David Betts
The Reuter Christmas Anthem
Wednesday 08 June 2011
I wonder whether anyone remembers the Reuter Christmas Anthem and if they can identify the long-forgotten sub-editor who wrote it in 1943. It was reprinted in Reuters World No 33 in December 1985, contributed by Alfred Geiringer, then 74, former head of Reuters Commercial Services. He couldn’t remember the sub-editor’s name but did recall that she often handled stories from the Russian front during World War II and that “she died young and there was a child for whom Reuters staff made themselves responsible in some way for a time”. He said the reference to “editors who shout” was aimed at Muriel Penn, who joined Reuters in 1931 as a sub-editor and retired at the end of 1969.
The Reuter Christmas Anthem
O Lord Grant us our daily news,
And give us time to pick and choose,
And feature what we find.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And let the opposition be
A day or two behind.
Deliver us from Foreign names,
From censorship and libel-claims
And editors who shout.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And make your great events agree
With what we’ve just put out.
Persuade the ‘Mail’ and the ‘Express’
To quote themselves a little less
And us a little more –
And when we end, remember well:
We have already dealt with ‘hell’
And quite enough – before.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And get us rights to cable free
Until our day is done.
And grant us when our time is due
A quite exclusive interview
Slugged Snapfull
Doomsday 1.
David Betts
In the penultimate stanza ‘hell’ refers to the Hellschreiber, forerunner of the radio teleprinter, which produced the bulk of German, Russian and Italian copy at that time – Editor.
vbnbnbn
The Reuter Christmas Anthem
O Lord Grant us our daily news,
And give us time to pick and choose,
And feature what we find.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And let the opposition be
A day or two behind.
Deliver us from Foreign names,
From censorship and libel-claims
And editors who shout.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And make your great events agree
With what we’ve just put out.
Persuade the ‘Mail’ and the ‘Express’
To quote themselves a little less
And us a little more –
And when we end, remember well:
We have already dealt with ‘hell’
And quite enough – before.
Grant us the gift of prophecy
And get us rights to cable free
Until our day is done.
And grant us when our time is due
A quite exclusive interview
Slugged Snapfull
Doomsday 1.
David Betts
In the penultimate stanza ‘hell’ refers to the Hellschreiber, forerunner of the radio teleprinter, which produced the bulk of German, Russian and Italian copy at that time – Editor.
vbnbnbn
Ron Sly
Saturday 15 January 2011
He was one of the real gems of this weary world. Many adjectives about him leap to mind: gentle, thoughtful, considerate, patient, cooperative, amusing and, of course, highly intelligent. I worked closely with him for 20-odd years and held him in high regard.
Dave Betts
Dave Betts
David Nicholson
Friday 07 August 2009
Last Sunday at a festive family gathering, I checked my e-mail and read the news from Dave Betts (thanks Dave). I turned to a window to hide my tears. It has taken me nearly a week to be able to sit down and address the loss of this wonderful man.
Dave and I go back to days at 30 Rock (home then of the AP and CP) and have shared many an hour at Ronnie’s in London and Maggie’s back in NY listening to jazz, about which he knew so much more than I, despite my unusually early introduction to it at age 8.
We met up at least twice a year in recent times, a renewed contact after a long hiatus that I always looked forward to on visits to London. He no longer shared a jar, but would take a glass of Chablis and the talk would tumble on until it was time to part – there was no topic turned from. Dave would always startle and delight with his enormous breadth of knowledge, hunger for more and blazing wit. Being from New York, I was continually embarrassed in these chats when Dave would ask for more detail on events I knew little about, from the newest recruit for a Yankees’ rival team to that economic story on page 32 of today’s Washington Post.
I always walked away feeling privileged, especially since he would take the train in, not without effort, just to meet up for awhile. A big man with a big heart and a bigger legacy we can all be thankful for. Rest easily, my friend.
Mike Reilly
Dave and I go back to days at 30 Rock (home then of the AP and CP) and have shared many an hour at Ronnie’s in London and Maggie’s back in NY listening to jazz, about which he knew so much more than I, despite my unusually early introduction to it at age 8.
We met up at least twice a year in recent times, a renewed contact after a long hiatus that I always looked forward to on visits to London. He no longer shared a jar, but would take a glass of Chablis and the talk would tumble on until it was time to part – there was no topic turned from. Dave would always startle and delight with his enormous breadth of knowledge, hunger for more and blazing wit. Being from New York, I was continually embarrassed in these chats when Dave would ask for more detail on events I knew little about, from the newest recruit for a Yankees’ rival team to that economic story on page 32 of today’s Washington Post.
I always walked away feeling privileged, especially since he would take the train in, not without effort, just to meet up for awhile. A big man with a big heart and a bigger legacy we can all be thankful for. Rest easily, my friend.
Mike Reilly
David Nicholson
Monday 03 August 2009
Dave Nicholson was the gentle giant of the World Desk. He was a delight to work with and a great source of knowledge about so many things – all invaluable attributes of the ideal Chief Sub.
I was scanning the Baronial website the other day and came across an old article about Mrs Moon's and George Short (or maybe that's in reverse order). Dave immediately came to mind.
Came 8pm on the World Desk night shift and the desk "heavies" took their "meal" break in Mrs Moon's (which was hardly known for its food).
