Reuters to include news by US 'upstart'

The deal will bring together about 120 journalists in Washington, DC covering politics and business. The combined coverage will be offered to 60 newspapers and 40 broadcasters who are currently part of an advertising network run by Politico, an online service whose “informed political coverage, sometimes spiced with attitude” was launched less than two years ago. In exchange, they would allow Politico to sell online advertising on their websites.

The New York Times described Politico as “the upstart news source from Washington” and Reuters as “the venerable wire service”. It said the venture was the latest step in the rising competition among electronic news media to fill the void left by the shrinking print business.

The new service would be free for six months, and the partners could charge for the Reuters content after that, it said.

But until then, Politico would offer Reuters a foot in the door at a large number of US news operations, said Christoph Pleitgen, Thomson Reuters’ global head of news agency.

“He said his service had just 15 newspaper clients in this country, compared with more than 1,400 for The Associated Press,” The New York Times said.

“If we can, through this, engage with potential clients we don’t have a relationship with, that’s fantastic,” Pleitgen said. “There absolutely is an untapped market.”

The New York Times added: “Politico’s informed political coverage, sometimes spiced with attitude from its writers, complements Reuters’ sober style and Washington coverage that often reads as if written for an overseas audience.” ■