| The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is Bulgaria's national news agency. It was established by a decree issued by Prince Ferdinand I in 1898. The BTA is now a major and reliable source of information to the print and electronic media, the state bodies and NGOs in Bulgaria. BTA's operation is regulated by a Statute adopted by the 36th National Assembly on 29 June 1994.
The Agency is "an autonomous national news organization", whose director general is elected by Parliament. The Agency's Statute guarantees its independent editorial policy and protects it from any economic and political influence.
BTA's operation is financed from the sale of its information services and products, through advertisements, and through action allocations from the national budget.
Products
BTA distributes 550-600 news items on the services and about 600 pictures every 24 hours.
• The News Agency offers diverse domestic and international news from all spheres of life: politics, economics, culture, sports… It highlights events related to Bulgaria’s Euro-Atlantic integration that take place both in this country and abroad.
• BTA has a broad network of reporters, correspondents and stringers both here and abroad. The official documents and announcements of state institutions, the services of the world and national news agencies are also among the BTA sources of information..
• BTA services in Bulgarian, transmitted electronically, include "Home News", "International News", "Balkan News", "Economic News", "Sports", "News Channel", "Original Texts Service", "Amusement & Knowledge", "Electronic Media Monitor", "Press Review", "Analyses & Outlooks", "Forthcoming Events in Bulgaria", "Forthcoming International Events", "Forthcoming Sports Events", "Daily Calendar", "Central Electoral Commission".
• BTA offers the following free electronic services in Bulgarian: "Bulgaria", "The World", "Balkans", "Business", "Sports", "Today’s Special", "and Press Review".
• Other electronic services include: "Original Texts Service", "Reference of the World", "E-Clipping", "Electronic Media monitor".
• BTA's hard-copy newsletters in English are "Daily News" with a same-day "Press Review" and the weekly "Bulgarian Economic Outlook". They are also available in an electronic version, as is the daily Economic Service in English.
• The daily photo services, including about 600 pictures, are provided by the BTA press photographers and include the services of the European Press photo Agency (EPA) and AP. They are posted in the Bulgaria, Politics, Sports, Accidents, and Curious Facts, Science, Culture and Fashion topics. |
