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Production des participants [
Agence Ivorienne de Presse AIP ] [ Agence Guinéenne de Prese AGP ] [ Agence Nigerienne de Presse ANP ] THE WORKING AND EXPERIENCES OF THE GHANA NEWS AGENCY BY RAY ANKOMAH General Profile The Ghana News Agency (GNA) was established on March 5,1957, the eve of Ghana 's independence. It was the first news agency to be established in Sub-Saharan Africa. GNA was and still remains part of the government's comprehensive communication policy that seeks to harness the information arm of the state to build a viable, united and cohesive newly independent nation-state : Ghana . GNA enjoys a reputation of excellence in the sphere of news and information industry in Ghana with a very high public visibility, well-established network of news and information sources and channels, a broad clientele, skilled and dedicated staff. Clients Currently, GNA supplies news to various mass media institutions, some foreign mission, government and educational institutions, and a few private individuals. Funding GNA's operational activities are funded largely through government subvention. This is supplemented by GNA's Internally Generated Revenue from the sale of News Bulletins, rent from excess spaces in its buildings located in Accra , Ho (Volta Region) ; Tamale (Northern Region) ; Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) ; and commission nom advertisement placed in the media on behalf of its clients. Vision GNA strives to be the most preferred source of news on Ghana , Africa and the world. Mission To contribute to the political and socio-economic development of Ghana through gathering, processing and dissemination of high quality news and information (of interest, relevance and value) from throughout Ghana , and the world. Current State of ICT at Ghant News Agency Ghana News Agency has come a long way from the use of different technologies to achieve its aims. These range from typewriters. Telephones. HF radio receivers. HF and VHF radio transceivers, HF-RTTY radios and teleprinters via leased telephone lines for the gathering, processing and distribution of news. For many years. It churned out news bulletins in hard copies until 1991 when it computerised its operations through the West Africa News Agency Development (WANAD) project. The Agency has since 1992 dispensed with most of its old technology in favour of the electronic mail, relying heavily on its wide Area Network embracing the headquarters, regional and some district offices. This network facilitates the gathering, processing and transmission of news from all parts of the country to the central pool in Accra to be processed and transmitted via the Internet to all its subscribers, numbering more than 70. These comprise both public and private print and electronic media******** ministries, departments and agencies, educations and research institutions, business houses, diplomatic missions and private individuals. This new system also enhances the professional skills of our corps of professional journalists and experienced stringers scattered throughout the country It has again transformed our news packaging to our clients. GNA's ICT policy is thus tied to the government's commitment to pursuing a pragmatic ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) policy, which is aimed at transforming the country into an information-rich, knowledge-based and technology-driven high-income economy and society. Current Objectives The GNA current objectives are to : Strategies In realizing its vision and mission statements, the GNA has decided on the following strategies : By accessing GNA news and website, Ghanaians are also being encouraged to use ICT tools daily to learn about the country's democratic and socio-economic development process. Digital Photography The transition from film to digital imaging has made a lot of difference in photography and the media landscape, particularly as consumers use hundreds of websites for sharing images online. It is longer fashionable therefore to transmit news without pictures or digital image services, which are being used to enhance every line of business and trade. GNA intends to exploit ICT tools by establishing custom of people . the portrait, wedding, and event business for its clients and the general public. GNA thus seeks to widen its clientele and boost its revenue by making accommodation for the digital wave because more and more consumers are included to use digital cameras or seek digital services. The GNA will, in a bid to satisfy its clients operating websites, therefore have to resort to the increased use of digital cameras and email image services. The Agency however requires a huge capital investment to exploit the huge business opportunities in providing services to the growing ranks of people engaged in digital imaging. Conclusion In a position paper entitled 'An Information Society for All'', the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states 'interactive television and multimedia open up yet unexplored perspectives not only for entertainment, but also for educational and cultural programs ''. 'News agencies are obvious beneficiaries of computer-based technologies which allow more efficient news production and distribution'' and that 'if the rapidly developing media technologies are made available over a truly universal broadband network, the media's capacity to provide information and entertainment will increase almost beyond imagination''. The Ghana News Agency, when well resourced, will be capable of accelerating its pace of transmitting ICT information with maximum precision to enable the society to comprehend all the issues and thus demystify the usage of ICT. GNA thus sees itself as both maximizing its operational efficiency and playing a facilitating role in making ICT issues easily accessible and digestible to all. |
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