AFP in dates
- 1830 - 1900
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1835Agence Havas founded
Charles Havas creates Agence Havas as Agence des Feuilles Politiques.
As the world’s first international news agency, it uses a network of correspondents and translators. Trains and homing pigeons bring in the news to Paris from all over France and other European countries. -
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1835 - 1875The first offices
From 1835 to 1875, the Agence Havas offices are located on rue
Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Paris,
opposite the General Post Office. -
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1840Mail coach
A mail coach transports dispatches. -
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1840Carrier pigeons
Charles Havas uses carrier pigeons to deliver the news faster than the official State services. -
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1845Telegraph first used
The Agency starts to use electrical telegraphs, an invention which enables it to expand.
Soon it is better and faster informed of what is going on in the world.
In response to the Crimean war (1854-1856) it extends its European network all the way to Saint Petersburg and the Bosphorus. -
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1853Succession
Charles-Guillaume and Auguste Havas take over the Agency’s management from their father.
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1859Reuter-Wolff-Havas agreement
An agreement between the three
major agencies - Reuter, based in London, Wolff in Berlin, and Havas – divides the world between them for the collection and dissemination of
information. -
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1866The first transatlantic cable connects Europe to the American continent
The first telegraphic cable between the west coast of the United States and the Philippines is inaugurated in 1903. -
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1880New means of communication
The telephone, teletype and the long-wave radio come into use and revolutionize the way in which
journalists work. The amount of news increases dramatically thanks to these new means of transmission and the development of the press in France. -
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1896The Agency moves to Place de la Bourse, Paris
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- 1900 - 2000
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1930Technological advances
Shortwave wireless transmission profoundly changes the way in which international news can be passed on and brings the alliance of agencies to an end.
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25 November 1940Havas/O.F.I.
The News section of Havas is
nationalised and becomes a government agency. Two laws establish the
separation between the Advertising branch – which retains the name Havas - and the News branch – which becomes state property under the name French Information Office (OFI). -
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01 December 1940Agence Française Indépendante (AFI) founded in London by Paul-Louis Bret
Paul-Louis Bret considers that AFI can represent what remains of free French public opinion, with the capacity to criticise the Vichy regime. The AFI reaches an agreement with the British Ministry of Information and Reuters to broadcast a daily French language service of around 10,000 words across free Europe.
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20 August 1944The birth of AFP
Liberated France’s first dispatch is
issued on August 20, 1944.
OFI is renamed Agence France-Presse. -
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01 October 1944The new photo service uses the Belinograph
The AFP photo service is created in 1944 by freelance photographers Georges Mélamed, André Raimbaud and Robert Palat, who cover the Liberation of Paris.
The Belinograph, invented in 1907 by Edouard Belin, transmits images by telephone and radio links.
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1950Change at AFP headquarters
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1952Telex
Invented in Germany in the 1930s, the telex arrives in France in 1946. It is used to send information and teletype messages. -
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05 March 1953Stalin's death: the first scoop
The death of Joseph Stalin, on March 5, 1953, brings AFP a global scoop that will leave its mark on the fledgling Agency’s history. At the time, foreign journalists in Moscow are unable to instantly transmit news in real time because of the regime’s censorship. AFP, however, was constantly
monitoring Radio Moscow’s domestic broadcasts from Paris. -
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1954 - 1975Jean Marin
Jean Marin is appointed CEO. After the vote of the Agence France-Presse Statute in January 1957, he is re-elected every three years and
remained president and CEO until 1975. -
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1957An international news agency
AFP has 25 bureaus across France, 46 overseas, and 13 in French overseas territories. It has correspondents in 116 countries and provides news in 73 countries.
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10 January 1957The AFP Statute
The French Parliament adopts the AFP Statute, guaranteeing its editorial independence, global presence and
financial autonomy. The CEO is now elected by a Board of Directors. -
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1971Satellites
AFP effects its first satellite news transmission. -
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06 September 1972Munich Olympics
AFP announces the death of the Israeli hostages one hour before all others.
