Foundation
Foundation turns focus on Brazil and China
Friday 09 March 2012
“We will also organise a crucial conference on women’s rights in partnership with The International Herald Tribune,” chief executive Monique Villa, pictured, said in the charity’s annual report for 2011. “Called Trust Women, this conference will bring together leaders from corporations, law firms, government and civil society to examine what works when women’s rights are placed at the heart of economic and social development.”
Villa said 2011 was an award-winning year for the revamped AlertNet, the Foundation’s global humanitarian news site, with extraordinary multimedia stories from the field, including an exclusive reporting trip to North Korea.
“Our journalists set the agenda on the human impacts of natural disasters, wars, hunger, disease and climate change. And with the launch of YouTrust, a new multimedia social media platform, our communities of aid workers, lawyers, social entrepreneurs and journalists have a fantastic set of tools to engage others on issues they care about.
“TrustMedia too had an extraordinary year, organising more journalism and media-training courses around the world than ever before. In October, the team launched in Egypt Aswat Masriya, a website in Arabic and English to provide fair, independent and accurate news and information around Egypt’s elections.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation | VIDEO
Thomson Reuters Foundation partners The Baron
Thursday 11 August 2011
The Thomson Reuters Foundation has selected The Baron as a content partner for its TrustMedia news website.
Articles published on The Baron will be featured on ● www.trust.org/trustmedia, which reports on Reuters journalism, media and development training programmes around the world. TrustMedia offers journalists the opportunity to learn the skills and values to succeed through training programmes. It also trains organisations to interact with the media.
Increasing numbers of Reuters people past and present – as well as others – regularly visit The Baron to keep abreast of news about the organisation. Editor Barry May is delighted to welcome the Foundation’s 7,000 alumni to their ranks.
Articles published on The Baron will be featured on ● www.trust.org/trustmedia, which reports on Reuters journalism, media and development training programmes around the world. TrustMedia offers journalists the opportunity to learn the skills and values to succeed through training programmes. It also trains organisations to interact with the media.
Increasing numbers of Reuters people past and present – as well as others – regularly visit The Baron to keep abreast of news about the organisation. Editor Barry May is delighted to welcome the Foundation’s 7,000 alumni to their ranks.
AlertNet relaunch
Saturday 11 December 2010
“Thirteen years after starting life as a platform for aid workers to better coordinate relief efforts, our new-look AlertNet combines improved navigation with greater visual impact and powerful tools for anyone interested in humanitarian issues.
“With an audience of more than 12 million visitors a year, AlertNet serves aid workers, donors, journalists, policymakers, researchers, teachers, students and the public. The award-winning site provides trusted information on conflicts, natural disasters, hunger, diseases and climate change and is the only site of its kind that the general public really engages with.”
Highlights of the relaunch include videos and slideshows, climate change information, a dedicated area for the site’s more than 450 member agencies and “an interactive number cruncher for humanitarian statistics”.
● CLICK for more about AlertNet now
● CLICK to see how the site looked in 1997 when Steve Somerville, then director of the Reuters Foundation, first launched it
Thomson Reuters Foundation launches pro bono legal service
Tuesday 22 June 2010
TrustLaw provides a free online matching service promoting the practice of pro bono legal work. It will also become the first international information hub on anti-corruption and governance issues.
Glocer told staff in an internal message: “Here's how it works: If you are an NGO, a social entrepreneur or even a government in need, you can contact TrustLaw Connect and be put in touch with leading law firms with specialist skills in the area where you need help. They will give you some of the best legal advice available, for free. This is the essence of pro bono – offering a free service for the public good.”
TrustLaw creates a new free international marketplace for pro bono projects. “I've spoken to a number of legal managing partners and they are really getting behind TrustLaw as a way to meet their social responsibilities,” Glocer, himself a lawyer, said. “Big name law firms including Freshfields, Clifford Chance and Baker & McKenzie are among some 190 organizations signed up to TrustLaw Connect already.”
Glocer said the idea for TrustLaw first came from Thomson Reuters’ own clients. “We asked NGO members of our AlertNet humanitarian website what service they needed most that we could assist them with, and they told us it was legal advice.
“Foundation CEO Monique Villa and her team have done an outstanding job in turning this idea into a reality. It adds to the Foundation's excellent work in launching its Emergency Information Service to help the people of Haiti after January's earthquake, and to the long-established program for training journalists in developing countries.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters
● TrustLaw
Foundation hikes funding for Oxford Institute
Friday 11 June 2010
Thomson Reuters Foundation has increased its core funding for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, an Oxford University programme.
It announced a 19 per cent increase over three years which it said would further strengthen collaboration between academics and practising journalists. The Foundation will give £1.25 million for 2011-2013 to the Institute, which is based in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford. This is an increase of £200,000 over a three year period compared with current funding.
"This renewal (of funding) underscores The Thomson Reuters Foundation’s commitment to building the global reputation of The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at Oxford University as an international centre of excellence for research and debate in journalism," a Foundation news release said.
The Institute was established in November 2006 with an initial five-year grant from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, building on the Reuters Journalism Fellowship Programme funded by the Foundation since 1983. The Fellowship Programme remains at the core of the Institute, a globally recognised research centre in the comparative study of journalism which has an international perspective. It provides a forum for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to engage with journalists from around the world.
