Algérie Presse Service (APS)
Founded in December 1961 amid the Algerian War of Independence, APS—Algeria’s official news agency—has long served as a key instrument of state communication.
Media assets
News agency: APS
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Since 1991, by decree No. 91‑104, APS has operated as a public establishment with industrial and commercial status, overseen by the Ministry of Communication.
APS is governed by a 10-member Administration Council, including the Director General, journalists, representatives from the APS state news agency itself, and four members appointed by ministries. The Director General, who also chairs the Council, is selected by presidential decree and reports to the Ministry. As of mid‑2025, Samir Gaid holds the Director General’s post, reflecting a long-standing pattern of politically appointed leadership.
Source of funding and budget
APS sustains its operations through a blend of state subsidies and revenue from its commercial activities—such as content sales and subscriptions—though public funding remains dominant. Experts estimate that more than 70% of its budget is state-funded.
In 2021, APS received DZD 544 million (approximately US $4 million). In 2022, that amount stayed steady at over DZD 550 million, according to local experts interviewed for this report in August 2024. Financial disclosures are scant from 2023 onward.
Editorial independence
Serving as the state’s mouthpiece, APS routinely circulates official announcements, government policy, and diplomatic engagements, though rarely engages in investigative or critical journalism. Coverage of neighbouring Morocco is notably aggressive—largely reflecting state policy rather than independent fact-finding.
Despite legally being a public establishment, APS lacks statutory safeguards of press freedom, and no independent oversight exists to shield its editorial output from political influence.
In 2023, journalistic sources—such as Jeune Afrique—reported that APS is now closely embedded with the President’s communication apparatus, to the point that “nothing can be published without presidential approval.”
July 2025