March 1 marks the 99th anniversary of the founding of Azerbaijan`s first national news agency

Baku, March 1, AZERTAC

A legacy of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, AZERTAC has made great strides in 99 years since its establishment. The agency`s path to success was difficult, but glorious.

The first national news agency was founded on 1 March 1920 by the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. AZERTAC published its first news in Azerbaycan newspaper on 2 March. However, the agency existed for only two months as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic collapsed on 28 April.

Although AZERTAC was formally independent in the first months when the Soviet Union was established, in fact, the agency was made a branch of the Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA).

In August of 1921 AZERTAC was renamed AzerTA. With the establishment of the USSR in 1922 AzerTA was made a branch of the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). The establishment of the Transcaucasian Federation in March of 1923 saw news agencies of three South Caucasus republics merge into ZaqTA.

In 1936, AzerTA again became an independent news agency.

AZERTAC`s most recent success

Despite difficulties and restrictions imposed by the Soviet regime, AZERTAC managed to create the annals of Azerbaijan`s history. The first years of Azerbaijan`s independence marked a new stage in the agency`s development as it was provided with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment and created a highly-qualified staff. Ever since, AZERTAC has considerably reinforced its standing on the international news arena and embarked on fruitful cooperation with foreign counterparts and international news organizations.

The year 2016 marked a landmark page in AZERTAC’s history. AZERTAC hosted a meeting of the News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) and the 16th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA). Hosted in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the event brought together more than 200 heads and representatives of 130 news agencies from 80 countries, international media executives, UN and UNESCO officials as well as experts from regional media organizations. President Ilham Aliyev’s impressive speech at the joint opening ceremony of these two events and his meeting with a group of Congress participants was of crucial importance. Global media policy makers highly appreciated the Azerbaijani President`s erudition, and his creative approach to the relations between the society, government and media. Over 150 news agencies covered these events hosted by Baku.

AZERTAC now holds the presidency of both News Agencies World Congress and Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies for a three-year term that ends this year.

With bureaus in 22 countries, AZERTAC produces news in 8 languages

Working on a round-the-clock basis, AZERTAC is producing news in 8 languages, including in Azerbaijani, English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese covering socio-political, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, healthcare, sport, environmental and other fields. The agency is producing nearly 500 news items, including photos and videos on a daily basis.

AZERTAC is a member of OANA, EANA, News Agencies World Congress, as well as ANIA, BSANNA, TKA and IINA.

In 2011-2013, AZERTAC chaired the Black Sea Association of National News Agencies. It currently presides over the Union of the Turkic Speaking News Agencies. AZERTAC will be holding the presidency of OANA and News Agencies World Congress in 2016-2019. The agency`s Director General is vice-president of OANA and member of the Executive Board of News Agencies World Congress.

AZERTAC has bilateral agreements with news agencies of around 50 countries, and maintains successful cooperation with them. The agency has bureaus in 22 countries and all regions of the country.

AZERTAC is doing its utmost to respond flexibly to current challenges and master advanced technologies in order to preserve and cement its standing on the information arena amid media boom and tough competition in social network. The agency has sufficient creative and technical potential to get this mission fulfilled.