Jump to content

BelaPAN: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
rewritten the article with more actual info
Line 18: Line 18:
}}
}}


The '''Belarusian Private News Agency''' or shortly '''BelaPAN''' ({{lang-be|БелаПАН}}) is an independent Belarusian news agency and one of the main Belarusian news agencies along with the state-controlled [[BelTA]].
The '''Belarusian Private News Agency''' or shortly '''BelaPAN''' ({{lang-be|БелаПАН}}) is a non-governmental independent Belarusian news agency, one of the main in the country. BelaPAN provides news on politics, economy, and sports from [[Belarus]] in [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] and [[English language|English]].{{sfn|Unesco|2011|p=84}} The staff includes a wide net of reporters and correspondents.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://archive.svoboda.org/ll/man/0305/ll.030905-1.asp
|title = Person of the Day
|publisher = Radio Svoboda
|date = 1005-03-09
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language =en
|author=Bystrov, A.
|url = https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/how-to-clear-belarus-of-independent-media-in-one-easy-step/
|title = With attacks on independent media, the "thaw" in Belarus is over
|publisher = Open Democracy
|date = 2018-08-10
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>


The company also runs projects related to advertising, elections monitoring, etc. BelaPAN owns the on-line newspaper ''[[Belorusskiye Novosti]]''.<ref name=village>{{cite web
The company was founded in 1991 by [[Ales Lipay]] and provides news on politics, economy and sports from [[Belarus]] in [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] and [[English language|English]]. The company also runs projects related to advertising, elections monitoring and others.
|language = ru
|url = https://www.the-village.me/village/city/news-city/269965-umer-lipay
|title = Умер основатель БелаПАН Алесь Липай
|publisher = The Village
|date = 2018-06-23
|accessdate = 2020-07-17
}}</ref>{{sfn|Shibut|2006|p=3-4}}


Since 2004, BelaPAN is the only Belarusian representative in the CEE-BusinessLine.<ref>{{cite web
BelaPAN owns the on-line newspaper ''[[Belorusskiye novosti]]''.
|language = ru
|url = https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20040505_OTS0142/cee-businessline-jetzt-als-buergerservice-auf-wwweuropa2004gvat-bild
|title = CEE-BusinessLine jetzt als Bürgerservice auf www.europa2004.gv.at
|publisher = APA-OTS
|date = 2004-05-05
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = de
|url = https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20040406_OTS0030/afx-nutzt-cee-businessline-als-quelle-fuer-cee-finanzberichterstattung
|title = AFX nutzt CEE-BusinessLine als Quelle für CEE-Finanzberichterstattung
|publisher = APA-OTS
|date = 2004-04-06
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> According to Media IQ in 2019, BelaPAN had the highest rating of being clear from state propaganda.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://mediaiq.by/article/13-media-ispolzovali-propagandu-i-manipulyacii-v-aprele
|title = 13 медиа использовали пропаганду и манипуляции в апреле
|trans-title=13 Media Used Propaganda in April
|publisher = Media IQ
|date = 2019-05-23
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://mediaiq.by/article/rekordno-vysokiy-ball-u-belapan
|title = Рекордно высокий балл у БелаПАН
|trans-title=BelaPan Hits the Record
|publisher = Media IQ
|date = 2019-10-29
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> The agency is characterized by a well-balanced, objective and impartial coverage of current events both on Eastern and Western political spheres.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://baj.by/sites/default/files/analytics/files/belarus_media_freedom_ru_web_0.pdf
|title = Analytical Report on Media Freedom in Belarus, 2014
|publisher = [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]]
|date = 2014
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>{{sfn|Unesco|2011|p=84}}


== History ==
BelaPAN has received several journalistic awards, including the [[Dzmitry Zavadski]] Prize "For Courage and Professionalism" (2004), the [[ZEIT-Stiftung|Zeit Foundation's]] Young Press of Eastern Europe annual award (2005), and the [[Runet Prize]] as the best online [[Russian language]] source of news outside [[Russia]] (2006).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.belapan.com/site/about/|title=About us / Recognition|publisher=BelaPAN official website|accessdate=28 December 2017}}</ref>


