AFP is governed by a statute that guarantees its total independence. Subject to commercial law, it has the particularity of not having any shareholders so as to protect it from any external influences. Its decision-making body is an 18-member board of directors, made up of representatives of its media clients, public administrations, qualified personalities, and employee representatives. The Agency's board of governors, its oversight body, can be consulted on any issue that may be seen as affecting the Agency's independence. 

Present in 150 countries, AFP offers its clients comprehensive news coverage on a vast range of subjects, and often from locations that are rarely, if ever, covered by other media. This presence in the field allows us to diversify our sources, well beyond institutional ones. A recognized hallmark of AFP journalism is also the attention it pays to human interest stories.

AFP has the world's leading fact-checking network, with 134 journalists working on five continents in 26 languages. These journalists, who specialize in fact-checking and digital verification, expose disinformation and establish the truth. In this particular case, AFP publishes directly to the general public via its AFP Fact Check site. The Agency also offers journalists from all over the world free access to training in digital journalism. 

AFP, already renowned for its text and photo production, is now also recognised internationally for the quality of its video production, which is attested to by its constant gains in market share and the many awards it receives. Images, which are increasingly the key element of news coverage, now account for half of the agency's turnover, and live video broadcasts (around 60 a day) are among the most popular products.