An unusual hire for Reuters

Jim Gaines, newly added to the Baron's scrap heap, was an unusual hire for Reuters in 2011, especially in his initial role as ethics guru. 

Gaines had previously climbed to the top of the ladder at Time Inc, where he pulled a stunt that led to the premature departure of a celebrated Reuters photographer.

In 1993, Time ran a photo series purporting to show child prostitution in Russia. A Pulitzer-nominated Reuters staff photographer in Moscow correctly sensed it was phoney and publicly aired his concerns. Gaines denounced the photographer and demanded that Reuters fire him - or else. When Reuters didn't, Gaines cancelled Time's photo contract with Reuters. Reuters buckled, recalled the photographer from Moscow, and the contract was restored. The photographer, relegated to a desk job, soon left Reuters and sued Time for libel. ■