rule on record. The US Supreme Court described the Associated Press in 1918 as a co-operative of newspaper members ¹. Spain's SEPI owns 100% of EFE ⁵. The Canadian Press is the exclusive distributor of AP world news in Canada ¹⁰. Newsroom codes such as NPR's ask that agency material not be used verbatim without attribution ⁷. Blank cells mean the record read did not state the fact.

Last checked 6 November 2026

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Associated Press (AP)
Base
United States
Owner or legal status
Co-operative incorporated under New York's Membership Corporations Law, as described by the US Supreme Court on 23 December 1918 ¹
What it supplies
News distributed daily to members for publication. Members supplied their local news to AP and to no one else, per the 1918 judgment ¹
Independence or credit rule on record
The Court held news to be quasi property as between competitors ¹
Reuters
Base
International
Owner or legal status
Part of Thomson Reuters. The Founders Share Company, set up in 1984, holds consent rights over any sale of the Reuters news business ²
What it supplies
News services to newspapers, news agencies, broadcasters and other contract holders ²
Independence or credit rule on record
Trust Principles of 1941. Reuters shall at no time pass into the hands of any one interest, group or faction ²
Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Base
France
Owner or legal status
Independent body under private law since Law No. 57-32 of 10 January 1957 ³
What it supplies
Text, photo, video, infographic and audio. 2,400 staff in 151 countries through 201 offices ³
Independence or credit rule on record
Must not take into account influences likely to compromise the accuracy or objectivity of information ³
dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Base
Germany
Owner or legal status
GmbH with more than 170 shareholders ⁴
What it supplies
Over 50 locations in Germany and more than 80 correspondent offices worldwide ⁴
Independence or credit rule on record
Shareholders guarantee the independence set out in the articles of association ⁴
Agencia EFE
Base
Spain
Owner or legal status
SEPI, 100% ⁵
What it supplies
About three million items a year in text, photo, video, audio and multimedia. Present in 110 countries ⁵
Independence or credit rule on record
State compensation of €53.9 million for a service of general economic interest, per the SEPI 2024 report ⁵
Xinhua News Agency
Base
China
Owner or legal status
Listed as an institution directly under the State Council ⁶
Kenya News Agency (KNA)
Base
Kenya
Owner or legal status
Flagship of the Department of Information. Established in 1963 ⁹
What it supplies
Print and electronic news, photographs and video to local and international subscribers. 47 county offices and 25 sub-county offices ⁹
The Canadian Press
Base
Canada
Owner or legal status
Not stated on its About page. It says it funds its editorial operations by serving clients ¹⁰
What it supplies
Real-time bilingual multimedia stories, photography, video, data feeds and stylebooks. Exclusive distributor of AP world news in Canada ¹⁰

Notes

The AP description comes from a 1918 court judgment and is shown as a historical record ¹.
The Washington Post says it is the paper's policy to give credit to other publications ⁸.

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Associated Press (AP)

Reuters

Agence France-Presse (AFP)

dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Agencia EFE

Xinhua News Agency

Kenya News Agency (KNA)

The Canadian Press

Notes

Sources