October 28, 2023

15.00 pm

Venue: Çankaya Municipality Doğan Taşdelen Contemporary Arts Center, John F. Kennedy Street, No:4 Kavaklıdere-Ankara

As Part of side events of Either Independence or Death! On the Way to the Republic exhibition which was launched in collaboration with Koç University Ankara Studies Research Center (VEKAM), Collectors Association and Çankaya Municipality, Assoc. Prof. Hilmi Bengi’s talk titled Harbinger of the Republic Journey: Anadolu Agency will be held on October 28, 2023 at 15.00 at the Çankaya Municipality Doğan Taşdelen Contemporary Arts Center.

Abstract:

Particularly before the First World War, news agencies that transcended their boundaries in terms of influence and gained an international character conducted their activities by sharing the world through cooperation agreements. Ottoman territories, Egypt, and Belgium were considered the common areas of both Havas and Reuters. Before the First World War, world news was predominantly sourced from the Havas Agency.

In the following period, there were agency initiatives within the Ottoman State. At the end of the 19th century, news agencies named Agence Commerciale de Turquie (Turkey Commercial Agency) and in the early 20th century, Agence Ottomane (Ottoman Agency) operated. Agence Ottomane was restructured in 1911 under the name Ottoman Telegraph Agency. After the closure of the Ottoman Telegraph Agency in 1914, the Ottoman National Telegraph Agency was founded by Hüseyin Tosun Bey, a deputy from Erzurum. It couldn’t become effective with the changing course of the First World War and closed after a while. During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire, dependent on the German Wolf agency, came under the influence of Havas and Reuters again after the occupation of Istanbul. In place of the closed Ottoman National Telegraph agency, an agency named Turkey Havas Reuters was established in Istanbul. However, despite being established under the pretext of a national status, this agency made publications against the National Struggle. In response to this, under the instructions of the President of the Representative Committee, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Anadolu Agency (AA) was established on April 6, 1920. The agency announced important developments, including the establishment of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, to the domestic and international public. Reports from the fronts were reflected through AA. The Agency, which closely followed the Lausanne negotiations, also announced the establishment of the Republic to the whole world. Anadolu Agency, the most important news organization in the journey of the Republic, became a joint-stock company in 1925. Having completed a century in the journey of news, the Agency continues its corporate structure today.

SIDE EVENTS PROGRAM <<

*Side events will be held free of charge at Çankaya Municipality Doğan Taşdelen Contemporary Arts Center, Sabahattin Ali Conference Hall.