=== Foundation and Early Years ===
==Criticism==

In December 2017, BelaPAN and ''Belorusskiye novosti'' have been mentioned among several other Belarusian independent media that had allegedly removed old news stories about the 2015 arrest and ten months long imprisonment of the businessman [[Viktor Prokopenya]] from their websites. This was allegedly done after the media were approached by Prokopenya's [[public relations]] advisors. The situation has caused a wide discussion among Belarusian journalists and media professionals.<ref>{{cite news|title=«Пракапеня – герой, які ўскрыў гнайнік». Медыяаналітык распавёў, як заўважыў знікненне матэрыялаў у СМІ пра бізнесоўца ["Prakapenya is a hero who cut an abscess open". Media analyst tells how he discovered the disappearance of media articles about the businessman]|url=http://belsat.eu/programs/prakapenya-geroj-yaki-uskryu-gnajnik-medyyaanalityk-raspavyou-yak-zauvazhyu-zniknenne-materyyalau-u-smi-pra-biznesoutsa/|publisher=[[Belsat]]|date=27 December 2017|language=Belarusian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Пілецкі|first1=Алесь|title=«Ніхто нічога страшнага не зрабіў». Рэдактары незалежных СМІ пра выдаленьне матэрыялаў пра Віктара Пракапеню ["Nobody did anything terrible". Editors of independent media about removing articles about Viktar Prakapenya]|url=https://www.svaboda.org/a/28941851.html|publisher=[[Radio Svaboda]]|date=27 December 2017|language=Belarusian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=#Прокопенягейт: Социальные сети гудят, независимые медиа говорят "ничего страшного не случилось" [#Prokopenyagate: social networks buzz, independent media say "nothing terrible happened"]|url=http://mediakritika.by/article/4830/prokopenyageyt-socialnye-seti-gudyat-nezavisimye-media-govoryat-nichego-strashnogo-ne|website=Mediakritika.by|date=27 December 2017|language=Russian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Жерносек|first1=Ольга|title=Цензура Прокопени. Кто и почему скрывает от нас правду? [Prokopenya's Censorship: who and why is hiding the truth from us?]|url=https://belsat.eu/ru/in-focus/tsenzura-prokopeni-kto-i-pochemu-skryvaet-ot-nas-pravdu/|publisher=[[Belsat]]|date=27 December 2017|language=Russian}}</ref>
The agency was founded on November 19, 1991, by the journalist [[Ales Lipay]].<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://baj.by/ru/content/god-nazad-umer-ales-lipay-osnovatel-negosudarstvennoy-informacionnoy-kompanii-belapan
|title = Год назад умер Алесь Липай — основатель негосударственной информационной компании БелаПАН
|publisher = [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]]
|date = 2019-08-23
|accessdate = 2020-07-17
}}</ref><ref name=moyby/> In 1992 Irina Levshina joined the team, as of 2020 she is the editor-in-chief. In her recollections, BelaPAN’s first office was located at Брылеўскі blind alley in a small wooden building with an outhouse. The office had only one PC, one fax machine and three work desks.<ref name=levshina>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://baj.by/be/analytics/irina-levshina-nenavizhu-rashozhuyu-frazu-vyyti-iz-zony-komforta
|title = Ирина Левшина: Ненавижу расхожую фразу «выйти из зоны комфорта»
|publisher = [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]]
|date = 2019-08-09
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> Apart from Levashova and Lipay, the staff included three more employees, they printed the news and on foot brought them to editors offices of Minsk newspapers.<ref name=belpart>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://belaruspartisan.by/politic/362582/
|title = Поздравляем! БелаПАН празднует 25-летие
|publisher = [[Belarusian Partisan]]
|date = 2016-11-19
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref name=moyby>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/245702/
|title = БелаПАН отмечает 25-летие
|trans-title=BelaPan Turns 25
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2016-11-19
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref name=25years>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://baj.by/be/analytics/kak-lukashenko-ne-puskali-v-belapan-i-drugie-nashi-istorii
|title = Как Лукашенко не пускали в БелаПАН. И другие наши истории
|publisher = [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]]
|date = 2016-11-19
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>