Monique Villa, Foundation chief executive, said: “We are very proud of our long association with Oxford and see our support for the Institute as a critical part of the Foundation's mission to improve the standards of journalism worldwide. At a time of considerable turmoil in the international media industry, the role of the Institute in producing high quality research and as a forum for public debate between practitioners, academics and policymakers is increasingly valuable and important.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
● Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
It announced a 19 per cent increase over three years which it said would further strengthen collaboration between academics and practising journalists. The Foundation will give £1.25 million for 2011-2013 to the Institute, which is based in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford. This is an increase of £200,000 over a three year period compared with current funding.
"This renewal (of funding) underscores The Thomson Reuters Foundation’s commitment to building the global reputation of The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at Oxford University as an international centre of excellence for research and debate in journalism," a Foundation news release said.
The Institute was established in November 2006 with an initial five-year grant from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, building on the Reuters Journalism Fellowship Programme funded by the Foundation since 1983. The Fellowship Programme remains at the core of the Institute, a globally recognised research centre in the comparative study of journalism which has an international perspective. It provides a forum for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to engage with journalists from around the world.
Monique Villa, Foundation chief executive, said: “We are very proud of our long association with Oxford and see our support for the Institute as a critical part of the Foundation's mission to improve the standards of journalism worldwide. At a time of considerable turmoil in the international media industry, the role of the Institute in producing high quality research and as a forum for public debate between practitioners, academics and policymakers is increasingly valuable and important.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
● Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Two multimedia productions win top US awards
Friday 26 March 2010
Two multimedia Reuters productions have taken first and second place in the 2010 best of photojournalism awards in the United States.
Reuters won first place in the news/feature multimedia category for Times of Crisis, charting 365 days of economic and financial upheaval, and second place for Surviving the Tsunami, a Thomson Reuters Foundation production with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The annual contest is run by the US National Press Photographer’s Association and the Florida-based Poynter Institute.
● CLICK to view Times of Crisis
● CLICK to view Surviving the Tsunami
Reuters won first place in the news/feature multimedia category for Times of Crisis, charting 365 days of economic and financial upheaval, and second place for Surviving the Tsunami, a Thomson Reuters Foundation production with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The annual contest is run by the US National Press Photographer’s Association and the Florida-based Poynter Institute.
● CLICK to view Times of Crisis
● CLICK to view Surviving the Tsunami
Paul Mylrea lands top media job at BBC
Friday 26 February 2010
Mylrea, whose 20-year career at Reuters ended in 2002, is director of communications at the British government’s department for international development. Previously he was director of group media relations at Transport for London and head of media at Oxfam GB. He is also president-elect at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Mylrea will lead the BBC press office and strategic communications function and be part of a ten-strong communications steering group. He will also be the BBC's official spokesman. The job specification states that it sits at the heart of reputation management for the BBC.
"Paul is a terrific hire for the BBC," the corporation's director of communications, Ed Williams, said. "The combination of 20 years at Reuters, along with proven experience at the hard end of public sector communications, is excellent preparation for leading media relations at the BBC."
● SOURCE BBC | PR Week
Foundation launches free information service for Haiti quake disaster
Sunday 17 January 2010
To register, survivors subscribing to the Digicell network, largest in the Caribbean, text their location to the SMS shortcode 4636. By return, up to date, reliable, actionable information in French and Creole will be sent to them wherever they are in Haiti, helping them to reach shelter, aid and loved ones. The service will cost them nothing.
The service also acts as a news and information gathering mechanism, whereby survivors can report information directly into the Foundation’s new Emergency Information Service team of specialist journalists. The EIS team will collate this information and it will by made available to agencies, emergency teams and local media.
People outside Haiti and the quake zone can register their loved ones' mobile phone numbers on their behalf. The SMS shortcode is dependent on local telecommunications infrastructure; if the infrastructure fails, the local SMS service will not work.
The EIS also aims to get critical information to survivors via local media, especially radio. The Foundation already has a team of expert humanitarian journalists in Haiti to collect and disseminate information.
Foundation chief executive Monique Villa said: "In times of major natural catastrophes, information itself is aid, as crucial as shelter or blankets. All forms of communication in Haiti have been impaired and the EIS team will help fill the communication void providing reliable, actionable information to the disaster affected population.”
The Emergency Information Service is a first service of its kind, launched by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in December 2009. The EIS will be deployed when major natural disasters strike communities around the world, leaving them with no reliable communication infrastructure. EIS Action-Units will be deployed within hours of a disaster and upon arrival in the disaster zone will seek out, collate and disseminate life-saving information to disaster-hit populations.
● AlertNet
● Thomson Reuters Foundation
Thomson Reuters Foundation launches humanitarian news lifeline
Tuesday 15 December 2009
The Thomson Reuters Foundation launched its Emergency Information Service (EIS), a humanitarian news lifeline designed to help the survivors of major natural disasters. The free service will supply fast and practical information from all available sources, such as help in finding shelters, drinking water and missing relatives.
“The aim is to provide accurate and actionable information to the affected population,” Monique Villa, chief executive of the Foundation, told a launch event at Thomson Reuters’ London office at Canary Wharf.
An EIS team of journalists based in the disaster zone will collect information and disseminate it in local languages using all available communications, from SMS text messages and radio to “zero tech” methods such as posters, leaflets and megaphones.
Tim Large, editor of Alertnet, the Foundation’s humanitarian news service, said the teams would comprise Alertnet and Reuters-trained reporters working with local media and NGOs. They would also cooperate with the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a major supporter of AlertNet since it was founded in 1997, as well as other NGOs.