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1973Headquarters transformed
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01 November 1975IT enters AFP bureaus
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1975Claude Roussel elected AFP president & CEO
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1978Roger Bouzinac elected AFP president & CEO
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1979Henri Pigeat elected AFP president & CEO
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1981Real time data delivery
Sytin (Système de transmission d'images numérisées) transmits digital images over ordinary analog telephone lines and teleprints photos in real time. This system has no equal anywhere in the world. However, it is only as fast as the analog network on which it depends. -
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16 May 1983AFP journalist Patrick Meney wins the Albert Londres Prize
Patrick Meney, AFP journalist for the Moscow bureau, obtains an award for his series of articles about Soviet
Russia. -
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01 October 1983AFP-Audio
AFP provides news summaries, musical programmes and voice reports to local radio stations, which have just been authorised in France.
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1984Laser and digital printing
First laser printing of black and white photos. From 1986, printing became digital. -
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1985Increase in news production volume
Computerisation and satellites increase volume of news transmitted - 1 million words a day compared to 600,000 in 1975. -
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08 July 1986Polycom Satellite
The Polycom subsidiary is created and a satellite distribution network set up to supply clients. -
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1986Impact: first photo editorial system
The system uses an analogue signal, and the client must have a digital receiver to get photos on their screen. The computer operating system is provided by AFP. -
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03 March 1986Telematics
AFP begins publishing content on the Minitel. -
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30 December 1987Opening of the regional centre in Nicosia (Arabic desk)
The Arabic desk, previously based in Cairo, is transferred to Nicosia.
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1987Jean-Louis Guillaud elected AFP president & CEO
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27 September 1988Seoul Olympics
AFP announces the disqualification of Ben Johnson at the Seoul Olympics two hours before all others.
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1988Dixel
First use of a portable photo scanner for the digital transmission of captioned images. The Dixel replaces the Belinograph. The photographer no longer has to transport a complete darkroom weighing 50 kg to print photos on paper - necessary for transmission by Belinograph. The Dixel is one of the first 35mm scanners that can be carried in a small box. That year AFP beats all its competitors in photo distribution.
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1988AFP journalist Sammy Ketz wins the Albert Londres Prize
Sammy Ketz shares the Albert
Londres Prize with Libération
colleague Sorj Chalandon for his
coverage of the 6-year civil war in
Lebanon. -
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1988Satellite transmission from the field
AFP journalists can transmit their production from the field via Inmarsat. This 40 kg piece of equipment is very useful when there are no telecommunications links, particularly in war zones.
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26 January 1990Claude Moisy elected AFP president & CEO
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1992Photos delivered by satellite
The use of digital files improves photo quality and speed of transmission.
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01 February 1993Lionel Fleury elected AFP president & CEO
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1993The AFP goes fully digital
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01 April 1995Launch of AFP-Direct, a customized broadcast solution for AFP text services
A first: AFP-Direct makes it possible to customize the broadcast of stories produced by the AFP's text services.
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01 December 1995Launch of the first AFP website
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1995The AFP Moscow bureau is awarded the Albert Londres Prize
The Agence France Presse Moscow bureau team is awarded the Albert Londres Prize for its coverage of the war in Chechnya.
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03 February 1996Jean Miot elected AFP president & CEO
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01 July 1996AFP's first multimedia Internet Journal in French
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1996Symphonia
Launch of the Symphonia photo editing system, which collects, edits, indexes, archives and transmits photos. The editing and transmission processes become entirely digital.
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01 December 1997Opening of the Spanish-language regional centre in Montevideo
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1997ImageForum
Launch of a new online photo platform aimed at the press, Internet sites and corporate clients. ImageForum provides its subscribers with real time access to AFP’s full photo production and archives. -
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26 May 1999Michel Moutot wins the Albert Londres Prize
Michel Moutot, an AFP journalist since 1985, receives the Albert
Londres prize for his reporting of the Kosovo conflict throughout 1998. -
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1999Eric Giuily elected AFP president & CEO
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2000Bertrand Eveno elected AFP president & CEO
Re-elected as AFP chairman on October 24, 2003.
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- 2000 - 2015
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2000Bertrand Eveno elected AFP president & CEO
Re-elected as AFP chairman on October 24, 2003.
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10 January 2001Success of the book "L'Agence"
A work of reference illustrating the photography service's expansion.
Find out more about AFP publications -
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2005Pierre Louette elected AFP president & CEO
Re-elected as AFP chairman on October 12, 2008.
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2005PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
AFP transmits photos via PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), predecessor of the Smartphone
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2006XML format: first multimedia editorial system
The multimedia editorial system uses the XML format which optimises management of subscriptions and clients. -
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2007Launch of AFPTV International and of the video platform
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2008Mobile services
Development of a range of services dedicated to mobile telephony providers.
