Somali National News Agency was set up in 1964. After the Somali civil war erupted in 1991, the agency ceased its activity for nearly two decades. In 2012, it resumed its activities.
Media assets
News agency: SONNA
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
SONNA is owned by the federal government of Somalia and is run as a department of the Ministry of Information, which appoints its management and makes all key decisions relevant to the agency’s operation.
Source of funding and budget
There is no information about SONNA’s budget. According to local journalists and media experts specialized in Somalia, the agency receives its entire budget from the government.
Editorial independence
SONNA is operated as a state-run news agency. Hence, its editorial agenda is under the tight supervision of the government. There is no domestic statute and no independent mechanism to validate SONNA’s editorial independence.
June 2024