BelTA
BelTA is the state-owned national news agency of Belarus, its lifeblood and direction fully under the remit of the Government.
Media assets
News agency: Belta
Print media: 7 Days, Belruskaya Dumka, Economy of Belarus
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
BelTA remains firmly subordinated to the Administration of the President, which appoints its top leadership. BelTA continues to operate as an arm of the state apparatus rather than an independent entity. Since 2018, Irina Borisovna Akulovich has shepherded BelTA as its Director‑General.
Source of funding and governance
Though BelTA does earn revenue through commercial activities, most notably via the sale of news content, it remains predominantly funded by the government, as confirmed by local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in May 2024. This underscores its enduring financial reliance on state backing, with commercial revenues serving more as a supplementary stream than a lifeline.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence is virtually non-existent. BelTA’s content is tightly controlled by the presidential administration, and an analysis conducted for thisa project in June 2023 revealed a consistently propagandistic tone across its output. No statutes, independent audits, or oversight mechanisms exist to guarantee editorial autonomy.
August 2025