# Ethiopian News Agency

The Ethiopian News Agency (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ዜና አገልግሎት Ye-Ityopya Zéna Agelgelot (IZA) or ENA) is the official news agency of the government of Ethiopia. It is the oldest news organisation in Ethiopia.

## History and Activities

Established in 1942 as a national wire news center, the Ethiopian News Agency has been gathering, compiling and disseminating news stories to the public through the mass media, websites and various social media platforms. As the oldest and experienced newscaster in the country, ENA has been disseminating news and related stories, documentary and TV programs through its 38 branch offices across the country. Moreover, the Agency publishes a bi-monthly magazine called Negari which features topical local and international issues and agenda of paramount importance.
The agency broadcasts its news and programs in six local and foreign languages: Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, English, Arabic and French.
ENA was restructured and made accountable to the House of Peoples’ Representatives in 2019 with the aim of expanding its service delivery through strong institutional frameworks.
Accordingly, ENA has been entrusted with responsibilities, among others, producing and disseminating news stories, featured articles, programs, spots in local and international languages as well as reporting on international affairs that affect the national interest of the country, serving as a reliable source of news for Ethiopia. Further, it promotes the image of the country and conducts polls on public opinions and researches on various issues of the country as well as organizes events and keeps written, voice and video archives.
ENA also provides capacity building training programs for media professionals and public relation officers.
Other services delivered by ENA include:
* Production of TV Programs in various languages, documentary films, advertisement clips and short message clips. • Organizing consultative forums, panel discussions and talk shows • Producing and publishing periodical and annual magazines, institutional profiles and photo journals • Conducting periodic survey and audience analysis on customers satisfaction • Conducting daily media monitoring service, content analysis and evaluation on cluster or sector based monitoring service • Capturing and recording voice and image mixing services • Providing photo and video clippings and footages from archives • Offering comprehensive studio access services
Cognizant of the need for modernizing, automating and digitalization of its services to ensure quality content delivery, ENA commissioned a modern media complex which encompasses 3 TV studios, 4 radio studios equipped with ultramodern editing and recording instruments and facilities. The ENA's inception dates back to 1942, when a news distribution service was opened as part of the Press Department, which was within the Press and Information Bureau. In 1943, the service was renamed Agence Direction, and assigned to the Ministry of Pen (Tsehafi Tae'zaz in Amharic). It can be argued that it was the first national wire service in Africa, as no other African country had an indigenous service of the kind, due to colonialism, wherein social, political and economic institutions were established by, and made to serve, the interests of the colonial powers. Agence Direction closed in 1947 due to budget constraints in the Ministry of Pen.

## Twentieth century

In 1954, Emperor Haile Selassie was embarking on a world tour and Agence Direction reopened so that Ethiopia could receive news of the tour. There was no further significant development in the next 10 years, except for a few attempts at expanding the service locally.
Beginning in late 1963, Agence Direction began to make its presence felt among the public through newspapers and radio broadcasting. Its name was changed to Ethiopian News Source in 1964, then to its present name of Ethiopian News Agency in 1967.
In 1995, it became a semi-autonomous agency under a board that is accountable to the House of Peoples' Representatives. Its autonomy is very limited, with the government having full control.

## Twenty-first century

It has about three dozen branches across Ethiopia.
In October 2022, the Russian state news agency Sputnik and ENA announced a deal to exchange content. On behalf of ENA, Yohannes Wondirad stated that international news would be exchanged between the agencies subject to "the local laws and legislations applicable to both countries".