Liberia News Agency (LINA) is Liberia’s state-run news agency. It started operating in 1978. The agency’s building was destroyed during the Liberian civil conflict that began in 1989 but renewed its operations in 2012.
Media assets
News agency: LINA
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
LINA’s top governing and management bodies (board of directors, chief executive officer and management) are appointed by the President, according to information from local experts and journalists.
Source of funding and budget
LINA is a state-owned company funded by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism. It received a state budget of US$ 423,000 for the fiscal year 2020-2021, according to budgetary documents from the Liberian government.
Editorial independence
As a government department located on the Ministry of Information premises, LINA mostly focuses on publishing pro-government information. Its website states that its mandate is to publicize government programs and activities. Following a series of clashes with former staff, LINA has relaunched its online operation, closing its former website and publishing its news mainly on the ministry’s website and a newly created Facebook page.
No statue or independent oversight or assessment mechanism to validate LINA’s editorial independence has been identified.
July 2024