Reuters merges sports and main editing desks

The stated aim is to give greater flexibility to sports reporters and sub-editors by drawing on the editing power of the main desk.

“Over the past four years, we have made great strides integrating the news editing and subbing effort across Reuters,” editorial staff were told in a recent memo. “Our Sports news has been integrated across our three regions for a number of years now but now is the time for the next step.”

Sport had already been brought into regular daily news planning meetings to ensure major sports stories of interest beyond the confines of the sporting fraternity get the attention they deserve and speak to a broader audience, it said.

Ossian Shine, global editor for sport, lifestyle and entertainment, works from the news editors’ hub in London to ensure better coordination on major sports stories across text, pictures, television and graphics.

“In addition, the editing of sports stories will be integrated into the main EMEA editing desk in London, giving greater flexibility to the team of sports reporters/sub-editors by drawing on the editing power of the main desk.”

Besides Shine, the memo was signed by Richard Mably, regional editor for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Jon Boyle, head of desk, EMEA.

They wrote: “Many staff on the EMEA Desk are also avid sports fans and hugely knowledgeable about the games they follow. The changes will offer them the opportunity to engage with sports more regularly, and leave them well-placed to help out with global sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup, the Olympics and major tennis tournaments, to name but three.

“The goal of these changes is to enhance the sports file and ensure that sports stories of broader interest, such as the FIFA corruption and cycling doping scandals, are given the treatment at all points of the news cycle that they deserve.”

The changes will come into effect in the week commencing 13 July. ■