Gradually the company grew and in 1996 it rented the office from BelTA. In the early 2000s, it launched ''Отдыхай'' (‘Rest’ in Russian) newspaper, but soon the project had to be shut down due to low profitability<ref name=levshina/><ref name=25years/>. By 2001 six of nine Minsk FM radio stations worked on a news feed, provided by BelaPAN.{{sfn|OSCE|2001|p=28}} In 2002 the agency included analytical, advertisement, publishing, social, and web design departments.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://club.cnews.ru/blogs/entry/otkrylas_internetgazeta__31334
|title = Открылась интернет-газета «Белорусские новости»
|publisher = C-News
|date = 2002-07-02
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>

On the 1st of 2002 BelaPAN launched the web newspaper ‘[[Belorusskiye novosti]]’ (Naviny.by). It became the first in ByNet and Belarus. Unlike paper ones, it published the news to the day.{{sfn|Shibut|2006|p=3-4}}<ref name=village/>{{sfn|Gradushko|2013|p=51}}

In 2007 the separate editors office for multimedia was launched,{{sfn|Gradushko|2019|p=115}}{{sfn|Gradushko|2013|p=95}}<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|author = Bykovsky, P.
|url = https://www.dw.com/ru/%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B0-%D0%B2-bynet/a-3402631
|title = Мультимедиа в BYNET
|trans-title=Multimedia in ByNet
|publisher = Deutsche Welle
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> in July of the same year first infographics was introduced.{{sfn|Gradushko|2015|p=113}} By 2008 at least 100 news articles were published in BelaPAN's feed, the company had a monitoring service and an advertising agency.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://marketing.by/novosti-rynka/17-let-nazad-nachalo-svoyu-rabotu-belaruskae-pryvatnae-agentstva-nav-na-ili-prosto-belapan/
|title = 17 лет назад начало свою работу «Беларускае прыватнае агенцтва навінаў», или просто БелаПАН
|publisher = Marketing.by
|date = 2008-11-19
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>

Through the years, BelaPAN’s journalists were numerous times arrested,<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/4125496
|title = Власти в Минске пресекли "Марш рассерженных белорусов"
|trans-title=Authorities Suppresses Angry Belarusians March in Minsk
|publisher = TASS
|date = 2017-03-25
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/39799/
|title = Журналиста БелаПАН будут судить
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2011-03-27
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://interfax.by/news/policy/raznoe/1278084/
|title = В МВД заявили, что задержания у магазина symbal.by были связаны с дракой у машины
|publisher = InterFax West
|date = 2020-06-24
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>, questioned in the state General Prosecutor’s Office<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/30730/
|title = Журналиста БелаПАН допросили в Генпрокуратуре
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2010-11-17
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>, obstructed in the discharge of professional duties.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/104411/
|title = Жанна Литвина: Нарушены права журналиста БелаПАН
|trans-title=Joan Litvina: BelaPAN Journalist Rights Violated
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2013-02-26
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>
=== 2010s ===
BelaPAN’s website was hacked on October 24, 2011, the attackers left Lukashenko’s portrait on the main page.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/59006/
|title = Взломан сайт компании БелаПАН (Скриншот)
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2011-10-25
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>

BelaPAN and Naviny domains were blocked on December 20, 2014.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/159851/
|title = Заблокирован сайт агентства БелаПАН
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2014-12-20
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://www.dw.com/ru/%D1%87%D1%82%D0%BE-%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B8%D1%82-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2-%D0%B2-%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5/a-18151060
|title = Что стоит за блокировками сайтов в Байнете
|trans-title=What’s behind ByNet Sites Blockage?
|publisher = Deutsche Welle
|date = 2014-12-25
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> On October 3, 2015, BelaPAN’s server experienced a significant DDoS attack after publishing materials on the ‘Pray for Belarus’ action.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url =http://www.moyby.com/news/188829/
|title = БелаПАН: DDоS-атака на наши сайты - грубое давление на СМИ
|trans-title=DDoS Attack on BelaPAN Is a Severe Pressure on Media
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2015-10-05
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> Other blockages occurred on March 27, 2015, and February 15, 2016.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://gazetaby.com/post/nekotorye-provajdery-zablokirovali-dostup-k-oppozicionnym-sajtam/92093/
|title = Некоторые провайдеры заблокировали доступ к оппозиционным сайтам
|publisher = Gazeta.by
|date = 2015-03-27
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://baj.by/sites/default/files/analytics/files/smi_u_belarusi_2016_rus.pdf
|title =Freedom of Mass Media in Belarus, 2016
|publisher = [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]]
|date = 2017
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> At that time several important political events took place: private entrepreneurs meeting at the Oktyabrskaya Square, in Brussels the EU Council meeting discussed the possibility of lifting the [[International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War|sanctions on Belarusian officials]]<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/207432/
|title = October Square, Minsk
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2016-02-16
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> Though the site's blockage could be done only by order of the government, officially it was named hackers' attack. Simultaneously several other independent media portals were blocked.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = http://www.moyby.com/news/207432/
|title = Доступ к сайту БелаПАН был заблокирован из-за хакерской атаки
|publisher = Moy.by
|date = 2016-02-16
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>

