![]() | |
Industry | News Agency |
---|---|
Founded | 1994 |
Founder | Marco Maria Durante (President & CEO) |
Headquarters | Central Four Europe in Milan Via Costanza Arconati 1, New York City in Street Liberty Street 200 |
Products | Wire Service |
Website | lapressemedia |
LaPresse SpA is an Italian news agency that offers a syndicated multimedia news feed to news bureaus in Italy and elsewhere.[1] Established by Marco Maria Durante and Massimo Durante in 1994, it was the first agency in Italy to use photos to communicate news, and as of 2023, it is one of the most acclaimed multimedia news agencies in Italy.[2]
Marco Maria Durante is the president and CEO of LaPresse SpA. The company was initially established as a photographic agency, acquiring the archives of Publifoto Torino, and has diversified its activities over time, including photo reporting, video news, press agency, television productions, and events.[3]
The company covers all areas of information in the news media, such as press, radio, television, and the Internet, producing over 2,400 news reports in a day through its team of 90 journalists and correspondents and 100 polygraphers. LaPresse SpA has expanded its global presence by establishing over ten offices in Italy and twenty-two in various cities in the United States, Portugal, and Spain.[4]
LaPresse SpA was founded in 1994 by Marco Maria Durante and Massimo Durante, initially as a photographic agency acquiring Publifoto Torino's archives. The company played a pivotal role in visually documenting Italy's political, economic, industrial, and cultural landscape during its early years. In 1996, Massimo Durante died in a motorbike accident at the Venice International Film Festival.[5]
In 2006, under Marco Maria Durante's leadership, LaPresse transitioned into a public limited company, marking a significant phase in its development. By 2008, the company had initiated an internationalization plan, securing distribution rights for prominent content providers in Italy. These strategic moves positioned LaPresse as a prominent multimedia news agency with a global presence.[6]
In 2010, LaPresse expanded its services by securing an agreement with the Associated Press Wikipedia, becoming the distributor of the American agency's content in Italy. This partnership facilitated the incorporation of news and textual contributions from domestic and international sources into LaPresse's offerings. Concurrently, the Associated Press disseminates LaPresse's text and photographic content globally through its distribution channels.[7]
Over the years, LaPresse has acquired distribution rights for various content providers, including Reuters, Xinhua, EFE, the Press Association (2015–2017), and Agence France-Presse (2018–2020). In 2015, LaPresse SpA expanded its portfolio through the acquisition of AGR and A.G.A. (Agenzia Giornali Associati).[8]
In 2017, LaPresse entered into a multi-year partnership agreement with Agence France-Presse for distributing text, photos, and videos in Italy until 2020. Additionally, it acquired the photojournalistic, journalistic, film, audiovisual, and photographic branches of Olycom, Publifoto Notizie, Olimpia, Franca Speranza, Archivio Bungaro, Archivio Bernardi. The archive has 15 million photos going from the beginning of 1900 until the 90’s.[9]
From 1997 to 2017, LaPresse was the official agency for Juventus FC and the official broadcasting channel called Juventus Channel on the Sky platform. From 2018 to 2020, it held similar roles for AC Milan and operated the Milan Channel. LaPresse was the official photo agency for AS Roma from 2019 to 2022 and for Lazio FC from 2000 to 2005. Since 2013, it has been the official agency for Torino FC, overseeing the Torino Channel.
Durante has managed media operations involving prominent personalities and brands, including the Agnelli family, Kissinger, Ranieri di Monaco, and Silvio Berlusconi, and handled the Elkann/Corona case.
In 2018, LaPresse SpA established a specialized division for television productions led by Elisa Ambanelli. Concurrently, the celebrity management segment expanded to include notable personalities such as Barbara d'Urso, Elisabetta Gregoraci, Andrea Iannone, Manuela Arcuri, Gaia Bermani Amaral, Adriana Volpe, Giovanni Ciacci, and Rita dalla Chiesa. Paola Barale, Belen Rodriguez, Sarà Mancuso, Loredana Lecciso, Barbara Matera, Emanuela Titocchia, Eleonora Giorgi, Licia Nunez, Claudio Lippi, Monica Bertini, Luana Ravagnini and Tiberio Timperi.
Between 2020 and 2023, LaPresse expanded its global presence, establishing offices in New York, Washington, Miami, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Warsaw, Prague, Geneva, Vienna, Casablanca, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.
In January 2023, LaPresse launched its international expansion plan in Spain, distributing photos, videos, and texts from AP, APTN, and LaPresse in English and Spanish. Since July 1, 2023, LaPresse has extended its distribution to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
On June 15, 2023, Marco Maria Durante assumed the role of CEO and President, overseeing operations from the company's New York headquarters, with responsibilities spanning the East to West Coast of the United States, including Washington and Los Angeles, and establishing corporate relations with the White House in America.
LaPresse SpA maintains ten offices across Italy in Milan, Rome, Turin, Florence, Naples, Verona, Treviso, Oristano, Messina, and Lamezia Terme. Additionally, LaPresse distinguishes itself as one of the most internationally-oriented Italian multimedia content providers, with twenty-two offices worldwide. These global offices span cities such as New York, Washington, Miami, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Warsaw, Prague, Geneva, Vienna, Casablanca, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, as well as in Spain, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.