Video-Pictures merger

I fear the anonymous quote in your story that this heralds the end of Reuters great picture service may be correct. I remember years ago a proposal by some brilliant technophile that the modern Reuters correspondent would cover an event for words, pictures and video (presumably notebook in hand, video camera strapped to chest and still camera perched on helmet). This tech-driven brainwave was quietly dropped on the realisation that while perhaps physically possible it was mentally challenging and no one journalist could adequately concentrate on any of the three-legged tasks.

Your story reveals that yet again technology is seducing Editorial, only this time, thank God, text hasn't been stirred into the unedifying mix. Sadly, images quality will suffer with video frame grabs inevitably replacing the high quality stills that were the feature of the Reuters Picture service. But money will be saved - and isn't that the real reason for this abortion? ■