BY Fast Company SA 2 MINUTE READ

The African News Agency (ANA) on Friday announced the launch of its new public-facing ANA News Wire as the single most comprehensive platform for African news to inform, enlighten and connect the continent and the rest of the world.

The new ANA News Wire was revealed at the 2017 African Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASENTI) in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday.

The new ANA News Wire website can be found at https://africannewsagency.com.
ANA Chief Executive officer (CEO) Grant Fredericks said that the “ANA News Wire is committed to telling our continent’s story with accuracy and balance, while providing the African perspective”.

“We will forge alliances with the strongest African news organisations and build a united African media powerhouse.”
ANA, Africa’s first news syndication service, descended from the now defunct South African Press Association (SAPA), and since launch in March 2015 has fast established itself as Africa’s leading news platform.

Up until now, the service was visible only to subscribers but the new ANA News Wire gives the general public access to news, pictures and videos from ANA’s own African correspondents.

The ANA News Wire also publishes content from trusted African media partners in Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Namibia and Fredericks confirmed that the ANA News Wire will be publishing news from partners in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda by the end of the year. He added that ANA aims at publishing news from 15 African countries by mid-2018.

ANA Global Head of News and Content Melanie Cheary said Africa has so many untold stories that should be heard and so many investment opportunities that should be shared.

“The rapid expansion of ANA News Wire is testimony to the spirit of African innovation and entrepreneurship,” Cheary said. “Africa is aspiration and Africa is rising.”

ANA News Wire also has syndicated content sharing agreements with international news organisations such as Xinhua, AP and DPA, to mention a few.

“We provide comprehensive news diaries, text reports, pictures and videos on our state-of-the-art digital platforms, designed specifically to speedily share large quantities of content. We produce our own unique copy, according to international best practice reporting standards, and we also offer you syndicated news from a range of government and independent sources.”

The new News Wire complements the ANA PR Wire information service which was launched in August and allows businesses, organisations and individuals to share their news releases instantaneously with millions around the world.

That platform can be accessed at https://africannewsagency.com/

The easy-to-use and cloud-based ANA PR Wire is a free and visible public facing site where one can access, view and use press releases. Anyone can register and receive the information they are interested in at no cost.

The service is affordable to all businesses and organisations who want to publish their information. The technology enables subscribers to upload their own news, pictures and data effectively, providing them with global brand exposure via ANA’s African and international news partnerships.

The launch of the new ANA News Wire took place in the Ugandan capital which is hosting ASENTI, which brings together small and medium sized enterprises from across the continent and links them with top leaders in business.

Focusing on Africa’s aspirational youth, ASENTI aims to promote a culture of entrepreneurship in Africa and to create a wider network for potential trade and partnership across the continent and its far-flung global diaspora.