Mattarella hails ANSA on visit for agency's 75th anniversary

(ANSA) - Rome, January 13 - President Sergio Mattarella hailed ANSA's contribution to Italian society as he visited the news agency's headquarters for its 75th anniversary on Tuesday.
    "75 years show that ANSA has been an instrument for the freedom of the press and of information in our country," he said as he met reporters. Mattarella was given the first ANSA flash on his election on January 31 2015. The photo of the Italian parliament's applause for the 12th Italian president was also presented to the head of State.
    The president was received by ANSA President Giulio Anselmi, Editor-in-Chief Luigi Contu and Chief Executive Stefano De Alessandri.
    He met the members of the board and visited a small exhibition on transmission equipment, starting from those used in the early post-war period, documenting how technology has speeded up the broadcasting of news over the decades. Mattarella ended his visit by visiting the agency's newsroom to meet ANSA's reporters. Italy's top news agency started transmitting on January 15, 1945.
    ANSA, whose headquarters are just a few steps away from the presidential palace, il Palazzo del Quirinale, is a cooperative made up of the publishers of Italy's top daily newspapers.