Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool
Encyclopedia
The Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool (NANAP) was a cooperation system among news agencies
of Non-Aligned
countries, which lasted from 1975 to mid-1990s. The NANAP was initially led, funded, and supported by Yugoslavia
's Tanjug
, and gathered many state-owned news organizations, especially in Africa
and Southern Asia.
It was also known by many different translations, such as the News Agencies Pool of Non-Aligned Countries, the Consorce of Non-Aligned News Agencies, and the Common Agency of Non-Aligned Countries.
The NANAP was founded in late 1974 and started operations in January, 1975, initially with a series of wires with statements and congratulations by their supporting heads of state
. The idea responded to many calls for a new balance in world news
made since early 1970s by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the debates for a New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO). Later, these discussions would be hosted by the UNESCO
and would culminate in the approval of the MacBride Report
in its 20th conference in Belgrade
, 1980.
In the meantime, the NANAP operated as an international, collaborative, charges-free, and institutional cooperation between news agencies of the Third World
. Its main goal was to provide their own mass media
channels with news which would be unbiased — or, at most, biased with their own worldview — and offer a counter-hegemonical
report on world news concerning developing nations.
Tanjug, specifically, had a leading role not only by hosting and lending equipment, technicians, and training journalist
s from underdeveloped, poorer countries, but also by taking into the system its own self-management model
. Although the Pool had no official headquarters, most of the operations in the first years were held in Belgrade.
Other active agencies in the Non-Aligned Pool were the Maghreb Arabe Presse (of Morocco
), Tunisia
n TAP
, Iraq
's INA
and Iran
ian IRNA
.
The NANAP began a slow decline after 1980, when NWICO talks were moved to the UN
framework, under the UNESCO. But, after both the USA and the United Kingdom
retreated their memberships from the organization, the initiative lost financial support and suffered a boycott by pro-free-market Western institutions.
Also in 1980, Marshal Tito
died, and the new leaderships in Yugoslavia deviated focus to other priorities. In the same year, Iraq and Iran started their 8-years war
and the NANAP was used as a mean by both INA and IRNA to circulate propaganda warfare.
Although mostly inactive, the Pool was officially led by IRNA until mid-1990s and then by Malaysia's Bernama
until 2005, when a ministerial conference of Information by the Non-Aligned Movement called on the creation of a Non-Aligned News Network to resurrect the NANAP.
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...
of Non-Aligned
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
countries, which lasted from 1975 to mid-1990s. The NANAP was initially led, funded, and supported by Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
's Tanjug
Tanjug
Tanjug was founded on November 5, 1943. It is now a Serbian news agency based in Belgrade....
, and gathered many state-owned news organizations, especially in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Southern Asia.
It was also known by many different translations, such as the News Agencies Pool of Non-Aligned Countries, the Consorce of Non-Aligned News Agencies, and the Common Agency of Non-Aligned Countries.
The NANAP was founded in late 1974 and started operations in January, 1975, initially with a series of wires with statements and congratulations by their supporting heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. The idea responded to many calls for a new balance in world news
World news
World news or international news or even foreign coverage is the news media-jargon for news from abroad, about a foreign country or a global subject...
made since early 1970s by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the debates for a New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO). Later, these discussions would be hosted by the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and would culminate in the approval of the MacBride Report
MacBride report
Many Voices One World, also known as the MacBride report, was a 1980 UNESCO publication written by the International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, chaired by Irish Nobel laureate Seán MacBride...
in its 20th conference in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, 1980.
In the meantime, the NANAP operated as an international, collaborative, charges-free, and institutional cooperation between news agencies of the Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
. Its main goal was to provide their own mass media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
channels with news which would be unbiased — or, at most, biased with their own worldview — and offer a counter-hegemonical
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
report on world news concerning developing nations.
Tanjug, specifically, had a leading role not only by hosting and lending equipment, technicians, and training journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s from underdeveloped, poorer countries, but also by taking into the system its own self-management model
Titoism
Titoism is a variant of Marxism–Leninism named after Josip Broz Tito, leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, primarily used to describe the specific socialist system built in Yugoslavia after its refusal of the 1948 Resolution of the Cominform, when the Communist Party of...
. Although the Pool had no official headquarters, most of the operations in the first years were held in Belgrade.
Other active agencies in the Non-Aligned Pool were the Maghreb Arabe Presse (of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
), Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n TAP
TAP
-Mechanical and electrical:* Tap , a device for controlling the release of a liquid or gas* Tap , part of an electrical device* A cutting tool, part of a tap and die set-Entertainment:* Tap dance...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's INA
INA
INA as an acronym may refer to: by IOC country code* Indian National Army was an Indian nationalist force during World War II aimed at overthrowing British rule over India* Indian Naval Academy* INA, a division of the Schaeffler Group...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian IRNA
Islamic Republic News Agency
The Islamic Republic News Agency , or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is government-funded and controlled under the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The agency also publishes the newspaper Iran. , the Managing Director of IRNA is Ali Akbar...
.
The NANAP began a slow decline after 1980, when NWICO talks were moved to the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
framework, under the UNESCO. But, after both the USA and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
retreated their memberships from the organization, the initiative lost financial support and suffered a boycott by pro-free-market Western institutions.
Also in 1980, Marshal Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
died, and the new leaderships in Yugoslavia deviated focus to other priorities. In the same year, Iraq and Iran started their 8-years war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
and the NANAP was used as a mean by both INA and IRNA to circulate propaganda warfare.
Although mostly inactive, the Pool was officially led by IRNA until mid-1990s and then by Malaysia's Bernama
BERNAMA
BERNAMA is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body placed under the Information, Culture and Communications Ministry. It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started work on 26 May 1968....
until 2005, when a ministerial conference of Information by the Non-Aligned Movement called on the creation of a Non-Aligned News Network to resurrect the NANAP.