VIVANews – 71 years ago today, on 13th December 1937, Adam Malik, along with Soemanang, Sipahoetar, Armin Pane, Abdul Hakim, and Pandu Kartawigoena, founded Antara, Indonesia’ s first news agency. Its office was located at 38th Pinangsia Street, North Jakarta. The first director of Antara was Sugondo Djojopuspito, while Adam Malik served as his deputy.
The fact that an old typewriter was the only writing tool the news agency had did not deter its founders from providing news for various national newspapers.
During the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, Antara temporarily changed its name into Yashima. And it was under this name, that Antara successfully broadcasted Indonesia’s proclamation of independence to the world in 1945. Seventeen years later, in 1962, Antara was formally acknowledged by the Indonesian government as Indonesia’s official news agency.