Anadolu marks its 105th anniversary in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Founded on April 6, 1920, amid the Turkish War of Independence, at the directive of Republic of Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk to uphold national unity and to send "the voice of Anatolia out to the world," Anadolu this year is celebrating its 105th anniversary.

Accompanied by Deputy Directors General Yusuf Ozhan and Oguz Enis Peru along with agency staff, Anadolu President and CEO Serdar Karagoz said at an event in Istanbul on Monday that the agency has continued its duty to accurately inform the public since the day it was founded.

Stressing that Anadolu, the herald of Türkiye’s National Struggle, independence, and the republic 105 years ago, is now operating on a global scale, Karagoz said: "We continue our work more effectively than ever, in line with our founding philosophy."

Stating that they have strengthened Anadolu's technological infrastructure and boosted its production capacity, he noted that they have reached a competitive level in the global arena together with their human resources.

Not just news agency, but also tech-focused media organization

Stating that technology is a strategic area for the agency, Karagoz highlighted that Anadolu has become not just a news agency but also a technology-focused media organization.

Underlining that the agency has made a difference in the sector with the software infrastructure and content production systems it has developed during its digital transformation process, he added: "Our technological infrastructure is the jewel in our crown. We have built all our operations on this foundation."

Stressing the importance of Türkiye gaining a tech-focused position in international competition, Karagoz said Anadolu's investments in this area also contribute to the country's digital media capacity.

Stating that the agency works in an integrated way with technology at every stage from content production to distribution, Karagoz said their goal is to surpass their competitors with this skill in the global media ecosystem.

Strong presence in crisis regions

Noting that Anadolu produces about 6,000 pieces of content, over 3,000 photos, and over 400 videos on a daily basis, Karagoz said this production capacity demonstrates the agency's strength as a media organization.

He also underlined that the agency is particularly active in crisis areas such as the Russia-Ukraine front and Gaza, adding that field reporting in these regions reinforces the agency's strength on an international scale.

Storied past

Established 17 days before the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, or parliament, Anadolu holds a special place in the history of the republic.

Yunus Nadi Abalioglu and Halide Edip Adivar, two intellectuals who set out for Türkiye’s Anatolian heartland to take part in the national struggle, discussed the issue of establishing a news agency as soon as they arrived in Ankara – the republic’s future capital – during a break in a long train journey.

Recounting the event, Nadi said that on March 31, 1920, on his way to Ankara from Istanbul, he stopped at a train station in Geyve, northeastern Türkiye.

On April 1, 1920, the group reached Ankara. Nadi records that on the evening of April 4 or 5, after dinner they raised the need for a news agency at a meeting at Ziraat Mekteb, the military headquarters of Mustafa Kemal Pasha (later Ataturk), which now houses the state weather service. Pasha readily agreed, and the rest is history.