WSJ.com and Dow Jones Newswires to integrate London editing desk

Steve McGrath, editor for news at Dow Jones Newswires in London, sent out the following announcement on Wednesday:

We are integrating our newswires and wsj.com editing desks in London to better reflect the integration we’ve already implemented in our European bureaus. We’re aiming to eliminate much of the duplicate editing that happens today, and also reduce the amount of editors’ time wasted in reformatting copy as it flows between the world of wires and the wsj.com universe.

From September 10th, we will have one pan-asset class real-time editing desk, handling headlines, quick fills, and spot news items destined only for real-time platforms like FX Trader or wires. The desk will be headed by James Keighley and Brian Reid. Ben Winkley, (right) who currently heads the wires resources editing desk, is moving to a new role heading up the London oil markets team.

The news desk will handle all updates and pre-planned big-story coverage for all platforms, including wsj.com and wires. This desk will be staffed by the current wsj.com editors — Lydia Serota, Laurence Witherington and Peter Stiff — who will be joined by five editors from the current wires desks – Tom Mudd, Michael Wright, John Kohut, Alistair Holloway and Liza Hearon. The team will be managed by Adrian Kerr, who reports to WSJE Managing Editor Terry Roth.

We will have new, simplified newsstation routing codes, as well as email addresses for filing to the new desks. The news desk will be working in Methode. Details on how to file to the new desks will follow ahead of the launch.