Modernisation of the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) news agency
Goals
A project
Supported by
In partnership with
Presentation
Since the unfolding of the Arab Spring in late 2010, the Tunisian media sector has undergone profound changes which provide a very concrete reflection of the democratic aspirations of the population. CFI has been committing substantial resources to the country for the past five years, focusing its action on national television ( El Wataniya), a training centre for journalists and communicators (CAPJC) and organisations involved in the development of citizen journalism via new media channels: Nawaat and the Tunisie Bondy Blog..
In 2013 and 2014, various actions were also taken regarding the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) news agency. This project assists the reform being undertaken by the agency against a general backdrop of reform in state-owned and public-service media providers.
TAP issues dispatches in Arabic and French, with a limited service in English. It also produces photographs and operates a website. Despite the emergence of new competitors, it remains the main supplier of news due to its human and material resources and the extent of its network of offices and correspondents, which covers every region of the country. Although the practice in news broadcasting is for public radio & television stations to wait for TAP before broadcasting an item of news, it is perceived as insufficiently responsive, a handicap it wishes to overcome.
This project involves an action plan based on two key action areas: enhancing the product offering and strengthening the sales policy.
Project beneficiaries
TAP journalists in Tunis & the regions, web team and marketing department .
Files to download
Actions
Train-the-trainer course
Train-the-trainer course for a group of journalists selected by TAP. The agency's future "trainer journalists" will learn to design a training session, set teaching objectives, construct a step-by-step teaching plan and draw up training methods and content.
Tunisia: two agreements signed
Drawing up an agency manual
Expert-led intervention for a group of twelve journalists nominated by agency management. The expert will advise the group and help them to outline the structure of the agency manual. The twelve journalists will then create the manual based on work prepared with the expert's assistance.
Tunisia: modernisation continues at the TAP press agency
Training in reporting
Professional development training in two fields: local news (local reporting, preparing a subject and choosing an angle etc.) and investigative reporting (handling sources, gathering witness evidence etc. as part of an inquiry).
These training courses are for agency journalists in Tunis and the regions.
Rethinking the management of an editorial team
Observation trips will be organised to the Paris and regional offices of AFP (the Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon and/or Toulouse AFP offices are under consideration).
These trips will be for TAP department managers and editors-in-chief.
Website redesign
Audit of the agency's website with a view to creating a programme for its redesign. TAP's website is a showcase for its progress and should reflect the enhanced product offering.
Strengthening the product offering re image content
Professional development training in shooting pictures for all journalists in Tunis and the regional offices. Four three-day sessions will be held, each for journalists from several offices with attendance based on proximity to the course location.
Tunis Afrique Presse speeds up its digital transition
Strengthening the marketing team
Marketing development is a priority. The six-person marketing team must acquire new skills in order to ensure the commercial success of TAP's product offering in what has become a competitive market.
