The Associated Press

The AP Stylebook is a comprehensive grammar, punctuation, and usage reference guide first published by the Associated Press in the early 1950s. It is the standard style guide for the vast majority of American newspapers and newsrooms, and is updated annually to reflect changes in language conventions and sensitive terminology.

The AP operates one of the largest election-calling operations in the United States, using a combination of vote-count analysis, on-the-ground reporting from county clerks across all 50 states, and statistical modeling. The AP does not rely on exit polls alone and has called every U.S. presidential race for over 170 years, only retracting a call once in its history—Florida in 2000.

The AP operates as a not-for-profit cooperative owned by its member news organizations—primarily U.S. newspapers and broadcasters. This structure means it does not have shareholders to satisfy and positions itself as an impartial wire service that sells content to its members rather than competing for advertising revenue.

The AP maintains bureaus and reporters in over 250 locations across roughly 100 countries, making it one of the most geographically expansive news organizations in the world. Its content reaches billions of people daily through member news outlets that subscribe to the AP wire service.