Mobile services -
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15 April 2010Emmanuel Hoog elected AFP president & CEO
Re-elected as AFP chairman on April 4, 2013.
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2010Facebook
Launch of the official AFP Facebook page in French and English.
Check out AFP’s Facebook page -
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11 September 2010AFP expands its headquarters
Editorial services move into their new headquarters on rue Vivienne, in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement
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14 May 2011AFP journalist Emmanuel Duparcq wins the Albert Londres Prize
Emmanuel Duparcq, AFP reporter at the Islamabad bureau, is rewarded for his series of articles on Afghanistan and Pakistan covering 2010/2011.
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06 December 2011AFP launches two official Twitter accounts
Discover AFP news, behind-the-scenes info and retweets on Twitter.
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2011
Videographics
The first videographics: animated films with spoken commentaries.
First 3D videographics.
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2011For the first time, the international market generates more revenues than the domestic market
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01 November 2011HD video
AFP is the first news agency to provide high-definition video content.
Find out more about AFPTV -
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13 January 2012World Press Photo 2012: three AFP photographers rewarded
- Yasuyoshi Chiba - first prize in the "People in the news" category,
- Massoud Hossaini - second prize in the "Spot News" category,
- Pedro Pardo - third prize in the "Contemporary Issues" category
Find out more -
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17 April 2012Pulitzer Prize
AFP photographer Massoud Hossaini is rewarded with one of America’s most prestigious journalism awards, recognizing his picture of a girl in tears after a suicide bombing in Kabul in December 2011.
Find out more -
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18 April 2012On the Web
Launch of the new site at www.afp.com/en
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01 May 2012
AFP live video
For the first time, AFPTV is broadcasting live video from the 66th Cannes Film Festival.
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01 July 2012IRIS
Iris is the new production and distribution system from AFP. Iris aims to assist our clients in facing the challenges of the digital age.
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01 October 2012
Bayeux-Calvados Prize: Aris Messinis rewarded
The jury of the 19th Bayeux-Calvados War Correspondents Prize rewards AFP photojournalist Aris Messinis.
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01 November 2012
3D
All Videographics production are in 3D.
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06 December 2012Copyright royalties at AFP
A historic achievement for all
journalists. -
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06 April 2013Pulitzer Prize
Javier Manzano, a freelance
photographer working for Agence France-Presse, won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography on
Monday April 15 for a photograph of two Syrian rebels guarding their
position in the embattled city of Aleppo.
Find out more -
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03 December 2013Time Magazine chooses Philippe Lopez’s image as one of its top ten
Time chooses an image taken by Philippe Lopez on November 18, 2013 as one of its top ten photos of the year.
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2013The 2013 Annual
Key events in 2012 illustrated by AFP photographers.
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14 February 2014Two AFP photographers receive World Press Photo awards
Photojournalists Philippe Lopez and Jeff Pachoud win first prize in the categories "spot news single" and "sport feature single" in the international photo competition.
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01 April 2014AFP Forum
AFP launches its new multimedia platform, AFP Forum: the entire news production in text, photo, video and infographics available on one site and in 6 languages.
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01 May 2014AFP launches its Instagram account
AFP increases its social network presence with the creation of its Instagram account featuring the work of its photographers.
Instagram AFP -
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17 October 2014AFP global news director Michèle Léridon receives the "Investigation and Reporting" prize at the International Congress for Journalism and Information
The student jury of the 8th International Congress for Journalism and Information awarded the prize to global news director Michèle Léridon for her article "Covering the Islamic State" which was published on AFP’s Correspondent blog.
Correspondent Blog -
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11 October 2014AFP photographer wins the Bayeux-Calvados war correspondents photo prize
The jury of the 21st Bayeux-Calvados awards for war correspondents gives Mohammed Al-Shaikh first prize in the professional photo category. Bulent Kilic finishes third. -
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01 December 2014Photojournalist Bulent Kilic recognised by Time Magazine and The Guardian
Time Magazine chooses AFP’s Bulent Kilic as its news agency photographer of the year for his coverage of the Middle East and Europe. The Guardian names him its 2014 agency photographer of the year.
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2014The 2014 Annual
AFP photo book capturing the top news events of 2013
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2015The 2015 Annual
AFP’s photo book capturing the best news images of 2014
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