The inspiration for the EIS came from the 1994 Tsunami disaster, which killed 226,000 people and demonstrated on a massive scale the victims’ need for vital information. To mark the fifth anniversary, AlertNet and the Red Cross have teamed up to pay tribute to the survivors in a film called Surviving the Tsunami: Stories of Hope, which was shown at the launch event. Watch the trailer, right, or click on the link below to see the whole film.
● Emergency Information Service
● AlertNet
● Reporter’s Notebook by Dean Yates
● Surviving the Tsunami | VIDEO
“The aim is to provide accurate and actionable information to the affected population,” Monique Villa, chief executive of the Foundation, told a launch event at Thomson Reuters’ London office at Canary Wharf.
An EIS team of journalists based in the disaster zone will collect information and disseminate it in local languages using all available communications, from SMS text messages and radio to “zero tech” methods such as posters, leaflets and megaphones.
Tim Large, editor of Alertnet, the Foundation’s humanitarian news service, said the teams would comprise Alertnet and Reuters-trained reporters working with local media and NGOs. They would also cooperate with the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a major supporter of AlertNet since it was founded in 1997, as well as other NGOs.
The inspiration for the EIS came from the 1994 Tsunami disaster, which killed 226,000 people and demonstrated on a massive scale the victims’ need for vital information. To mark the fifth anniversary, AlertNet and the Red Cross have teamed up to pay tribute to the survivors in a film called Surviving the Tsunami: Stories of Hope, which was shown at the launch event. Watch the trailer, right, or click on the link below to see the whole film.
● Emergency Information Service
● AlertNet
● Reporter’s Notebook by Dean Yates
● Surviving the Tsunami | VIDEO
TR Foundation marks World AIDS Day with courses in Nairobi and Beijing
Monday 30 November 2009
To mark World AIDS Day on 1 December, the Thomson Reuters Foundation has run HIV/AIDS Reporting courses in Nairobi and Beijing for journalists from around the world.
A workshop for journalists in Beijing during the week leading up to World AIDS Day drew 15 reporters from Chinese print, agency and broadcasting organisations who learnt about the impact of HIV on the lives of those affected. They heard expert speakers and visited a hospital specialising in treating HIV/AIDS.
Earlier in November the Foundation held a similar HIV/AIDS workshop in Nairobi, where 16 journalists from Brazil, China, Russia, India and Nepal, as well as from a number of African countries, took part.
The Foundation held its first HIV/AIDS workshop for journalists in 2003 and has since provided several such courses each year, as well as seminars to raise awareness.
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
A workshop for journalists in Beijing during the week leading up to World AIDS Day drew 15 reporters from Chinese print, agency and broadcasting organisations who learnt about the impact of HIV on the lives of those affected. They heard expert speakers and visited a hospital specialising in treating HIV/AIDS.
Earlier in November the Foundation held a similar HIV/AIDS workshop in Nairobi, where 16 journalists from Brazil, China, Russia, India and Nepal, as well as from a number of African countries, took part.
The Foundation held its first HIV/AIDS workshop for journalists in 2003 and has since provided several such courses each year, as well as seminars to raise awareness.
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
Thomson Reuters Foundation appoints new chairman
Wednesday 18 November 2009
David Binet, executive vice president of the Thomson family’s investment vehicle Woodbridge, has been appointed chairman of Thomson Reuters Foundation. He takes over immediately.
The appointment was made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Binet is a trustee. Woodbridge is the majority shareholder in Thomson Reuters.
Binet succeeds Dick Harrington, former chief executive officer of The Thomson Corporation, who has been chairman of the Foundation since Thomson completed its takeover of Reuters in April 2008.
“David’s experience as a trustee, and his deep background in journalism, law and business make him uniquely qualified to lead the Foundation,” said Tom Glocer, chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters. “Under David’s guidance, the Foundation can expand the impact and influence of its good work around the world.” He added: “I want to thank Dick Harrington for his many contributions as chairman, seeing the organization through the integration and putting in place the cornerstones on which the new Foundation will be built.”
Binet is a former reporter and editor with The Canadian Press. Prior to joining Woodbridge in 1999 he was a partner in the Canadian law firm Torys. He is also a member of the board of directors of CTVglobemedia, which owns Canada's largest television network, CTV, a number of specialty channels and 34 radio stations, as well as The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper.
“The Foundation has enormous potential to grow beyond its current scope and truly represent the breadth and depth of Thomson Reuters globally,” Binet said. “I am committed to unlocking that potential, building on the important initiatives under way and exploring new ways in which the Foundation can make a difference in the world.”
Monique Villa, chief executive officer of the Foundation, said: “I am delighted that David has agreed to chair the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. David has been actively involved in helping us strengthen and expand a world-class corporate foundation. His appointment comes at a time when we are preparing to launch two important programs -- to give broader access to the rule of law and to help affected populations when disaster strikes. His leadership, and his experience as a journalist and a lawyer, will be invaluable in this next exciting phase of the Thomson Reuters Foundation."
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
The appointment was made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Binet is a trustee. Woodbridge is the majority shareholder in Thomson Reuters.
Binet succeeds Dick Harrington, former chief executive officer of The Thomson Corporation, who has been chairman of the Foundation since Thomson completed its takeover of Reuters in April 2008.
“David’s experience as a trustee, and his deep background in journalism, law and business make him uniquely qualified to lead the Foundation,” said Tom Glocer, chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters. “Under David’s guidance, the Foundation can expand the impact and influence of its good work around the world.” He added: “I want to thank Dick Harrington for his many contributions as chairman, seeing the organization through the integration and putting in place the cornerstones on which the new Foundation will be built.”
