Polish Telegraphic Agency the backbone of reborn Poland - dep Culture Min

The Polish Telegraphic Agency (PAT), a precursor of the Polish Press Agency (PAP) was established in 1918 as the information backbone of the reborn Poland, Deputy Culture Minister Paweł Lewandowski said at PAP's centenary conference on Thursday.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of PAP, the agency has organised a conference titled "Media of the Future" in the Kubicki Arcades of the Royal Castle in Warsaw on Thursday.

"The Polish Press Agency, founded in 1918 under the name of the Polish Telegraphic Agency, was the information backbone of the reborn Poland (...) PAT's dispatches, newsreels and several thousands of pictures are the living records of events from the century, and a priceless source of information for historians and researchers," he said.

In the opinion of the deputy minister, PAT was a modern medium in contemporary times, a centre playing a significant role, determining topics and directions of debate.

"Thank you for fostering the old tradition, reliable and professional information. I wish you good luck in the realisation of further targets," Sejm (lower house) Speaker Marek Kuchciński wrote in a letter read at the conference.

The conference participants will also discuss topics such as algorithms, social media vs. journalism, the use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.