The news agencies in the Ottoman Empire: Havas, Reuters and the Ottoman Telegraph Agency (1862-1914)

Abstract

Established in the nineteenth century, Havas, Reuters and Wolff’s became three major and influential news agencies in the world. Especially Havas and Reuters gave utmost importance to the Ottoman Empire and competed to gain control of news collecting and dissemination in the imperial capital. Being challenged by the Great Power politics of the century, the Ottoman Empire tried to have control of the news Havas and Reuters disseminated in the empire and abroad along with other carriers and makers of information through financial means. Not satisfied with the outcomes of this policy, the empire searched for ways to have its own news agency for more than three decades. The Ottoman Telegraph Agency, the first semi-formal news agency of the Ottoman Empire came into existence in 1911.