Binet is a former reporter and editor with The Canadian Press. Prior to joining Woodbridge in 1999 he was a partner in the Canadian law firm Torys. He is also a member of the board of directors of CTVglobemedia, which owns Canada's largest television network, CTV, a number of specialty channels and 34 radio stations, as well as The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper.
“The Foundation has enormous potential to grow beyond its current scope and truly represent the breadth and depth of Thomson Reuters globally,” Binet said. “I am committed to unlocking that potential, building on the important initiatives under way and exploring new ways in which the Foundation can make a difference in the world.”
Monique Villa, chief executive officer of the Foundation, said: “I am delighted that David has agreed to chair the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. David has been actively involved in helping us strengthen and expand a world-class corporate foundation. His appointment comes at a time when we are preparing to launch two important programs -- to give broader access to the rule of law and to help affected populations when disaster strikes. His leadership, and his experience as a journalist and a lawyer, will be invaluable in this next exciting phase of the Thomson Reuters Foundation."
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
Speed over accuracy: ex-correspondents raise concerns
Monday 26 October 2009
Former correspondents criticised Reuters’ reporting standards, raising doubts about the primacy of speed over accuracy in an increasingly competitive market.
In at least two examples, Reuters reported inaccurate stories from other media without checking primary sources first, the website Journalism.co.uk said in a report on What Price the News?, a debate hosted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation at the company's Canary Wharf, London offices on Thursday 22 October.
Has fact-checking and editing become less of a priority in an age of cost-cutting and “personal” journalism? What are the consequences for news organisations’ commitment to accuracy and freedom from bias? Those were two of the questions billed by the company in advance of the debate, which was introduced by Dean Wright, global editor, ethics, innovation and news standards. Others were: Are Western standards of news ethics and standards necessarily correct? Should there be a global standard for what constitutes proper journalism ethics?
This month Reuters initially published a report, first broadcast by Sky News, that the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, had died, until his lawyer corrected it.
Another inaccurate story was CNN's report on a US Coast Guard training exercise on the anniversary of September 11 this year which was wrongly claimed to be a gun battle.
Former Reuters journalist Paul Iredale, speaking from the audience, said he was deeply concerned and sad about what he heard during the debate. "In Reuters it seems to have gone to speed rather than accuracy," he said. "What we used to say about Reuters was we got it last, but we got it right. I don't think that is the case now."
Sean Maguire, global editor, political and general news, said Reuters was completely transparent when the stories were found to be untrue. "When we saw it was wrong, we said we were wrong," he said. "Because Sky had been a good source on the [al-Megrahi death report] story we reported it. We very quickly said what they said was nonsense."
Former correspondent Colin Bickler said from the audience that he believed source-checking standards were slipping in the rush to get the story up. "I worked for Reuters for 28 years and if I had pulled that excuse I would have been shot. It is because it can move the markets it needs to be checked. I'm in shock," Journalism.co.uk reported him saying.
Times have changed, said Maguire. "There is a premium on speed and we will put a story out and say 'this is what we know so far,'" he said. "The business model has changed (…) but we don't recklessly report what we think is wrong."
● SOURCE Journalism.co.uk
In at least two examples, Reuters reported inaccurate stories from other media without checking primary sources first, the website Journalism.co.uk said in a report on What Price the News?, a debate hosted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation at the company's Canary Wharf, London offices on Thursday 22 October.
Has fact-checking and editing become less of a priority in an age of cost-cutting and “personal” journalism? What are the consequences for news organisations’ commitment to accuracy and freedom from bias? Those were two of the questions billed by the company in advance of the debate, which was introduced by Dean Wright, global editor, ethics, innovation and news standards. Others were: Are Western standards of news ethics and standards necessarily correct? Should there be a global standard for what constitutes proper journalism ethics?
This month Reuters initially published a report, first broadcast by Sky News, that the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, had died, until his lawyer corrected it.
Another inaccurate story was CNN's report on a US Coast Guard training exercise on the anniversary of September 11 this year which was wrongly claimed to be a gun battle.
Former Reuters journalist Paul Iredale, speaking from the audience, said he was deeply concerned and sad about what he heard during the debate. "In Reuters it seems to have gone to speed rather than accuracy," he said. "What we used to say about Reuters was we got it last, but we got it right. I don't think that is the case now."
Sean Maguire, global editor, political and general news, said Reuters was completely transparent when the stories were found to be untrue. "When we saw it was wrong, we said we were wrong," he said. "Because Sky had been a good source on the [al-Megrahi death report] story we reported it. We very quickly said what they said was nonsense."
Former correspondent Colin Bickler said from the audience that he believed source-checking standards were slipping in the rush to get the story up. "I worked for Reuters for 28 years and if I had pulled that excuse I would have been shot. It is because it can move the markets it needs to be checked. I'm in shock," Journalism.co.uk reported him saying.
Times have changed, said Maguire. "There is a premium on speed and we will put a story out and say 'this is what we know so far,'" he said. "The business model has changed (…) but we don't recklessly report what we think is wrong."
● SOURCE Journalism.co.uk
Cambridge honours 'flamboyant, vibrant' David Chipp
Sunday 25 October 2009
Chipp, who died in September 2008 aged 81, was a correspondent and editor from 1950 until 1969 when he left to become editor-in-chief of the Press Association, national news agency of the UK and Ireland. As an old China hand, he regarded the 30 months he spent in Peking for Reuters from 1956 to 1958 as the high point of his life.
