A letter from the chair and CEO
For 180 years, The Associated Press has witnessed the news and reported the facts so that people around the world have access to accurate, independent and nonpartisan information.
As we write this letter, AP journalists across the Middle East are doing exactly that: providing customers and audiences with essential, courageous reporting on the Iran war under exceptionally difficult circumstances. This is what AP does best — being there when it matters most, reporting from the ground with speed, accuracy and authority. That commitment was on full display in 2025, as conflict, natural disasters and tectonic shifts in geopolitics, technology and business shaped the news landscape on a global scale.
From two ground wars in Ukraine and Gaza, to deadly floods in Texas and wildfires in Los Angeles, to the election of a new pope and President Trump’s return to the White House, AP was there through it all — documenting these moments as they unfolded with eyewitness coverage, gripping visuals and sweeping digital reporting.
This breadth of coverage — being able to cover the biggest stories when they happen, as they happen — is what differentiates the AP news report. Today, about 80% of our journalism is video and photos, reflecting our transformation into a predominantly visual global news organization, with more visual journalists on staff in the U.S. than any other news agency. We ramped up our digital offering in 2025 with live blogs, graphics, maps and interactives, and have grown our presence on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, ensuring our factual, nonpartisan journalism reaches audiences wherever they are.
As an independent news organization that relies on the revenue from its customers to fund this journalism that we do every day, our business is evolving with the changing landscape. This has been intentional as people seek news and information in new ways. Our mission, however, remains unchanged: to expand the reach of factual reporting, going further than the 4 billion people who see our news and information every day.
Over the past year, AP solidified its position as the definitive source of truth for U.S. elections information while AP Fund for Journalism, its sister organization, expanded its landmark local news program to 100 news outlets in its first year of existence. We introduced innovative products and offerings, such as AP Intelligence — which turns firsthand reporting into structured, verified data — and a new AI-powered AP Newsroom, our flagship content delivery platform.
Our direct-to-consumer business continues to grow as audiences turn to us for the facts when news breaks. Reader donations, a relatively new part of our business, grew nearly 450%. One donor in Omaha, Nebraska, wrote to us: “I’ve been getting news from the AP for many years now and appreciate now more than ever the AP’s focus on facts.”
Indeed, at the heart of all we do is an essential principle that has guided us since our founding: the ability to speak freely, without government control or retaliation. When we were shut out in 2025 from covering certain White House events over what we call a body of water, we led the way and took legal action in the U.S. to assert a principle fundamental to the Constitution — not just for our members and customers, but for the public at large.
AP is the backbone of the information ecosystem. If we don’t stand up for these values, then who will?
At a time when the media industry is under pressure, AP’s role remains clear: deliver the facts everywhere people consume information so the public can make informed decisions.
That mission has guided us for 180 years, in everything we do.
Gracia Martore
Board Chair
Daisy Veerasingham
President and CEO