The Associated Press history

The Associated Press was first established in 1848, when six of the most prominent daily newspapers in New York City decided to pool their resources in order to cut costs.

In 1849, the Harbor News Association opened the first bureau outside the United States, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to meet ships from Europe before they docked in New York.

By 1850 the group had its first paying customers, the Philadelphia Public Ledger and the Baltimore Sun , which were given access to AP dispatches for a fee, without becoming actual members of the collective.

1856 Following a reorganization to establish defined rules of procedures, the first two formal Associated Press bureaus in the United States established in Washington, D.C. and Albany, New York

1861: Facing censorship in covering the American Civil War, reporters first filed under the anonymous byline "from the Associated Press agent."

1865 Western Associated Press incorporates in Michigan

1876: Mark Kellogg, a stringer, becomes the first AP correspondent to die in the line of duty, at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The first serious rival emerged in 1882 when the United Press (UP), led by William M. Laffan of the New York Sun , was formed.

In 1891, Victor Lawson of the Chicago Daily News produced evidence that top executives of the AP and the UP had engaged in a secret agreement that gave the UP free access to AP News.

Another controversy erupted in 1898, and again Laffan of the Sun was involved.

1899: AP uses Guglielmo Marconi's wireless telegraph to cover the America's Cup yacht race off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, the first news test of the new telegraph.

1900: Court-ordered reorganization; New York is reestablished as headquarters.

His advocacy of a United States postal savings bank caused him to be called the father of the law that established it (1910). Lawson was also a leading benefactor of the Congregational church and the Young Men’s Christian Association.

Until 1915, AP members were prohibited from buying news from other services.

1918 United States Supreme Court grants the AP the right to protect its method of news-gathering in INS v.

Growth Under Kent Cooper: 1925--45

1927: News Photo service begins.

1929: AP opens bureaus in France, England, and Germany.

In 1931, the Associated Press Managing Editors Association, a group composed of editors of AP member newspapers for the purpose of reviewing the organization's work, was formed.

The first photo to transfer over the wires was of a plane crash in Morehouseville, New York, on January 1, 1935.

The AP Poll is the longest-serving college football poll, having started in 1936.

By 1940, AP membership had grown to more than 1,400 papers.

When the Chicago Sun--a paper launched by Marshall Field in 1941 to compete with the Tribune--sought entry into the AP collective, it was denied membership by the publishers of the AP's member newspapers.

Meanwhile, another legal skirmish forced the AP to change its bylaws concerning membership. As a result, since 1945 any publisher that wanted access to AP news reports could become an AP member.

In 1946, the AP launched its World Service.

1951: William N. Oatis, AP Prague bureau chief, is charged with espionage in Czechoslovakia and jailed for 28 months.

Oatis is released in May 1953.

Broadcast media began playing an increasing role in news coverage in the United States, and in 1954, the Associated Press Radio-Television Association was formed.

By 1962, the organization had a total revenue of $44 million.

The AP also established a book division during 1963.

AP teamed with Dow Jones & Co., Inc. in 1967 to launch a new, ambitious business reporting service.

1970: AP enters the age of electronic news transmission when copy is filed from a computer in Atlanta to news and broadcast wires in seven southern states.

1976: AP introduces LaserPhoto and the first laser-scanned pictures for transmission, producing better picture quality.

The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, first published in 1977, became the standard style guide for newswriting in the United States.

1982: AP begins transmitting news by satellite.

1984: AP becomes the first news organization to own a satellite transponder.

A new graphics department was added in 1985, and a year later, a transition began that made all photographs offered to member newspapers available in color.

In 1989, the organization developed a fully designed sports page that could be delivered over its GraphicsNet system.

1990: AP begins delivering photos via satellite to AP Leaf Picture Desks, on computer-receiving terminals at newspapers.

The AP collected revenue of $329 million in 1991.

In 1994, the organization launched APTV, an international video newsgathering service based in London.

The year 1995 saw the introduction of AP AdSEND, a digital advertising delivery service.

The 1996 Super Bowl was entirely shot by the AP with digital cameras it had developed in conjunction with Eastman Kodak.

In 1998 the AP celebrated its 150th anniversary.

In April 1999, 21 AP photographers shared two Pulitzer Prizes, bringing the organization's total to 45.

By the year 2000 AP was owned by 1,500 member newspapers and over one billion people saw, heard, or read its news reports on any given day.

An online entertainment news service was launched in 2001 as well.

In 2002 AP updated its partnership with Dow Jones & Company by revamping its financial wire services.

The year 2003 heralded major change for AP with the retirement of Louis Boccardi after 18 years as chief executive of worldwide operations and a total of 36 years at the organization.

In April 2004 President George W. Bush spoke at AP's annual luncheon on the opening day of the Newspaper Association of America's convention.

In the 2005 season, the Harris Interactive College Football Poll took its place in the formula.

Documents of only 317 of the 490 detainees were released on March 3, 2006.