A graduate of King’s, he was a benefactor of its chapel and an enthusiastic supporter of its boat club. After retirement his many interests included a period as director of the Reuter Foundation.
The provost of King’s, Professor Ross Harrison, recalled Chipp’s puckish charm and said more than £20,000 had been raised through donations in his memory for the college’s supplementary exhibition fund to provide welfare support for students and books.
After Saturday's Evensong a reception given by the provost provided the occasion for the launch of Mao’s Toe: Memoirs of David Chipp, A Serious Correspondent, published posthumously by his estate in a private edition of 500 copies. The title derives from two compliments paid to Chipp by the Chinese leadership.
● In October 1956, when he was the first non-communist Western correspondent resident in Peking since the 1949 communist takeover, Chipp inadvertently stepped back onto the foot of chairman Mao Zedong. The Great Helmsman’s immediate response was one of huge amusement. He roared with laughter and afterwards referred to Chipp as “Lacquered Defender of Morals”. To this day, there are still a few people in China who refer to him as “the Englishman who trod on Chairman Mao’s toe and got away with it”, Chipp recounts in the book.
● The second part of the title is drawn from a remark by premier Zhou Enlai who was interviewed by Chipp and who apparently told a colleague, “We like Mr Chipp. He is very interested in everything about China; he gets a lot wrong; and is always laughing and joking. But he is a very serious correspondent.” Chipp was delighted and later wrote: “A serious correspondent: as a reporter, I find that the greatest compliment I have ever been paid, and can think of no better epitaph.”
Reuters people at the service included Diana Drayton, Robert Elphick, John Entwisle, Anthony Grey, Adam Kellett-Long, Barry May, Michael Neale, Michael Nelson, Manfred Pagel, Timothy Pearce, John Ransom, David Schlesinger, David Sells, Peter Smith, Stephen Somerville, Tom Thomson and Donald Read, author of Reuters’ official history, The Power of News.
● Mao's Toe: Memoirs of David Chipp, A Serious Correspondent
Social media 'an amplification, a megaphone'
Monday 05 October 2009
Social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter have transformed the news industry forever, a paper from the Reuters Institute of Journalism says.
Where such websites have led, traditional newspapers have now followed and are encouraging their users to spread and discuss stories, the paper’s author, Nic Newman, controller future media and technology in BBC journalism, said at its launch.
It’s time for traditional news organisations to take note. "The social media revolution is not a fad and it has absolutely revolutionised the media," he said at the BBC's Broadcasting House, London recently.
"The one-way broadcast is over. People want to interact and answer back."
Readers' comments, blogs and tweets are now almost ever-present features on news websites, allowing users to interact with reporters and editors in a way not previously possible.
This transformation is now central to the future of traditional news outlets because it increases the reach of their content, boosts engagement and loyalty levels and potentially tells a better story by increasing reporters' source base, Newman said.
"Social media is like an amplification, like a megaphone," Meg Pickard, head of development of social media at The Guardian, said. She said it was important for journalists to understand the editorial imperative of social media.
Kate Day, communities editor at ● telegraph.co.uk, explained how the The Daily Telegraph had created an online community at its website ● my.telegraph.co.uk with about 25,000 to 30,000 registered users. "Some blog but most use it as a social networking site," she said.
But what social media is not – or not yet, anyway – is an answer to newspapers' financial woes. Social media increases the number of people using media but does not have an answer to the industry's core challenges – falling advertising revenues and the spread of free content.
"It is still early days in the social media revolution," Newman wrote in the conclusion to his paper. "There is much still much to be learned, but overall there is new confidence in the underlying values of journalism and the role that social media might play in keeping those values relevant in the digital media age."
Not all agree. A response posted to Newman’s paper said the distinction ought to be drawn between taking social media into account as necessary and taking social media too seriously, ever. “Social media is to reality as Reality TV is to TV. Though their existence is scarcely to be denied, neither is their inherently parasitic quality, above which one (seriously) ought to remain at all times able to rise.”
● Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is based at Oxford University and receives most of its funding from ● Thomson Reuters Foundation.
● SOURCE Reuters
Where such websites have led, traditional newspapers have now followed and are encouraging their users to spread and discuss stories, the paper’s author, Nic Newman, controller future media and technology in BBC journalism, said at its launch.
It’s time for traditional news organisations to take note. "The social media revolution is not a fad and it has absolutely revolutionised the media," he said at the BBC's Broadcasting House, London recently.
"The one-way broadcast is over. People want to interact and answer back."
Readers' comments, blogs and tweets are now almost ever-present features on news websites, allowing users to interact with reporters and editors in a way not previously possible.
This transformation is now central to the future of traditional news outlets because it increases the reach of their content, boosts engagement and loyalty levels and potentially tells a better story by increasing reporters' source base, Newman said.
"Social media is like an amplification, like a megaphone," Meg Pickard, head of development of social media at The Guardian, said. She said it was important for journalists to understand the editorial imperative of social media.
Kate Day, communities editor at ● telegraph.co.uk, explained how the The Daily Telegraph had created an online community at its website ● my.telegraph.co.uk with about 25,000 to 30,000 registered users. "Some blog but most use it as a social networking site," she said.
But what social media is not – or not yet, anyway – is an answer to newspapers' financial woes. Social media increases the number of people using media but does not have an answer to the industry's core challenges – falling advertising revenues and the spread of free content.
"It is still early days in the social media revolution," Newman wrote in the conclusion to his paper. "There is much still much to be learned, but overall there is new confidence in the underlying values of journalism and the role that social media might play in keeping those values relevant in the digital media age."
