Anadolu Agency, The First News Wire Agency Of The Muslim World, Completes 100 Years

Anadolu Agency, the first and arguably the only international news wire agency of the Muslim world completed its 100th anniversary Monday, April 6, achieving a milestone in the history of journalism.

Founded on April 6, 1920, under the directives of Turkey’s nationalist leader Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the service was started 17 days before the Turkish Grand National Assembly convened, with the stated aim of raising the “voice of Anatolia to the world” during the country’s War of Independence.

The newly established agency announced the first legislation passed by the assembly, which established the Republic of Turkey, under the ashes of the erstwhile Islamic Uthmani Khilafah (Ottoman Empire).

In a message on its centenary anniversary Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi congratulated the news agency and urged it to intensify efforts to combat negative perceptions about Muslims and Islam all over the world.

Pointing out the global media’s malignant portrayal of Islam and Muslims, the four-time member of parliamentarian said that in times like these “it is imperative for a news organization like Anadolu Agency to shoulder the additional duty of dissemination of news as well as combating this perception about Muslims and Islam all over the world,” the agency’s report quoted him as saying.

Owaisi also highlighted that one of the founders of Anadolu Agency was, Abdul Rehman Peshawari, an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University. “He had joined people’s mission to help people in Turkey who were suffering due to the Balkan War of 1912-13,” he said. The Kashmiri-origin Peshawari was also the agency’s first reporter.

Abdur Rehman Peshawari. Photo: Anadolu Agency.

The Press Association of India also wished the century-old institution, calling it a “pioneer of independent press for the developing world”.

“We understand Anadolu Agency always stands for peace, accuracy and all nuances of modern ethical journalism. The agency also treats its human resources as its spirit. The Press Association in India wishes all the best to Anadolu Agency and its staff members,” its statement read.

Anadolu Agency ranks among the world’s most reputed news agencies with more than 3,000 employees from 124 nationalities and broadcasts in 13 languages.

It provides news in real-time to 6,000 media outlets across 100 countries with a daily average of 2,000 stories, 2,350 photos, nine infographics, 435 videos and 18 live broadcasts.