Keystone-SDA is Switzerland's trilingual, multimedia, news agency.
We provide the Swiss media with high-quality, fact-based, and thematically wide-ranging information services from all parts of the country, making an essential contribution to Switzerland's basic media supply. With a presence in all regions and coverage offered in three national languages - German, French, and Italian - we build bridges between linguistic and cultural communities.
Keystone-SDA's coverage includes news from politics, economics, society, culture, science, and sports, delivered in text, image, video, and infographic formats- around the clock, 365 days a year. We distribute press photos and videos, complemented by thematic imagery of everyday life in Switzerland, portraits of Swiss personalities, as well as visual storytelling and reportages. Our historical photo archive makes an important contribution to Switzerland's visual memory.
In addition to serving nearly all Swiss media outlets, Keystone-SDA also supplies numerous international media organizations and news agencies. We further support companies, public authorities, organizations, and communications agencies with content and tailored multimedia solutions for information gathering and communication.
History and Ownership Structure
The Swiss Dispatch Agency (SDA) was founded in 1894 by Swiss newspaper publishers seeking independence from foreign agencies. Their goal was to create a national news source reflecting Switzerland's federal and multilingual character. Operations began January 1, 1895, starting with foreign news and soon expanding to domestic coverage through a nationwide correspondent network.
Throughout the 20th century, SDA became Switzerland's central news agency, supplying newspapers, radio, and later broadcasters with timely reporting on politics, economics, society, and culture. During the World Wars, it played a key role in neutral reporting and public information supply.
Keystone was founded in 1953 as the Swiss branch of the American Keystone View Company (founded in 1891). It evolved into Switzerland's leading independent photo agency, featuring an extensive archive, daily press photo coverage, and a strong presence in the visual news market.
Merger and shareholding
In 2018, the companies merged to form Keystone-SDA as a comprehensive full-service news agency. Keystone-SDA-ATS AG is owned by Swiss media companies. It operates as a private joint-stock company owned by around 50 shareholders, including major Swiss media groups such as TX Group, NZZ, SRG SSR, and the Austrian Press Agency (APA).
![[Translate to English:] Holdings in the Keystone-SDA news agency](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/a/csm_Beteiligungen_EN_a90f9508ed.png)