Not all agree. A response posted to Newman’s paper said the distinction ought to be drawn between taking social media into account as necessary and taking social media too seriously, ever. “Social media is to reality as Reality TV is to TV. Though their existence is scarcely to be denied, neither is their inherently parasitic quality, above which one (seriously) ought to remain at all times able to rise.”
● Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is based at Oxford University and receives most of its funding from ● Thomson Reuters Foundation.
● SOURCE Reuters
David Chipp's memoirs to be published in October
Thursday 16 July 2009
The memoirs of the late David Chipp, former editor of Reuters and director of the Reuters Foundation, are to be published posthumously in October.
The title, Mao’s Toe, comes from an incident in Peking half a century ago when Chipp was Reuters’ first resident correspondent in China since the 1949 Communist takeover. He trod on Chairman Mao Zedong’s toe and, far from taking offence, the Communist leader later gave Chipp his very own Chinese name, Qi Dewei – Lacquered Defender of Morals.
Chipp died in his sleep on 9 September 2008 aged 81. His memoirs will be launched at a reception at his old college, King’s, Cambridge, preceded by a memorial evensong in the chapel on Saturday 24 October at 5:15 pm for 5:30 pm. Those who wish to attend or obtain a copy of the book should contact ● development.office@kings.cam.ac.uk to register their interest.
● Obituary
● Thanksgiving service
The title, Mao’s Toe, comes from an incident in Peking half a century ago when Chipp was Reuters’ first resident correspondent in China since the 1949 Communist takeover. He trod on Chairman Mao Zedong’s toe and, far from taking offence, the Communist leader later gave Chipp his very own Chinese name, Qi Dewei – Lacquered Defender of Morals.
Chipp died in his sleep on 9 September 2008 aged 81. His memoirs will be launched at a reception at his old college, King’s, Cambridge, preceded by a memorial evensong in the chapel on Saturday 24 October at 5:15 pm for 5:30 pm. Those who wish to attend or obtain a copy of the book should contact ● development.office@kings.cam.ac.uk to register their interest.
● Obituary
● Thanksgiving service
Foundation expands its activities, opens new web portal
Thursday 28 May 2009
The Thomson Reuters Foundation is expanding to reflect the activities and larger scope of the combined business.
The company’s charitable arm has acquired the web address www.trust.org to reflect the importance of the Trust Principles and built a new portal for the Foundation’s three key areas of focus – the rule of law, humanitarian information and journalism training.
The Foundation’s three main programmes – and the communities that bring them to life – will find a home on the new website, says Foundation CEO Monique Villa (pictured). These programmes are TrustLaw, Trust AlertNet (and its associated Emergency Information Service) and Trust Media.
● Trust Media, flagship of the old Reuters Foundation, is all about training journalists around the world to the highest standards – everything from business reporting in Africa or Eastern Europe to multimedia coverage of crises around the world. Also under Trust Media's wing is the Reuters Oxford Institute, the Foundation’s partnership with Oxford University, which is dedicated to the study of journalism and its ongoing challenges in the 21st century.
● Trust AlertNet is the world's premier website on humanitarian issues. Covering conflicts, natural disasters and health emergencies, it has 10 million users a year. It has also built up an alliance of more than 400 non-governmental organisations engaged in relief work around the world. The Foundation is developing the Emergency Information Service to support survivors of major earthquakes, cyclones and other natural disasters with potentially life-saving information. From SMS text messages to megaphones and bulletin boards, it will use the best means possible to reach communities left in the dark. The project stems from the conviction that information in itself is a form of aid, exactly as crucial as blankets or tarpaulins.
● TrustLaw, the Foundation’s newest project, will be born at the end of this year. It is based on a simple but ambitious goal: to create an international hub for the practice of pro bono legal work. The idea is to match those in need of legal expertise with those willing to give it at no cost to the client. Just as AlertNet offers news, information and a community space for professionals from the humanitarian aid world, TrustLaw will serve as a forum for lawyers, accountants, judges, journalists, governments and NGOs focusing on specific areas of the law such as good governance and anti-corruption. The website will offer news and information as well as a database of law, best practices, policies and procedures and country background reports.
“Whether you are a Thomson Reuters employee, a client, a Foundation partner or a member of the public, www.trust.org will be an open door to getting involved,” Villa said in a message circulated within the company. “The full-blown new website will be launched at the end of this year but you can already get a feel and find out a little more about what the Foundation is up to and how it is already making a difference to those who have much less than many of us. The first issue of our quarterly Your Foundation newsletter is now on the site and a good place to learn more.
“I know that the Thomson Reuters Foundation is going to be remarkable. It will be pioneering and it will reflect the amazing skills, experiences, passion and dedication of our business and the people who work in it. In the months to come there will be lots of ways to hear more and get involved – through town halls, our new quarterly newsletter and through our network of Foundation ‘Champions’.
“I have been hugely inspired working with the Foundation team in bringing this to life, and I hope the Foundation will not only reflect our great businesses but also serve as a source of pride to all of you.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
The company’s charitable arm has acquired the web address www.trust.org to reflect the importance of the Trust Principles and built a new portal for the Foundation’s three key areas of focus – the rule of law, humanitarian information and journalism training.
The Foundation’s three main programmes – and the communities that bring them to life – will find a home on the new website, says Foundation CEO Monique Villa (pictured). These programmes are TrustLaw, Trust AlertNet (and its associated Emergency Information Service) and Trust Media.
