HISTORY
ATA, Albanian Telegraphic Agency, was established right after the foundation of the new Albanian state, in 1912, as an indispensable need of the Albanian people to present the Albanian reality as well as to establish contacts with the world. ATA is the only news agency in Albania. It is a national news agency with a governmental budget. ATA applies an independent editorial policy. Its main principle is: ”The news as it happened”.
ATA is a member of the European Alliance of Press Agencies (EAPA), Association of the Balkan News Agencies (ABNA) and Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN). It has good relations and cooperation with almost all the main International News Agencies. It has 120 employees, 60 journalists, 10 regional correspondents, 20 translators and the others administration employees. It has two departments: The Foreign Department and the Domestic Department; Six sectors: Sector of the News for Abroad, Sector of Teletext, Sector of Diaspora, Sector of Finances, Sector of Marketing, Sector of Administration; Two directories: The Directorate of Economic News and the Technical Directorate.
Since it’s creation ATA had a network of correspondents in the major towns of the country. It is worth mentioning that ATA had at that time connections with foreign agencies like HAVAS, Paris; STEFANI, Rome, REUTERS, London; GERMAN PRESS OFFICE, Berlin. On the brink of fascist occupation, ATA and Radio Tirana were the only institutions which retained their independence for a long time. ATA informed all Europe of the Albanians' resistance.
THE PRODUCTS
General News Service: The basic product is General News Service. It transmits on 24 hours bases approximately 100 news items referring to domestic politics and nearly 120 items referring to foreign issues. The subscribers are newspapers, TV etc., i.e. all media, individuals and private companies. ATA's information makes up 40-50% of the information published in the daily newspapers.
English News Service: The English News service provides about 60 news items a day. The background is the General News Service, that means news on domestic politics, business, culture and sports. The main clients are international news agencies, media, banks, embassies.
French News Service: The French News Service provides about 60 news items daily. The topics are Albanian politics, business, culture and sports. The main clients are international news agencies, media, banks, embassies.
Photo service: ATA's photo service focuses on the main important home events.
Teletext: ATA’s Teletext is another significant source of information. This program is followed by some 130 000 families all over Albania. Through Teletext ATA provides domestic and foreign news items. ATA also provides information on exchange rates and prices in the domestic market.
Multi-media service: ATA is now in the process of installing a multi-media service, which means direct transmitting of news accompanied by audio and video.
In addition to the on-the-minute news, ATA also offers other services (useful information), of which mostly demanded are:
- Economical News from Albania and abroad, Exchange Rate, Stock-exchange
- Daily News Events - three summaries of the main events at 15:00 hrs, 19:00 hrs and 20:00
- Sport Live - the scores of the matches of Albanian League, as well as of the mostly attended
- European Soccer Championships
- Seven Days of Economy -a weekly news summary from economy and finance
- World Today - international agenda and other events.
- Weather Forecast - Albania, in the region and main European cities
- Press Review - the main headlines of Albanian dailies, World Press Review - the main headlines of the Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, The International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, Liberation, Corriere della Sera and other newspapers
The ATA service is found on ATA Web News (only titles), free access to Internet: www.ata-al.net.
ATA Web News and AWN Plus (text – photo free), ATA Web Photo are offer due to payment. |