Fiktiv Australia - AAP

Australian Associated Press (AAP) is an Australian news agency. It was established by Keith Murdoch in 1935. As of 2020, the AAP is owned by four Australian news organisations - Nine Entertainment, News Corp, Seven West Media and Australian Community Media. Nine Entertainment and News Corp both own 45 per cent, Seven West Media 8 per cent, and Australian Community Media 2 per cent. Together these companies produce the vast majority of Australian newspapers.

For a decade prior to 1895, three organisations supplied overseas news to Australia, The Argus group, The Age group, and the Reuters telegraph agency. In 1895, these services merged into the Australian Press Association, which had an exclusive contract with Reuters for its foreign news wire service. A 1909 Senate inquiry found that the association was a monopolistic cartel, and financed a short-lived alternative service.

A competitor was established by Keith Murdoch in 1911, called the United Cable Service, which competed for exclusive access to Reuters’ foreign news wire service. The Australian Press Association and the United Cable Service agreed on a arrangement for shared access in 1926. In 1935, Murdoch brokered a merger between the two competitors which established the Australian Associated Press as a not-for-profit cooperative.

Initially, the AAP only functioned to provide overseas news to the Australian media, as major newspapers at the time had long-standing groups for local news syndication. In 1947, the agency became a shareholder in the Reuters telegraph agency in 1947, providing the AAP with windfall profits as well as representation on the board. The AAP initially had bureaux in London and New York, and in the 1950s partnered with the Reuters telegraph agency to post AAP-Reuters correspondents in Asia. In the 1970s, the AAP began to offer federal parliamentary reporting form Canberra as well as court, sports, racing and stock market reporting. A full domestic news service was launched in 1980.

An attempt to take over the AAP by News Corp Australia, now led be Keith Murdoch’s son Rupert Murdoch, by buying half of the shares of the then other largest shareholder Fairfax in 1988 was not allowed to proceed by the Trade Practices Commission.

Australian Associated Press is one of only a handful of news agencies worldwide not funded or influenced by its government. An around-the-clock, real-time news service, AAP is run on a commercial basis. Revenue comes from the sale of news wire subscriptions to all media companies and the public sector; and by selling special business news services to the corporate sector.

Shareholders do not influence - nor do they seek to influence - the day-to-day editorial operation. The agency's true strength is its editorial impartiality and independence. Subscribers recognise this and shareholders fiercely protect it. Australian Associated Press exists to provide a fast, accurate, relevant and cost-effective news service.

News that shapes Australia, enthrals Australians, educates and informs Australians moves on AAP wires. Stories can originate in Australia or they can happen offshore. Geography is almost an insignificant factor these days as the definition between Australian news and international news is blurred. The fact is Australians find themselves in trouble while travelling and Australia - now more than ever - is a terror target... And Aussies are pretty good at sport. AAP has had to widen its definition and sharpen its anticipation of world events, which has changed the dynamic of the domestic agency. These days, we'll go anywhere for an Australian story.

Australia's media relies on Australian Associated Press for most of its international news. AAP provides world news and images to our customers through commercial partnerships with major international agencies like Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Agencia EFE, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, The Press Association, Kyodo and New Zealand Press Association. This pool of news information is not simply passed straight onto AAP subscribers. The services are filtered, selecting the best news each agency has to offer. And many story angles are sharpened for the Australian market. This cherry picking ensures a balanced perspective and helps Australians make sense of the world.

Australian Associated Press gets a lot of feedback from its subscribers. This is what they say they like most:
- The Australian focus;
- The news is ready to use (which means less work at their end);
- AAP news is reliable;
- AAP news is accurate;
- They see AAP's service as indispensable;
- AAP news is delivered in real-time 24/7.

Who We Serve:
- Every daily newspaper in Australia;
- Many non-daily suburban and regional newspapers;
- Four of the five free-to-air metropolitan and regional television networks;
- All major metropolitan and regional radio networks;
- Australia's leading news websites;
- Australia's leading telecommunications companies.

Australian Associated Press holds a unique and enviable place in the media. The work of its journalists provides the foundation stones of content in all daily newspapers in this country; forms the backbone of radio news bulletins; and provides the background detail for talk-back radio shows and television news bulletins. Now it is helping traditional media organisations extend their brands into the new media space. The general public is largely unaware of AAP's footprint. AAP's copy is everywhere but often runs without credit. But media people know its reach and appreciate its value. It is a reference point for many and sets the news agenda for the day.

AAP's editorial team transmits more than 4,500 stories, pictures and data files every day. This news and information will make its way onto all media platforms: print, television, radio, websites, mobile phones, LED screens in lifts, in shopping malls and in the latest BMW cars.

The key news services are:
- The 24/7 news and sports wire is the beating heart of the operation;
- Financial news wire and sharemarket detail;
- Broadcast news service is tailored so it can be read on air;
- Premium Features Service - lifestyle news;
- Online and video services;
- Sports results service;
- Racing data - form guides and results;
- News pictures and news graphics;
- Page ready products for newspapers and magazines;
- SMS high priority new alerts for news professionals.

The massive pool of news and information created by Australian Associated Press is an invaluable resource for businesses and government departments. The key Agency Enterprises services are:
- Image Library;
- Racing Data;
- Financial Market Information service;
- Media Monitoring;
- Press Release Distribution;
- Emergency News Service;
- Media and Public Relations contacts database;
- Asia Pulse;
- AsiaNet.

Australian Associated Press employs almost 200 editorial and support staff across all Australian states, and in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, China, Indonesia, United Kingdom and the United States. AAP staff journalists are based in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Hobart, Los Angeles, London, Jakarta, Suva, Port Moresby, Auckland, Wellington and Beijing, with special correspondents in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. The offshore reporters provide an intelligent perspective of their region, identifying critical links to Australia. They'll also dig out the quirky stories that will simply entertain our audiences. AAP has a strong network of correspondents throughout the Asia-Pacific who produce news about Australians abroad or news of interest to those who live here. It also draws on its commercial partnerships with a dozen international press agencies to provide international news to Australia.