Article

News Agencies

Published Online February 7, 2006

Last Edited December 16, 2013

Canadian newspapers and broadcast stations depend heavily on news agencies for a regular supply of news from outside their immediate geographical area. One-third to one-half of news and editorial content comes from news agencies, also called wire services or press associations.

News Agencies

Canadian newspapers and broadcast stations depend heavily on news agencies for a regular supply of news from outside their immediate geographical area. One-third to one-half of news and editorial content comes from news agencies, also called wire services or press associations. Material has traditionally been delivered to newspapers by leased teletype circuits. Some equipment for this transmission has the capability of producing punched tapes which can be fed directly into automatic typesetters. Newspapers now receive agency copy digitally. Broadcasters can receive both print and voice reports.

Most dailies and broadcasters obtain the report of the CANADIAN PRESS (CP). United Press International, a US-based private company, maintains a small subscriber list and staff in Canada. The CP subsidiary, Broadcast News, also supplies content to TV networks. TV networks also use international agencies. Other supplemental services offer alternative news reports and a wide array of interpretive and background material. Stories from US newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times are widely circulated. The Associated Press (US) and Agence France-Presse connect with the CP through exchange agreements. Other news agencies in Canada include Canwest News Services (see CANWEST GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) and THOMSON REUTERS.