=== BelTA case===
Several journalists and the editor-in-chief of BelaPAN were arrested for alleged stealing of news from a paid subscription of a government-owned [[Belarusian Telegraph Agency|BelTA]] agency.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://belsat.eu/ru/news/v-ofise-tut-by-obysk/
|title = В офисах TUT.BY и БелаПАН обыск
|publisher = Belsat
|date = 2018-08-07
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://iz.ru/776775/ignat-orbeliani/ne-tot-tovar-pochemu-v-krazhu-belorusskikh-novostei-slozhno-poverit
|title = Не тот товар: почему в кражу белорусских новостей сложно поверить
|author=Shestakov, I.
|trans-title=The Wrong Goods: Why Stealing of News in Belarus Seems Unlikely
|publisher = Izvestiya
|date = 2018-08-12
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> BelaPAN’s editor-in-chief Levshina was held in a temporary holding facility for three days.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://interfax.by/news/policy/raznoe/1246043/
|title = После допроса в СК главного редактора БелаПАН Ирину Левшину отправили в ИВС
|publisher = InterFax West
|date = 2018-08-09
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref> Human rights activists, [[Belarusian Association of Journalists|BAJ]] and [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] members unanimously called the BelTA case an intimidation to all the independent media, and the reaction of local authorities to be highly disproportionate.<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/390038
|title = OSCE Representative concerned over measures against independent media outlets in Belarus, calls on authorities to release detained journalists
|publisher = OSCE
|date = 2018-08-08
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://belsat.eu/ru/programs/marina-zolotova-vyigrala-u-belaruskogo-suda/
|title = Приговор Марине Золотовой – сигнал всем журналистам
|publisher = Belsat Eu
|date = 2019-03-04
|accessdate = 2020-07-08
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|language = en
|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/world/europe/belarus-journalists-detained.html
|title = Belarus Detains 18 Journalists in Raids at Independent Outlets
|publisher = NY Times
|date = 2018-09-08
|accessdate = 2020-07-08
}}</ref>

== Awards ==
BelaPAN has received numerous awards, including:
* [[Dzmitry Zavadski]] Prize "For Courage and Professionalism" (2004);{{sfn|Unesco|2011|p=84}}
* the [[ZEIT-Stiftung|Zeit Foundation's]] Young Press of Eastern Europe annual award (2005);{{sfn|Unesco|2011|p=84}}
* the [[Runet Prize]] as the best online [[Russian language]] source of news outside [[Russia]] (2006);{{sfn|Unesco|2011|p=84}}
*Corporate Social Responsibility Award (2016);<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://naviny.by/rubrics/society/2016/03/18/ic_news_116_472220
|title = Информационная компания БелаПАН стала лауреатом III ежегодной премии КСО в Беларуси
|publisher = Naviny.by
|date = 2016-03-18
|accessdate = 2020-07-20}}</ref>
*editor-in-chief Irina Levshina received Journalist of Year award (2018);<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://reform.by/emancipation-irina-levshina
|title = Ирина Левшина: Моя мечта — уважать руководство моей страны
|trans-title=Irina Levshina: My Dream Is to Gain Respect Towards My Homeland’s Authorities
|publisher = Reformation
|date = 2019-12-12
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>
* BelaPAN’s reporter Tatjana Korovenkova was awarded Civil Society Champion prize (2018);<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://spektr.by/archives/67632
|title = В Минске определили “чемпионов гражданского общества” 2018 года
|publisher = Spektr
|date = 2019-01-11
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>
*Leader of Consumer Market Award (2019).<ref>{{cite web
|language = ru
|url = https://www.belta.by/society/view/premija-lider-potrebitelskogo-rynka-vruchena-v-pjatyj-raz-372651-2019/
|title = Премия "Лидер потребительского рынка" отметила пятилетний юбилей
|publisher = BelTA
|date = 2019-12-12
|accessdate = 2020-07-20
}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
<references />
<references />

