In 2023, we witnessed numerous significant events that provoked deep reflection and left an indelible mark on our collective memory. Military conflicts and substantial changes in politics, economy, technology, and sports have shaken national and international landscapes throughout its twelve months.
From the bloody war launched by Israel against Gaza, following the massacres and mass kidnappings committed by Hamas on October 7th, to the ongoing disaster caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the tragic earthquakes in Morocco, Syria, and Turkey, events like these compelled EFE to deploy rigorous and truthful reporting. Our teams applied this same dedication in covering more uplifting events, such as Spain’s triumphant rise to the top of women’s football after winning the World Cup against England.
In tandem with both good and bad news, society faces enormous challenges that also impact the practice of journalism. The rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already revolutionizing newsrooms and international media. EFE views this new technology not as a threat but as an opportunity: we are committed to equipping ourselves with the most advanced tools to uphold our duty to provide society with truthful information. This commitment comes in a rapidly evolving digital context where disinformation poses a significant threat to journalism and democracy.
To address this, EFE has integrated basic AI guidelines into our Style Guide, developed proprietary solutions for transcribing audio and video to facilitate news production, incorporated automatic translation tools, and implemented a Generative AI layer in our editing platform to streamline journalists’ work.
Incorporating AI tools in EFE’s newsrooms is one of the five pillars of the Technological Investment Plan, driven by our principal shareholder (SEPI) and the agency’s management. This plan will enable a new leap in technological development, enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of our production, commercialization, and distribution processes. Additionally, this plan will optimize internal management and develop our activities in a highly secure environment.
In 2023, EFE reinforced its commitment to fight against false information in Spain and America. The Agency signed a joint project with Microsoft to collect and analyze data on false publications in Spanish, with particular attention to those circulating in Latin America. A new alert system was also created to detect falsehoods across the Americas, particularly aiding in ensuring accurate and rigorous information during elections in Colombia and Brazil and addressing the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its advocacy for the right to information, EFE launched an innovative mobile application in collaboration with the Indra group. This app aimed to enhance the safety of Colombian journalists and prevent risky situations, and it was presented at the Gabo Festival in Bogotá.
As a public company, Agencia EFE is committed to employment stability (in Spain, 97.56% of contracts are indefinite, and almost all are full-time), promoting a quality work environment, and fostering its team’s personal and professional development, facilitating work-life balance.
People are our company’s primary asset. EFE, the world’s leading Spanish-language news agency, is characterized by great cultural and generational diversity. Professionals from 60 different nationalities add value to our news service.
With a constant focus on gender equality, women represent 44% of the workforce, including executive positions at central services. The evolving EFE team must continue to strive for success, as it has for decades, positioning the Agency among the world’s most important.
Their talent, experience, and commitment to innovation are essential for maintaining this path. We aim to continue this journey together as a beacon of hope and commitment to the best journalism. EFE is always there. Our priority will always be to keep informing.
