Reuters Cultural Revolution

This Soros-OWS incident - fiasco? - is not a matter of news co-existing with commentary in the same news organisation [Stephen Adler spells it out: stick to Reuters standards]. Some of the best newspapers in the world have proved for decades that the two can thrive together. The incident suggests something far more profound is under way at Reuters. We seem to be seeing a Cultural Revolution, with Reuters’ historic values and practices shelved in favour of a whole new approach, geared to the US media scene. At least that is the view from outside, and Adler sidesteps the issue. One would have hoped for a more vigorous condemnation and not an apology for opinion pieces, which this was not. ■