== Sources ==
*{{cite journal
| date = 2011-03-24
| title = New Projects Submitted to the IPDC
| url = http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/ipdc2011_04%20Arab%20region%20and%20Europe%20part%20IV%2013%20January%202011%20Final.pdf
| publisher =IPDC Bureau
| location =UNESCO HQ, Paris
| pages = 85
| ref=Unesco
}}
*{{cite journal
| last =Gradushko
| first = A. A.
| date = 2019
| title = Основы творческой деятельности веб-журналиста
|language=ru
|trans-title=Basics of Web Journalism
| url = https://elib.bsu.by/bitstream/123456789/240187/3/Hradziushka_digital_journ.pdf
| journal = Belarusian State University
|location=Minsk
| pages = 239
|isbn = 978-985-566-822-1
|ref = Gradushko
}}
*{{cite journal
| last =Gradushko
| first = A. A.
| language = ru
| date = 2013
| title = Современная веб-журналистика Беларуси
|trans-title=Contemporary Web Journalism in Belarus
| url = https://elib.bsu.by/bitstream/123456789/91867/1/Hradziushka_Modern_web_journalism_of_Belarus.pdf
| location = Minsk
| publisher = Belarus State University
| pages = 179
| isbn = 978-985-518-935-1
|ref = Gradushko
}}
*{{cite journal
| last = Gradushko
| first = A. A.
| date = 2015
| title = Современные форматы визуализации в белорусских интернет-сми
|trans-title=Contemporary Formats of Visualization in Belarusian Web Media
| url = https://elib.bsu.by/bitstream/123456789/115625/1/Hradziushka_Vizualization_Voronezh_2015.pdf
| language = ru
| location = Minsk
| publisher = Belarus State University
| pages = 112-114
|ref = Gradushko
}}
*{{cite journal
| date = 2001-05-31
| title = Freedom of the Media in Belarus
| url = https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/2/f/25472.pdf
| journal = OSCE Public Seminar
| location =Vienna
| pages = 25-33
| ref = OSCE
}}
*{{cite journal
| last = Shibut
| first = I. P.
| date = 2006
| title = Из истории развития сетевых изданий Беларуси
| url = https://elib.bsu.by/bitstream/123456789/17158/1/Shibut17_nauch_.pdf
| location = Minsk
| publisher = Belarus State University
| pages = 1-8
| ref = Shibut
}}


==External links==
==External links==
Line 42: Line 424:
[[Category:Companies established in 1991]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1991]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in Belarus]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in Belarus]]
{{Belarus-media-stub}}

Revision as of 11:00, 27 July 2020

BelaPAN
БелаПАН
IndustryNews agency
Founded19 November 1991
HeadquartersMinsk, Belarus
OwnerAles Lipay
Websitewww.belapan.com

The Belarusian Private News Agency or shortly BelaPAN (Belarusian: БелаПАН) is a non-governmental independent Belarusian news agency, one of the main in the country. BelaPAN provides news on politics, economy, and sports from Belarus in Russian, Belarusian and English.[1] The staff includes a wide net of reporters and correspondents.[2][3]

The company also runs projects related to advertising, elections monitoring, etc. BelaPAN owns the on-line newspaper Belorusskiye Novosti.[4][5]

Since 2004, BelaPAN is the only Belarusian representative in the CEE-BusinessLine.[6][7] According to Media IQ in 2019, BelaPAN had the highest rating of being clear from state propaganda.[8][9] The agency is characterized by a well-balanced, objective and impartial coverage of current events both on Eastern and Western political spheres.[10][1]

History

Foundation and Early Years

The agency was founded on November 19, 1991, by the journalist Ales Lipay.[11][12] In 1992 Irina Levshina joined the team, as of 2020 she is the editor-in-chief. In her recollections, BelaPAN’s first office was located at Брылеўскі blind alley in a small wooden building with an outhouse. The office had only one PC, one fax machine and three work desks.[13] Apart from Levashova and Lipay, the staff included three more employees, they printed the news and on foot brought them to editors offices of Minsk newspapers.[14][12][15]

