Soemanang had been working at the "Tjaja Timoer" newspaper, while Sipahoetar was an employee for a Dutch advertisement agency. The latter was also an acquaintance of Adam Malik, who had left Medan after Dutch authorities attempted to imprison him for political activism. The three met at Soemanang's residence with author Armijn Pane to discuss the establishment of the news agency. Soemanang named the agency Antara based on "Perantaraan", a weekly magazine he had previously established in Bogor. He became its editor-in-chief, while Sipahoetar became a senior editor. Antara's first news bulletin reporting its own establishment, was reprinted in the newspapers "Perasaan Kita" on 14 December 1937 and "Kebangoenan" the following day. Sanusi Pane, Armijn Pane's older brother and "Kebangoenan"s editor-in-chief, and "Perasaan Kita" editor-in-chief Prawoto Soemodilogo were appointed to the agency's board of directors.