Matthew Keys and the Trust Principles

The Trust Principles argument is a diversion [Fired editor and the Trust Principles: ‘I wasn’t trained’]. They may not even apply as Reuters is a subscription service and Keys’ reporting was entirely on an open medium, and because his job was to be opinionated (which the Principles don’t countenance).

But the nature of social media reporting is that “mistakes” are made. It will be interesting in the grievance process how that is addressed by both sides. For that matter it will be interesting to see what cause rationale Reuters asserts for firing Keys.

Keys’ naiveté is now (perhaps) twice in evidence: once (perhaps) in perhaps helplessly being an accessory to a crime, and now claiming that he wasn’t qualified to do his job - and that this was the company’s fault.

I hope his Guild rep tells him to put a lid on it. This grievance could actually have quite an impact on the role of social media wrangling at news organizations, and I, for one, would love to see this played out. ■