COVID-19 crisis emphasized role of news agencies - EANA president

"News agencies are more than ever the blood vessels of the international information flow. The COVID 19 crisis has emphasized that role – but at the same time it has produced unprecedented challenges," Peter Kropsch, President of EANA and CEO of the German Press Agency dpa, said at the closing of the conference entitled "Coronavirus: Changes and Chances."

One of the topics discussed during online panels was the reconsideration of news agencies' roles in society during the past few months.

"News agencies have proven again that they have the ability to assume the role of the backbone for all of the media ecosystem. During these tough times, our members stepped up and evolved in a way which was best for their clients, their partners and societies as a whole, by providing trustworthy, accurate and verified information to all," said Alexandru Giboi, EANA Secretary General.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director General of the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform, said in his speech at the closing of the conference that it is at such times as the coronavirus pandemic that the most significant and sometimes historical changes take place in many spheres.

"Our task is to make them a story of our success," he said, adding that journalists are more accustomed to the growing challenges than others.

The European Alliance of News Agencies includes more than 30 leading news agencies from European countries. Ukrinform represents Ukraine in the Alliance.

The EANA conference was to take place in Kyiv, but it was held online due to the pandemic - for the first time in 64 years since the establishment of the organization.

Photo: dpa