Change for the better

Paul [Holmes] makes some interesting points [Change for the better at Reuters]. People are taking sides on whether Reuters news is thriving under its new owners or on its last legs. As all current or former Reuters hacks have axes to grind - in some cases, very big and very sharp axes - what we really need is for some reputable person to take a thorough and impartial look at the state of things. Perhaps someone has written a balanced account of Reuters coverage under its new owners and managers, taking into account the views of clients and staff. If anyone has seen such a report, I’d love to see it. If not, it would seem a natural subject for a graduate student, an historian or perhaps a muckraking hack.

I’d love it if the jury ruled that things are better than ever and that change has been good. My fear is that the Reuters that lived for more than 150 years and lived by its ideals is on the way out. But I have an open mind. ■