● Trust Media, flagship of the old Reuters Foundation, is all about training journalists around the world to the highest standards – everything from business reporting in Africa or Eastern Europe to multimedia coverage of crises around the world. Also under Trust Media's wing is the Reuters Oxford Institute, the Foundation’s partnership with Oxford University, which is dedicated to the study of journalism and its ongoing challenges in the 21st century.
● Trust AlertNet is the world's premier website on humanitarian issues. Covering conflicts, natural disasters and health emergencies, it has 10 million users a year. It has also built up an alliance of more than 400 non-governmental organisations engaged in relief work around the world. The Foundation is developing the Emergency Information Service to support survivors of major earthquakes, cyclones and other natural disasters with potentially life-saving information. From SMS text messages to megaphones and bulletin boards, it will use the best means possible to reach communities left in the dark. The project stems from the conviction that information in itself is a form of aid, exactly as crucial as blankets or tarpaulins.
● TrustLaw, the Foundation’s newest project, will be born at the end of this year. It is based on a simple but ambitious goal: to create an international hub for the practice of pro bono legal work. The idea is to match those in need of legal expertise with those willing to give it at no cost to the client. Just as AlertNet offers news, information and a community space for professionals from the humanitarian aid world, TrustLaw will serve as a forum for lawyers, accountants, judges, journalists, governments and NGOs focusing on specific areas of the law such as good governance and anti-corruption. The website will offer news and information as well as a database of law, best practices, policies and procedures and country background reports.
“Whether you are a Thomson Reuters employee, a client, a Foundation partner or a member of the public, www.trust.org will be an open door to getting involved,” Villa said in a message circulated within the company. “The full-blown new website will be launched at the end of this year but you can already get a feel and find out a little more about what the Foundation is up to and how it is already making a difference to those who have much less than many of us. The first issue of our quarterly Your Foundation newsletter is now on the site and a good place to learn more.
“I know that the Thomson Reuters Foundation is going to be remarkable. It will be pioneering and it will reflect the amazing skills, experiences, passion and dedication of our business and the people who work in it. In the months to come there will be lots of ways to hear more and get involved – through town halls, our new quarterly newsletter and through our network of Foundation ‘Champions’.
“I have been hugely inspired working with the Foundation team in bringing this to life, and I hope the Foundation will not only reflect our great businesses but also serve as a source of pride to all of you.”
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters Foundation
Foundation to join Abu Dhabi media zone
Monday 13 October 2008
The Thomson Reuters Foundation is to set up journalism training in Abu Dhabi as part of a joint project to develop media in the Gulf.
Along with international media companies including the BBC, CNN and the Financial Times, it will be a partner in a media zone funded by the United Arab Emirates government.
The project, called twofour54, aims to build an Arab media economy in the region, offering a vocational training academy, production and post-production facilities, and an incubation fund for new businesses.
Monique Villa, Foundation chief executive, said: "We are one of the main partners with the BBC in the training academy, which means we are going to train a number of journalists from the region in all the things they need to learn.
"It could be as tailor-made as how you cover business, how you cover a natural catastrophe, all this for print and broadcasting as well as for photography and multimedia. It will be a great centre for training the Arab region."
She said a regional director would be appointed to oversee the scheme, which begins in January.
"Here you have a fast-growing region and a fast-growing population of journalists, but sometimes they need to be a little bit more professional, so we will try to help them with that."
The Guardian said Thomson Reuters is expected to set up a photo agency and establish a sharia law-compliant financial information portal for the region.
Along with international media companies including the BBC, CNN and the Financial Times, it will be a partner in a media zone funded by the United Arab Emirates government.
The project, called twofour54, aims to build an Arab media economy in the region, offering a vocational training academy, production and post-production facilities, and an incubation fund for new businesses.
Monique Villa, Foundation chief executive, said: "We are one of the main partners with the BBC in the training academy, which means we are going to train a number of journalists from the region in all the things they need to learn.
"It could be as tailor-made as how you cover business, how you cover a natural catastrophe, all this for print and broadcasting as well as for photography and multimedia. It will be a great centre for training the Arab region."
She said a regional director would be appointed to oversee the scheme, which begins in January.
"Here you have a fast-growing region and a fast-growing population of journalists, but sometimes they need to be a little bit more professional, so we will try to help them with that."
The Guardian said Thomson Reuters is expected to set up a photo agency and establish a sharia law-compliant financial information portal for the region.
Reuters Fellows mark quarter century
Wednesday 01 October 2008
Reuters Fellows old and new gathered at Oxford University for a weekend of lectures, seminars and socialising to mark the 25th anniversary of the Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme which brings journalists from around the world to study at the renowned seat of learning. Some of the journalists had flown in specially from Africa and Asia.
First event on 26 September was a lecture by Arthur Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times. He spoke of the economic and democratic challenges the Internet posed to the media at a time when the global audience for news is growing.
That was followed by dinner for more than 150 people at Lady Margaret Hall, down the road from the mansion on Norham Gardens where the new Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) – successor to the Foundation’s original Oxford Fellowship Programme – is centred.
Saturday saw seminars on the future of journalism in Africa, a “Moral Maze” debate on whether good journalism is in crisis and a lively, wide-ranging Fellows Symposium (pictured above) looking at coverage of the year’s major stories.
It ended with a garden party in rare late-summer sunshine in the gardens of Green Templeton College bringing together not only the fellows but also some of the past luminaries of the programme including its founders Michael Nelson and Neville Maxwell, former directors Godfrey Hodgson and Paddy Coulter and the newly appointed director of the RISJ, David Levy, former controller of public policy at the BBC. Past and present directors of the Reuters Foundation including Steve Somerville and the present CEO Monique Villa were also there.
