Editorial to new Reuters management: Focus on morale

An editorial on The Baron, a website devoted to covering Reuters, requests that the new management team announced earlier this week by new editor in chief Stephen Adler focus on improving the morale of the staff.

The editorial states, “Reuters people past and present will wish them well as they set about improving editorial performance and shaping the agency as the leading news provider for the rapidly changing consumer and professional markets of the 21st century.

“While Reuters people digest the changes and study the Kremlinology of who’s in and who’s out, those now in charge of the editorial side of the business need to look beyond 3XSQ – corporate headquarters in Times Square, New York – at morale in the wider Reuters world. Editors and correspondents have been shaken by the penalties handed down to two senior journalists for transgressions that might have incurred less severe punishment not so long ago.

“The summary dismissal of a bureau chief and sharp rebuke of a regional editor over an online exchange that strayed into vulgarity has stunned many Reuters people. While the coarseness is not condoned, there is disbelief and anger at the treatment of two experienced journalists with distinguished records of working on many hazardous assignments. Their offending exchange occured in a private, Reuters-only chat room closed to clients, shareholders and non-editorial staff, so where’s the harm, goes the argument. If a journalist is offended by the remarks of a colleague, he or she can take it up in the same forum with the individual concerned and keep it in the family.

“Journalism was always a rough trade, says one former correspondent who practised his craft in some rough places, ‘and many of us have inured ourselves and our feelings with crude and brutal humour from time to time. Soldiers do it all the time. It’s not tasteful, nice or respectful. But then working in dangerous places isn’t nice, either.'”

Read more here.