Anatolian Agency (1920-1922)

Under this study it is aimed to show the important role and the effectiveness of the firstnational news agency ?Anadolu Ajansı? which was established dated on 6th April 1920, by thetime of very critical period (1920-1922) of the National Independence War (İstiklâl Harbi).The special importance of this critical role is based on resetting/building the public opinioneither internal or external platforms by its deliberate affairs while there wasn?t any otheralternative channel such as radio, television or the other mass circulation media. The Agencywas really capable of supporting the national commanders? targets -such as Mustafa KemalPasha and other resistance leaders- adequately. Hence it had gained a very precious place inthe Turkish History by acting a kind of special role as being the only mass media tool of theIndependency Combat.This study also would like to demonstrate this point by analyzing the Istanbul PressWorld?s socio-political structure during the period of the resistance movement -the NationalStruggle (Milli Mücadele) - between 1919-1922. The press in Istanbul had got two differentapproaches towards the National Struggle as the supporting and the resisting groups: Thesupporting group containing of Akşam, Vakit, Tasvir-i Efkâr and Yeni Gün kept on supportingthe national view despite of all kind pressure, suppression, and censorship coming from theIstanbul Government. The resisting ones like Peyam-ı Sabah and Alemdar were reflecting thevoice of the Palace and the Government under the effects of the Allied policies in the?Occupied? Istanbul at the very beginning of the National Independence War.Under those circumstances, it was urgent to establish a national news agency in Anatoliaas a propagandist tool in order to declare the views truly and convey the determined voice ofthe National Struggle through the whole world; although there had been a kind of AnatolianPress because it was not satisfying the needs. After the establishment (06th April 1920) by theMustafa Kemal's instructions, Anatolian Agency started to enlighten the public opinion onbehalf of the National Will (Milli İrade) and its struggle. It informed Anatolian people aboutthe results of the struggle truly, and made them conscious of all kind dangers and threats. Atthe same time, the Agency tried to convey the voice of the rightful contestation of the War tothe world.Anatolian Agency was tried to run with the lack of financial sources at the beginning.Later it was joined the Directorate General of Press and Information (Matbuat ve İstihbaratMüdüriyet-i Umumiyesi) in order to solve the some technical problems -especially thedelivering problem- on the date of 7th June 1920. Then it was affiliated with the Council ofMinisters (25th December 1920): Joined to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for having aninstitutional structure, and to Ministry of Internal Affairs for the issues related with thedomestic matters. Finally, it was restructured and turned into a joint-stock company bybecoming independent from the Directorate General of Press and Information on the 1st March1925. The State was one of the shareholders with 49% share.