ELTA
Encyclopedia
ELTA is a Lithuania
n news agency
based in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius
.
ELTA was founded in 1920 in Kaunas
, the second largest city in Lithuania, by Juozas Eretas, the first director of the agency, a literature
professor
, publicist
, and public figure of Swiss descent who sought to make the ELTA news wire as efficient and reliable as a "Swiss watch".
Between 1920 and 1940, ELTA cooperated closely with the most prominent foreign agencies – its five teleprinter
s used to send news from Reuters
, DNB
, HAVAS
, STEFANI
and TASS
. Between 1926 and 1927, the director of ELTA was Justas Paleckis
, who later in 1940 was installed as Premier Minister by the Soviet
s.
When Soviet troops occupied Lithuania in 1940, ELTA was incorporated as a part of the USSR information service known as TASS and relayed news from Moscow
over the period 1940–1990. With the recovery of national sovereignty in 1990, ELTA also re-established its independence
from TASS and its direct contacts with leading global agencies. In 1996, ELTA became an independent (non state-owned) national news agency. Now, ELTA is a stock company
.
Today, ELTA successfully cooperates with foreign news agencies such as Reuters
, ITAR-TASS, DPA
, PAP
and others.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
based in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
.
ELTA was founded in 1920 in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, the second largest city in Lithuania, by Juozas Eretas, the first director of the agency, a literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, publicist
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
, and public figure of Swiss descent who sought to make the ELTA news wire as efficient and reliable as a "Swiss watch".
Between 1920 and 1940, ELTA cooperated closely with the most prominent foreign agencies – its five teleprinter
Teleprinter
A teleprinter is a electromechanical typewriter that can be used to communicate typed messages from point to point and point to multipoint over a variety of communication channels that range from a simple electrical connection, such as a pair of wires, to the use of radio and microwave as the...
s used to send news from Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, DNB
Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet is a Fortune 500 public company headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA that provides information on businesses and corporations for use in credit decisions, B2B marketing and supply chain management...
, HAVAS
Havas
Havas is the second largest advertising group in France and is a "Global advertising and communications services group" and the sixth-largest global advertising and communications group worldwide, operating on the communications consulting market through three main operational divisions:*Euro RSCG...
, STEFANI
Stefani
Stefani may refer to:* Stefani, Boeotia, a settlement in Boeotia, Greece* Stefani, Preveza, a village in the municipality of Louros, Preveza peripheral unit, Greece* Stefani, Trikala, a village in the municipality of Kalampaka, Trikala peripheral unit, Greece...
and TASS
Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union , was the central agency for collection and distribution of internal and international news for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations...
. Between 1926 and 1927, the director of ELTA was Justas Paleckis
Justas Paleckis
Justas Paleckis was a Lithuanian journalist and politician. He was acting president of Lithuania after the Soviet invasion while Lithuania was still ostensibly independent, in office from June 17 – August 3, 1940....
, who later in 1940 was installed as Premier Minister by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
s.
When Soviet troops occupied Lithuania in 1940, ELTA was incorporated as a part of the USSR information service known as TASS and relayed news from Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
over the period 1940–1990. With the recovery of national sovereignty in 1990, ELTA also re-established its independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from TASS and its direct contacts with leading global agencies. In 1996, ELTA became an independent (non state-owned) national news agency. Now, ELTA is a stock company
Stock company
Stock company can refer to:*Joint stock company *Stock company - referring to a group of actors...
.
Today, ELTA successfully cooperates with foreign news agencies such as Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, ITAR-TASS, DPA
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH is a news agency founded in 1949 in Germany. Based in Hamburg, it has grown to be a major worldwide operation serving print media, radio, television, online, mobile phones, and national news agencies. News is available in German, English, Spanish, and Arabic.The DPA...
, PAP
Polish Press Agency
Polish Press Agency is a Poland's news agency owned by Polska Agencja Prasowa S.A., distributing political, economic, social, and cultural press releases as well as events info and online news, in a similar way to Reuters, Agence France-Presse and AP....
and others.