The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) is a government-run news agency. The agency was established immediately following Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Despite its reputation as Pakistan’s leading newswire, APP has faced financial challenges in recent years, operating from outdated offices and using antiquated technical equipment.
Media assets
News agency: APP
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
APP is a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In 2002, the agency underwent a transformation into a state-owned corporation, known as the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation.
The Managing Director of APP is appointed by the government, typically from a pool of government officials. To illustrate, in March 2023 Muhammad Asim was appointed to the role, concurrently serving as Head of the Cyber Wing in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Source of funding and budget
Local experts and journalists interviewed for this report in March 2023 and June 2024 indicated that the budget of APP is significantly smaller than that of other state media in Pakistan. Some sources indicate that the budget is more than ten times smaller than that of PBC. Despite selling its content to subscribers (mainly institutional clients), local journalists and experts estimate that the government subsidy accounts for approximately 70% of the agency’s annual budget.
Editorial independence
APP operates as an official state agency. The editorial agenda is controlled by the government through the agency’s managing director, who is always a government representative. The agency refrains from offering any criticism of the government. On the other hand, it regularly disseminates information and news received from the government, according to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in March 2023 and June 2024.
There is no domestic legislation in place, nor is there an independent assessment or oversight mechanism, that would validate the independence of APP.
September 2024