History

The foundation of CTK (1918)

CTK was founded on October 28 in 1918, the same day as Czechoslovakia. During the same period, the agency is known as Czechoslovak News Agency. CTK figures as a state agency until the 90's and its past is closely linked with the history of the Czechoslovak state.

The period of growth and development (1920–30)

During 1920 - 1930 Emil Čermák is the head of CTK. He is considered to be the founding father of the agency. He managed to build- for that time - a modern press agency, which had a wide network of local and foreign correspondents.

CTK signs contracts with renowned world news agencies - Reuter, Havas and Wolff. At the same time, CTK is one of the co-founders of Agences Alliées, an organization uniting European news agencies.

Following an agreement signed in 1925 with Radiojournal, the agency's news service for radio is broadcasted from the radio studio in the CTK building.

In the early twenties, the agency creates its first photo department with Artuš Černík as its head. The photographic archive is created during this period, even though its actual enlargement dates back to the thirties. The archive is being regularly updated until today. Nowadays, the archive contains over 5 million photographs.

In September 1930, CTK moves to a newly constructed functionalist style building in Opletalova Street in Prague. In March 1939, Czechoslovakia is occupied by German Nazi army. Czech actor Zdeněk Štěpánek reads out a statement about this incident, which is broadcasted from the CTK studios. With the creation of the Protectorate state of Czech and Moravia, the Slovak part definitely separates from CTK.

CTK during the war (1939–45)

CTK headquarters are occupied by the German military police straight after the creation of the protectorate state. In August, 1939 the Head of Presidium of the Council of Ministers Zdeněk Schmoranz together with the CTK editor-in-chief Arnošt Bareš, are arrested for illegal resistance activities.

Zdeněk Schmoranz is, together with other journalists, executed in 1942. Local news production is entirely subordinate to the press section of the Reichsprotector, with Wolfgang Wolfram von Wolmar as its Head.

A massive fire brakes out in the CTK headquarters during the upheavals in Prague in 1945 and its irreplaceable text archives are completely destroyed.

CTK under the totalitarian regime (1948–89)

In 1948 CTK finds itself in the arms of the communist dictatorship. The agency becomes the practical tool of political propaganda of the party in power. News production is censored for almost the whole period of the totalitarian regime. Two types of news are produced - one type is for the vast public, the other is designated for highly positioned state officers. The agency is formally subordinate to the government, but is actually being directed by the central committee of the Communist party.

In the second half of the 50's, CTK starts exporting news to the Far East, Latin America and even Africa. In the 60's, CTK is also active on the international level. The agency disposes with a wide network of foreign correspondents and freelance journalists. News service is produced in English, French, Spanish and Russian. During the same period, the CTK sets up a publishing house Pressfoto, starts publishing the 100+1 magazine and starts running an advertising agency called Made in … (Publicity).

In 1968, CTK goes through a process of renewal. On August 20 in 1968, the nightshift editor Jaroslav Lažanský refuses to carry out the order by CTK Director Miroslav Sulek, demanding the publication of a request from unnamed members of Communist Party Central Committee, calling for soviet military assistance against "counter-revolutionary forces". This letter of invitation is published the following day by TASS in Moscow.

In the 70's and 80's was CTK is under a tight administration of the normalization regime. Many employees were either forced to leave the agency or transferred to other, less important posts. Many of them chose emigration.

In the 80's, CTK starts to use computers. The agency creates is first databank in 1988 and all news service is from this time onwards archived electronically.

Post 1989: the period of independent news service

CTK is highly engaged in the Velvet revolution in 1989. The agency transforms and adapts to the conditions of the local market. CTK stands out for independent and unbiased news service.

In 1992, the Slovak part separates from the agency and prior to law n. 517/92 becomes a statutory organization - Czech News Agency.

The agency begins to work on market principles. Questions regarding its privatization arise. In 1993, CTK undergoes a deep economic crisis, nevertheless it continues to transform and reorganize itself. CTK is governed by public law, does not belong to the state anymore and is a statutory institution. The agency does not have a concrete owner; it is governed by the CTK Council, whose seven members are elected by the parliament of the Czech Republic.

Thanks to the technical development, CTK starts to digitally process its photographic service and transmits photographs by satellite. CTK enlarges its document databases, produces more infographic material and enhances its economic news service. By the end of the 90's, CTK creates its Infobank.

In the 90's the agency systematically works on improving the quality of its information service. It invests into regional news service and develops new activities. It is one of the first agencies to come up with internet news service. In 1997, CTK buys 50 per-cent shares in Newton Information Technology, which focuses on media monitoring and analysis. In 1999, CTK founds its subsidiary Neris, specialized in internet and multimedia news services. In the same year, CTK buys Czech Capital Information Agency (Čekia). CTK forms part of a group of companies, which stays active in such consistency for almost ten years.

Multimedialisation is the agency's one of the main characteristics for next millennium. CTK sells Čekia and its stakes in Newton IT and focuses mainly on agency news service and the new media. It creates audio news service and cultural news service and in 2003 builds a large open-space newsroom. In 2006, CTK launches a new multimedia editorial system and video service.

CTK is a politically and economically independent news agency. As from 1996, CTK does not receive any subsidies from the state and is a profit making organization since 1997.