The Impact of Anadolu Agency News as a News Source on Arab Media and Arab Public Opinion

Abstract

Global news agencies continue to play a fundamental role as news providers not only for media outlets but also for individuals by making the instant dissemination and consumption of news possible and promoting an experience of global connectedness. The globalization of the media has led to a few global news agencies dominating the world's media; thus, the influence of these agencies can spread across countries without regard to political boundaries. As part of the international race to win the Arab public opinion and consolidate their dominance in the Arab world, the big global news agencies are seeking to present their programs and news in Arabic language. In recent years, Turkey as an important regional power in the Arab world has taken some initiatives to communicate with the Arab public through the press, the most important of which is the Arabic Department of the Anadolu (News) Agency. On this basis, the study aims to examine the level and nature of the media presence of Anadolu Agency's Arabic Department in the Arab world and how Anadolu Agency can become a reliable news source for the largest Arab media outlets. In this study, on the one hand, a quantitative approach was adopted in which the researchers collected data on the daily and the monthly number of news quoted by Arabic newspapers from the Arabic Department of Anadolu Agency. On the other hand, in the qualitative analysis, the study relies on the analysis of some surveys and previous Arabic studies to identify the factors that contribute to the success and development of the Arabic Department of the Anadolu Agency in the Arab world. The study showed that the common cultural, religious, and historical ties between Turkey and the Arab world have greatly facilitated the active presence of Anadolu Agency in the Arab geographies and the regions.