New 'speed team' in Washington steps up a gear to beat faster rivals

It starts work on Wednesday.

The initiative was unveiled last month by Americas editor Dayan Candappa who said editorial managers had identified “structural deficiencies” as the cause of the bureau lagging competitors in disseminating spot news.

Additional resources are being added to the bureau’s existing breaking news team to create the new unit. Candappa said the new desk would comprise about 15 people.

“Improving our speed and monitoring is a top Reuters’ priority, but this new team is only one part of the effort our bureau needs to make,” Tim Ahmann, the bureau’s economics editor, and Karey Van Hall, acting bureau chief, said in a message to staff.

“It is the responsibility of every reporter and editor to think ahead and follow best practices when it comes to speed. When you see something, say something. Don’t assume someone else is handling it.”

The team will comprise two desks that will be staffed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Slot reporters will act as the bureau’s eyes and ears with a mandate to monitor news sources actively and move with speed to launch breaking news. After hours, bureau phones will be switched so callers reach a Reuters editing desk 24 hours a day.

The speed team will have three primary duties:

• snapping/monitoring
• launching coverage when major news breaks
• editing copy for the Reuters America domestic US service.

It will also have some trunk-writing duties.

Once it is up and running, the team will be evaluated to see whether further expansion is needed.

As part of its focus on speed, the bureau is launching a $2,500 Snapper of the Month award to recognise reporters, filing editors and news assistants “who have gone that extra step to give our subscribers one more reason never to think of shifting to the competition”. ■