Gradually the company grew and in 1996 it rented the office from BelTA. In the early 2000s, it launched Отдыхай (‘Rest’ in Russian) newspaper, but soon the project had to be shut down due to low profitability[13][15]. By 2001 six of nine Minsk FM radio stations worked on a news feed, provided by BelaPAN.[16] In 2002 the agency included analytical, advertisement, publishing, social, and web design departments.[17]

On the 1st of 2002 BelaPAN launched the web newspaper ‘Belorusskiye novosti’ (Naviny.by). It became the first in ByNet and Belarus. Unlike paper ones, it published the news to the day.[5][4][18]

In 2007 the separate editors office for multimedia was launched,[19][20][21] in July of the same year first infographics was introduced.[22] By 2008 at least 100 news articles were published in BelaPAN's feed, the company had a monitoring service and an advertising agency.[23]

Through the years, BelaPAN’s journalists were numerous times arrested,[24][25][26], questioned in the state General Prosecutor’s Office[27], obstructed in the discharge of professional duties.[28]

2010s

BelaPAN’s website was hacked on October 24, 2011, the attackers left Lukashenko’s portrait on the main page.[29]

BelaPAN and Naviny domains were blocked on December 20, 2014.[30][31] On October 3, 2015, BelaPAN’s server experienced a significant DDoS attack after publishing materials on the ‘Pray for Belarus’ action.[32] Other blockages occurred on March 27, 2015, and February 15, 2016.[33][34] At that time several important political events took place: private entrepreneurs meeting at the Oktyabrskaya Square, in Brussels the EU Council meeting discussed the possibility of lifting the sanctions on Belarusian officials[35] Though the site's blockage could be done only by order of the government, officially it was named hackers' attack. Simultaneously several other independent media portals were blocked.[36]

BelTA case

Several journalists and the editor-in-chief of BelaPAN were arrested for alleged stealing of news from a paid subscription of a government-owned BelTA agency.[37][38] BelaPAN’s editor-in-chief Levshina was held in a temporary holding facility for three days.[39] Human rights activists, BAJ and OSCE members unanimously called the BelTA case an intimidation to all the independent media, and the reaction of local authorities to be highly disproportionate.[40][41][42]

Awards

BelaPAN has received numerous awards, including:

