Tunisian News Agency Computerizes
29-11-2002 ()
At the Signing Ceremony
© UNESCO
UNESCO today signed a contract with a British firm for the provision of news reception, processing, transmitting and archiving software to the Tunisian News Agency (TAP). UNESCO's Intergovernmental Programme for the Development of Communication provided US$70,000 and the French Government contributed a further US$100,000.
The contributions will be used to purchase hardware and necessary accessories. TAP will also renovate its premises, modernise network cabling and meet the training costs, supported by UNESCO, of its technical and journalistic staff.
The project has three main thrusts: enable the Tunisian news agency to emigrate into a more advanced electronic environment thus facilitating the receipt, processing and transmitting of news; create an electronic archiving database which will greatly facilitate the research work of journalists and then equip journalistic and technical staff with the relevant skills to optimise the system.
The computerisation of the TAP will greatly enhance news collection and distribution activities of the Agency facilitating the collection and distribution of news even from far-flung corners of the country; media institutions as well as independent and pluralistic media will be able to obtain news more rapidly and ‘at an affordable’ price thus facilitating the integration of all segments of society within the Tunisian media landscape.
Speaking at the Contract signing ceremony, TAP Director-General Mohammed Ben Ezzedine thanked both UNESCO and France for financially supporting the project. He expressed the wish that his Agency’s cooperation with both UNESCO and France would and should not end with the signing of the contract. He went on to mention that computerisation of news agencies is an area in which international sharing of experiences and expertise is still needed given particularly the technological advances being made in this field: thus the importance of UNESCO’s involvement and commitment in this area.
Speaking at the same function, UNESCO representatives stressed the fact that national news collection institutions – private or public -are important in national media landscapes. However news agencies today face competition from other suppliers of news and thus there is the need to improve news collection processes as well as diversifying products.
The project has three main thrusts: enable the Tunisian news agency to emigrate into a more advanced electronic environment thus facilitating the receipt, processing and transmitting of news; create an electronic archiving database which will greatly facilitate the research work of journalists and then equip journalistic and technical staff with the relevant skills to optimise the system.
The computerisation of the TAP will greatly enhance news collection and distribution activities of the Agency facilitating the collection and distribution of news even from far-flung corners of the country; media institutions as well as independent and pluralistic media will be able to obtain news more rapidly and ‘at an affordable’ price thus facilitating the integration of all segments of society within the Tunisian media landscape.
Speaking at the Contract signing ceremony, TAP Director-General Mohammed Ben Ezzedine thanked both UNESCO and France for financially supporting the project. He expressed the wish that his Agency’s cooperation with both UNESCO and France would and should not end with the signing of the contract. He went on to mention that computerisation of news agencies is an area in which international sharing of experiences and expertise is still needed given particularly the technological advances being made in this field: thus the importance of UNESCO’s involvement and commitment in this area.
Speaking at the same function, UNESCO representatives stressed the fact that national news collection institutions – private or public -are important in national media landscapes. However news agencies today face competition from other suppliers of news and thus there is the need to improve news collection processes as well as diversifying products.
© UNESCORelated themes/countries
· Tunisia: News Archives 2002
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- Kaliwo Gervasio Gabriel, UNESCO Communication Development Division; Jane Wright, UNESCO Rabat Office
- UNESCO
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