- Lean
- Left-Center (MBFC)
- Reliability
- High factual reporting (MBFC)
- Founded
- 1944
- Headquarters
- Paris
- Owner
- Autonomous body set up by a 1957 French law, with no shareholders
- Funding
- AFP is an autonomous body created by a 1957 French law, with no shareholders.
On this page
Is AFP Left or Right?
Media Bias/Fact Check rates AFP Left-Center (-2.1), just outside its Least Biased range of -1.9 to +1.9. AllSides and Ad Fontes Media have no rating for AFP, so its position on our chart rests on that single rater. Like every wire service, AFP sells its reporting to clients of all political colors, which favors a plain, factual style.
The question most often asked about AFP is its independence from the French state, which pays it for public-interest missions and buys subscriptions. Its 1957 statute bars any outside control of its news, and an independent Higher Council watches over that rule.
See where AFP sits next to other outlets on our media bias chart.
How Reliable Is AFP?
Media Bias/Fact Check rates AFP's factual reporting High. AFP also runs one of the largest fact-checking operations in the world, AFP Fact Check, which publishes in many languages.
AFP Bias: What the Ratings Show
Media Bias/Fact Check rates it Left-Center with High factual reporting.
Compare AFP with every other outlet on the media bias chart.
AFP Bias Rating From Independent Raters
All bars use one shared scale: the shaded band is each rater's own center zone, lined up. How we combine the raters. Not every rater has rated AFP.
| Rater | Bias rating | Factual / reliability |
|---|---|---|
| AllSides | Not rated (lean only) | |
| Ad Fontes Media | ||
| Media Bias/Fact Check | Left-Center (-2.1) | High, High Credibility |
Who Funds AFP?
AFP is an autonomous body created by a 1957 French law, with no shareholders. Most of its income comes from subscriptions paid by media and other clients; the French state also pays compensation for its public-interest missions and buys subscriptions.
Why AFP Is in Aplomb
AFP is one of the three global news agencies in Aplomb, with Reuters and AP, and the only one based outside the English-speaking world, which widens the range of places and voices in your feed. It meets all six of our source criteria; its English videos are part of Latest, the app's feed of international newsrooms, and its French videos appear in the France section. What to watch for: AllSides and Ad Fontes Media have not rated it yet, so its lean rests on Media Bias/Fact Check alone.
Looking for other apps that take bias seriously? See our comparison of the best unbiased news apps.
Watch AFP next to Reuters, BBC and AP, one swipe at a time.
Latest AFP Videos
Compare AFP With Similar Sources
AFP FAQ
Is AFP reliable?
Yes. Media Bias/Fact Check rates its factual reporting High. AFP is one of the three global news agencies, with Reuters and AP.
Is AFP owned by the French government?
No. AFP has no shareholders: it is an autonomous body created by a 1957 law. The French state pays it for public-interest missions and buys subscriptions, which makes up part of its income.
What is the difference between AFP, Reuters and AP?
All three are global news agencies that sell reporting to other media. AFP is based in Paris and has no shareholders, Reuters belongs to the listed company Thomson Reuters, and AP is a nonprofit cooperative owned by US news organizations.
Is AFP biased?
Media Bias/Fact Check rates it Left-Center, close to its Least Biased range, with High factual reporting. AllSides and Ad Fontes Media have not rated it.
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