Reuters 'Vision 2019'

It must indeed have been exciting, to use the current management/PR speak in-word, for Reuters’ news staff to have their inspirational goals (Innovate, Execute and Excel) for the New Year handed down by a fresh-faced “media business president” with a full two weeks of residence on the old Baronial domain.

He - and the editor-in-chief - certainly appear to master the journalistic art of cutting and pasting, judging by the phraseological incantations and exhortations garnered from other similar pronouncements from top company figures over the past few years.

It was good too to see that Reuters, under Friedenberg and Adler’s experienced guidance, aims to be “the most trusted and influential news organization”. Wasn’t that always the aspiration? In fact, one to a large extent realised before the depredations of the post-2007 era.

It was probably reassuring for remaining news staff, old-timers and relative newcomers, to learn of the new power team’s “continued focus on editorial excellence and upholding our commitment to the Trust Principles that have earned Reuters the reputation it has today.”

Trust Principles? TR, Refinitiv: take note.

Smoothie and ICE, anyone? ■