Agence France-Presse
French international news agency with a special legal status since 1957
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a Paris-based international news agency, publishing in French, English, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish and German. It traces its origins to Havas, founded in 1835, and was reorganised as AFP in August 1944 after the Liberation of Paris. A law of January 1957 gives it a special status as an autonomous private-law body without shareholders, run by a board that elects the chief executive; the law says it must not come under the legal or de facto control of any ideological, political or economic group. Fabrice Fries is chairman and CEO.Sources:1Wikipedia: Agence France-Presse, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2Ministère de la Culture (France): L'Agence France Presse, Ministère de la Culture (France) (source, opens in a new tab)
About two-thirds of its revenue is commercial. The French state pays compensation for its general-interest missions under a five-year contract: of a 2024 budget of 330 million euros, 119 million came from the state for those missions and 11 million from public-sector subscriptions, according to the French Ministry of Culture.Sources:1Wikipedia: Agence France-Presse, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2Ministère de la Culture (France): L'Agence France Presse, Ministère de la Culture (France) (source, opens in a new tab)
Who it favours
We have not analysed Agence France-Presse's coverage yet. When we do, this shows which side its articles favoured, story by story.
Who controls it
Whoever owns an outlet, provides most of its money or directs it controls it. Our rule.
- ConfirmedPartly state-funded (France): about a third of its budget · Controlled by a government (its main funder) Sources:2Ministère de la Culture (France): L'Agence France Presse, Ministère de la Culture (France) (source, opens in a new tab)
Owners, funders and directors
- DirectorFabrice FriesChairman and CEO since April 2018, elected by the board; renewed for 2023–2028 Sources:1Wikipedia: Agence France-Presse, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)3The Media Leader (France): Fabrice Fries reconduit à la tête de l'AFP jusqu'en 2028, The Media Leader (France) (source, opens in a new tab)
- European Commission: Member of the private office of Commission President Jacques Delors Sources:Wikipedia: Fabrice Fries, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
As documented, nearest first. Each note says what the source supports.
How we use it
0 stories cite Agence France-Presse directly, and 3 more through other outlets that carried its reporting.
- Iran war 2
- Oil prices 2
- Peace talks 1
- Security and terrorism 1
- Cost of living 1
- Policing and protest 1
- Youth protests 2026 1
October 2026
- Iran's president says many struggle for food as Tehran offers to reopen Hormuz if US lifts blockadeMasoud Pezeshkian said many Iranians struggle to put food on the table, Iran's envoy to Pakistan said Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade, and a US carrier was reported rearming for possible strikes.
- Saudi Arabia says it downed Houthi missiles aimed at Riyadh and Mecca; Houthis say Saudi strikes killed 11Saudi authorities said they intercepted Houthi missiles fired toward Riyadh, Taif, Yanbu and the Mecca and Medina regions, while Houthi media said Saudi airstrikes killed 11 people in Sanaa.
- France puts 70,000 police on the streets and restricts marches before Saturday protestsInterior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced about 70,000 police and gendarmes for the 24 October protests as cities restricted or banned marches and Macron met student representatives.
Outside left–right raters
For comparison only. Western raters place outlets on a left–right line, which says nothing about whom they favour in a given story or who funds them; our own tally is above.
Ad Fontes Media: Middle (checked 24 Oct 2026) · Media Bias/Fact Check: Left-Center (checked 24 Oct 2026)
Sources
- 1
- 2
- 3