The News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) is a Slovak news agency that was founded in 1993.
Media assets
News agency: TASR
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State Managed (ISM)
Ownership and governance
TASR was set up as a public service independent institution through the Law No. 385/2008 on the News Agency of the Slovak Republic. TASR’s main governing body is its Board of Trustees, consisting of five members who are appointed by the National Council based on nominations from the specialized parliamentary committee. TASR’s director-general is voted in by the Board of Trustees.
Source of funding and budget
TASR is funded mostly through revenues raised from sales of its services. In 2021, TASR had a yearly budget of €5m, 60% of it coming from revenues raised from sales of services, and the rest from a state subsidy, according to an online database monitoring state spending in Slovakia.
In 2022, TASR had a budget of €5.1m, roughly 52% being generated by the agency and some 48% coming from a state subsidy, according to a company annual report.
Editorial independence
In the past, TASR was accused of being favorable to the government and various political parties. However, in recent years, there has been no evidence that the agency’s editorial coverage was controlled by the government. Generally, TASR’s news content is balanced and objective, and there is no obvious pro-government slant in its coverage.
There is no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism that would validate the editorial independence of TASR.
October 2023