First use of a portable photo scanner for the digital transmission of captioned images. The Dixel replaces the Belinograph. The photographer no longer has to transport a complete darkroom weighing 50 kg to print photos on paper - necessary for transmission by Belinograph. The Dixel is one of the first 35mm scanners that can be carried in a small box. That year AFP beats all its competitors in photo distribution.

Paul-Louis Bret considers that AFI can represent what remains of free French public opinion, with the capacity to criticise the Vichy regime. The AFI reaches an agreement with the British Ministry of Information and Reuters to broadcast a daily French language service of around 10,000 words across free Europe.

An agreement between the three
major agencies - Reuter, based in London, Wolff in Berlin, and Havas – divides the world between them for the collection and dissemination of
information.

Charles-Guillaume and Auguste Havas take over the Agency’s management from their father.

The Agency starts to use electrical telegraphs, an invention which enables it to expand.
Soon it is better and faster informed of what is going on in the world.
In response to the Crimean war (1854-1856) it extends its European network all the way to Saint Petersburg and the Bosphorus.