There, ranged down from the top end of the bar next to the stairs – steps many outsiders failed to complete on receipt of Mrs Moon's traditional cry of "You're barred!" – regularly stood Jack Hartzman, Ron Thomson, Cy Fox, Dave Betts, Ron Sly, "Big Dave" Mathew and other kings of the night including, of course, Dave Nicholson.
Where Jack always had his Scotch, Dave had his pints – quite often two at a time. His imposing frame had an imposing capacity for the ale. The pints flowed smoothly down, with nary a swallow, to no apparent effect other than to add fuel to the warmth of Dave's signature laugh. So much enjoyment was obtained, and so much knowledge and experiences shared, on those night desk breaks that – just occasionally – they may have extended beyond their allotted hour...
Cheers, Dave!
Rodney Pinder
I was scanning the Baronial website the other day and came across an old article about Mrs Moon's and George Short (or maybe that's in reverse order). Dave immediately came to mind.
Came 8pm on the World Desk night shift and the desk "heavies" took their "meal" break in Mrs Moon's (which was hardly known for its food).
There, ranged down from the top end of the bar next to the stairs – steps many outsiders failed to complete on receipt of Mrs Moon's traditional cry of "You're barred!" – regularly stood Jack Hartzman, Ron Thomson, Cy Fox, Dave Betts, Ron Sly, "Big Dave" Mathew and other kings of the night including, of course, Dave Nicholson.
Where Jack always had his Scotch, Dave had his pints – quite often two at a time. His imposing frame had an imposing capacity for the ale. The pints flowed smoothly down, with nary a swallow, to no apparent effect other than to add fuel to the warmth of Dave's signature laugh. So much enjoyment was obtained, and so much knowledge and experiences shared, on those night desk breaks that – just occasionally – they may have extended beyond their allotted hour...
Cheers, Dave!
Rodney Pinder
Arthur Spiegelman
Monday 22 December 2008
Art Spiegelman was among the most accomplished writers in any genre and a pleasure to edit, but I will always remember him as a very dear friend who found it virtually impossible to say or do anything unkind.
All the tributes when he went on full medical leave and since his untimely death are on the mark. But I’m certain everyone who worked with Art would agree that mere words hardly do full justice to his writing abilities and his kindly nature.
In the years I was in Washington and New York and was charged with helping put together Reuter teams for special events – elections, a Papal visit, summits in the United States, etc – Art Spiegelman was the first name penciled in. As Dave Betts notes, Art never let anyone down.
What else is there to say – he was a giant. I was fortunate to count him as a friend and colleague, and if Reuters had a “wall” to honor its exceptional talents, Art Spiegelman’s name would be there.
Brian Bain
All the tributes when he went on full medical leave and since his untimely death are on the mark. But I’m certain everyone who worked with Art would agree that mere words hardly do full justice to his writing abilities and his kindly nature.
In the years I was in Washington and New York and was charged with helping put together Reuter teams for special events – elections, a Papal visit, summits in the United States, etc – Art Spiegelman was the first name penciled in. As Dave Betts notes, Art never let anyone down.
What else is there to say – he was a giant. I was fortunate to count him as a friend and colleague, and if Reuters had a “wall” to honor its exceptional talents, Art Spiegelman’s name would be there.
Brian Bain
Arthur Spiegelman
Sunday 21 December 2008
In addition to agreeing entirely with all the above comments about Art – e.g. Paul Holmes’s phrase “graceful prose, unfailing sense of humour”, Bernd Debusmann’s “sparkling prose”, Evelyn Leopold’s “beautiful, clear and ordered journalism”, Sam Perry’s “fluid genius” and Roy Gutman’s “spotter of news”, I would just like to add that he was one of the most RELIABLE colleagues I have ever worked with. Send him on an assignment, no worries. Turn your back on him, no worries. Leave him in charge, no worries. What a great and reliable journalist and friend!
Dave Betts
Dave Betts
Ron Howard
Monday 20 October 2008
Apart from being a thorough and careful journalist, Ron Howard was simply a very nice man. One of the aspects of his personality I remember most vividly and fondly was his self-deprecating sense of humour. Ron knew that some people regarded him as a worrywart, so if in the newsroom or in the pub one were to tell him some unsettling international or personal news, he would look seriously concerned and remark in a tremulous voice: “Oh dear! I’ve got something to worry about now.”
David Betts
David Betts
David Mathew
Sunday 21 September 2008
Apart from Dave Mathew’s admirable reporting and editing skills, so well detailed by Al Barker (above), another aspect of DM’s larger-than-life personality was his broad sense of humour and insatiable appetite for offbeat stories, tales of the bizarre, human quirkiness jokes (good and bad), groaners, word-play twisters, comic pictures and videos.
Over the last 15 years or so, since we both stopped working for Reuters, Dave had been the Betts family’s major wholesale supplier of comic e-mails, and I know he kept many other former colleagues and their families amused as well. He and I also exchanged a lot of grumpy messages about slopping writing, contorted sentences, errors in grammar or punctuation and so forth. It is hard to believe he will no longer be making deliveries to our inbox. We shall miss him badly.
Dave Betts
Over the last 15 years or so, since we both stopped working for Reuters, Dave had been the Betts family’s major wholesale supplier of comic e-mails, and I know he kept many other former colleagues and their families amused as well. He and I also exchanged a lot of grumpy messages about slopping writing, contorted sentences, errors in grammar or punctuation and so forth. It is hard to believe he will no longer be making deliveries to our inbox. We shall miss him badly.
Dave Betts