  • Dzmitry Zavadski Prize "For Courage and Professionalism" (2004);[1]
  • the Zeit Foundation's Young Press of Eastern Europe annual award (2005);[1]
  • the Runet Prize as the best online Russian language source of news outside Russia (2006);[1]
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Award (2016);[43]
  • editor-in-chief Irina Levshina received Journalist of Year award (2018);[44]
  • BelaPAN’s reporter Tatjana Korovenkova was awarded Civil Society Champion prize (2018);[45]
  • Leader of Consumer Market Award (2019).[46]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Unesco 2011, p. 84.
  2. ^ "Person of the Day" (in Russian). Radio Svoboda. 1005-03-09. Retrieved 2020-07-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Bystrov, A. (2018-08-10). "With attacks on independent media, the "thaw" in Belarus is over". Open Democracy. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  4. ^ a b "Умер основатель БелаПАН Алесь Липай" (in Russian). The Village. 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  5. ^ a b Shibut 2006, p. 3-4.
  6. ^ "CEE-BusinessLine jetzt als Bürgerservice auf www.europa2004.gv.at" (in Russian). APA-OTS. 2004-05-05. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  7. ^ "AFX nutzt CEE-BusinessLine als Quelle für CEE-Finanzberichterstattung" (in German). APA-OTS. 2004-04-06. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  8. ^ "13 медиа использовали пропаганду и манипуляции в апреле" [13 Media Used Propaganda in April] (in Russian). Media IQ. 2019-05-23. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  9. ^ "Рекордно высокий балл у БелаПАН" [BelaPan Hits the Record] (in Russian). Media IQ. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  10. ^ "Analytical Report on Media Freedom in Belarus, 2014" (PDF) (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  11. ^ "Год назад умер Алесь Липай — основатель негосударственной информационной компании БелаПАН" (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. 2019-08-23. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  12. ^ a b "БелаПАН отмечает 25-летие" [BelaPan Turns 25] (in Russian). Moy.by. 2016-11-19. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  13. ^ a b "Ирина Левшина: Ненавижу расхожую фразу «выйти из зоны комфорта»" (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  14. ^ "Поздравляем! БелаПАН празднует 25-летие" (in Russian). Belarusian Partisan. 2016-11-19. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  15. ^ a b "Как Лукашенко не пускали в БелаПАН. И другие наши истории" (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. 2016-11-19. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  16. ^ OSCE 2001, p. 28.
  17. ^ "Открылась интернет-газета «Белорусские новости»" (in Russian). C-News. 2002-07-02. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  18. ^ Gradushko 2013, p. 51.
  19. ^ Gradushko 2019, p. 115.
  20. ^ Gradushko 2013, p. 95.
  21. ^ Bykovsky, P. "Мультимедиа в BYNET" [Multimedia in ByNet] (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  22. ^ Gradushko 2015, p. 113.
  23. ^ "17 лет назад начало свою работу «Беларускае прыватнае агенцтва навінаў», или просто БелаПАН" (in Russian). Marketing.by. 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  24. ^ "Власти в Минске пресекли "Марш рассерженных белорусов"" [Authorities Suppresses Angry Belarusians March in Minsk] (in Russian). TASS. 2017-03-25. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  25. ^ "Журналиста БелаПАН будут судить" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  26. ^ "В МВД заявили, что задержания у магазина symbal.by были связаны с дракой у машины" (in Russian). InterFax West. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  27. ^ "Журналиста БелаПАН допросили в Генпрокуратуре" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2010-11-17. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  28. ^ "Жанна Литвина: Нарушены права журналиста БелаПАН" [Joan Litvina: BelaPAN Journalist Rights Violated] (in Russian). Moy.by. 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  29. ^ "Взломан сайт компании БелаПАН (Скриншот)" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  30. ^ "Заблокирован сайт агентства БелаПАН" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  31. ^ "Что стоит за блокировками сайтов в Байнете" [What’s behind ByNet Sites Blockage?] (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. 2014-12-25. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  32. ^ "БелаПАН: DDоS-атака на наши сайты - грубое давление на СМИ" [DDoS Attack on BelaPAN Is a Severe Pressure on Media] (in Russian). Moy.by. 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  33. ^ "Некоторые провайдеры заблокировали доступ к оппозиционным сайтам" (in Russian). Gazeta.by. 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  34. ^ "Freedom of Mass Media in Belarus, 2016" (PDF) (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  35. ^ "October Square, Minsk" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  36. ^ "Доступ к сайту БелаПАН был заблокирован из-за хакерской атаки" (in Russian). Moy.by. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  37. ^ "В офисах TUT.BY и БелаПАН обыск" (in Russian). Belsat. 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  38. ^ Shestakov, I. (2018-08-12). "Не тот товар: почему в кражу белорусских новостей сложно поверить" [The Wrong Goods: Why Stealing of News in Belarus Seems Unlikely] (in Russian). Izvestiya. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  39. ^ "После допроса в СК главного редактора БелаПАН Ирину Левшину отправили в ИВС" (in Russian). InterFax West. 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  40. ^ "OSCE Representative concerned over measures against independent media outlets in Belarus, calls on authorities to release detained journalists" (in Russian). OSCE. 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  41. ^ "Приговор Марине Золотовой – сигнал всем журналистам" (in Russian). Belsat Eu. 2019-03-04. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  42. ^ "Belarus Detains 18 Journalists in Raids at Independent Outlets". NY Times. 2018-09-08. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  43. ^ "Информационная компания БелаПАН стала лауреатом III ежегодной премии КСО в Беларуси" (in Russian). Naviny.by. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  44. ^ "Ирина Левшина: Моя мечта — уважать руководство моей страны" [Irina Levshina: My Dream Is to Gain Respect Towards My Homeland’s Authorities] (in Russian). Reformation. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  45. ^ "В Минске определили "чемпионов гражданского общества" 2018 года" (in Russian). Spektr. 2019-01-11. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  46. ^ "Премия "Лидер потребительского рынка" отметила пятилетний юбилей" (in Russian). BelTA. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2020-07-20.

Sources

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BelaPAN&oldid=969777588"