The RISJ programme offers Oxford fellowships to mid-career journalists, including those from developing countries, to study media-related issues which it is hoped will benefit them and their communities.
Peter Mosley
First event on 26 September was a lecture by Arthur Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times. He spoke of the economic and democratic challenges the Internet posed to the media at a time when the global audience for news is growing.
That was followed by dinner for more than 150 people at Lady Margaret Hall, down the road from the mansion on Norham Gardens where the new Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) – successor to the Foundation’s original Oxford Fellowship Programme – is centred.
Saturday saw seminars on the future of journalism in Africa, a “Moral Maze” debate on whether good journalism is in crisis and a lively, wide-ranging Fellows Symposium (pictured above) looking at coverage of the year’s major stories.
It ended with a garden party in rare late-summer sunshine in the gardens of Green Templeton College bringing together not only the fellows but also some of the past luminaries of the programme including its founders Michael Nelson and Neville Maxwell, former directors Godfrey Hodgson and Paddy Coulter and the newly appointed director of the RISJ, David Levy, former controller of public policy at the BBC. Past and present directors of the Reuters Foundation including Steve Somerville and the present CEO Monique Villa were also there.
The RISJ programme offers Oxford fellowships to mid-career journalists, including those from developing countries, to study media-related issues which it is hoped will benefit them and their communities.
Peter Mosley
Reuters Institute names new director
Wednesday 17 September 2008
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University has named David Levy, former BBC head of policy, as its new director.
The Institute, whose core funder is the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was launched in November 2006 and developed from the Reuters Fellowship Programme established at Oxford in 1983. It provides a leading forum for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to engage with journalists from around the world.
“I am delighted to be taking over as Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and hope to use my background as a journalist, an academic and a media policy expert to build on the strengths of the team and deliver new insights over the coming years,” Levy said.
“With rapid change affecting the whole global media industry, the Institute’s unique mission to create links between scholars and practitioners from around the world is more relevant than ever before.”
Levy has been responsible for the BBC’s public policy, public affairs and European policy teams, and for developing the policy for the BBC’s charter review in 2006. His areas of expertise include public service reform, the impact of digital technology, media ownership and regulation in the UK and Europe.
Monique Villa, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: “The Thomson Reuters Foundation is wholly committed to the development of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and we are delighted that Dr Levy has been appointed as its Director. He brings with him first hand journalistic knowledge and a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the media industry. Dr Levy will be pivotal in ensuring the continued success of the Institute as it looks to evaluate the ongoing challenges faced by the world of journalism in the 21st century.”
Levy is an associate fellow in media communications at the Saïd Business School at Oxford University and will continue in that role. He began his BBC career as a journalist at BBC World Service.
● SOURCE Reuters Institute
The Institute, whose core funder is the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was launched in November 2006 and developed from the Reuters Fellowship Programme established at Oxford in 1983. It provides a leading forum for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to engage with journalists from around the world.
“I am delighted to be taking over as Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and hope to use my background as a journalist, an academic and a media policy expert to build on the strengths of the team and deliver new insights over the coming years,” Levy said.
“With rapid change affecting the whole global media industry, the Institute’s unique mission to create links between scholars and practitioners from around the world is more relevant than ever before.”
Levy has been responsible for the BBC’s public policy, public affairs and European policy teams, and for developing the policy for the BBC’s charter review in 2006. His areas of expertise include public service reform, the impact of digital technology, media ownership and regulation in the UK and Europe.
Monique Villa, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: “The Thomson Reuters Foundation is wholly committed to the development of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and we are delighted that Dr Levy has been appointed as its Director. He brings with him first hand journalistic knowledge and a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the media industry. Dr Levy will be pivotal in ensuring the continued success of the Institute as it looks to evaluate the ongoing challenges faced by the world of journalism in the 21st century.”
Levy is an associate fellow in media communications at the Saïd Business School at Oxford University and will continue in that role. He began his BBC career as a journalist at BBC World Service.
● SOURCE Reuters Institute
$260,000 China quake relief donation
Thursday 22 May 2008
Thomson Reuters, ● Reuters Foundation and staff have donated a combined $260,000 to help relief work following the earthquake in China’s Szechuan province.
The Foundation has donated $100,000, supplemented by $100,000 from Thomson Reuters, to be distributed through agencies chosen by the Foundation’s ● AlertNet International Disaster Fund (AIDfund), an independent grant-making fund. Often working in partnership with local people, the agencies, which are all members of ● Reuters AlertNet, will receive funding to help them fulfil specific aid programmes.
Thomson Reuters staff across Asia have set up local fundraising initiatives which have raised $60,000, as well as offering generous donations of blankets and clothes for earthquake survivors. These have been passed to local Red Cross Societies.
"The earthquake has prompted a tremendous outpouring of support and humanitarian relief from our staff across the region,” said Kenneth Tsui, managing director for North Asia for the markets division.
“The company, its employees and Foundation have responded rapidly to raise and distribute funds for those affected by the tragedy. In such a disaster situation, we will also continue to enable relief agencies to access and share vital news and information that could help improve the situation."
AIDfund has awarded cash grants to the following non governmental organisations, all of which have a long history of providing relief aid in China:
● Americare $30,000
● Handicap International $30,000
● British Red Cross $40,000
● World Vision International $40,000
● Save the Children $60,000
Selected by a committee of humanitarian experts, the programmes will help with basic utilities, food, tents and other forms of shelter. They will also provide child-friendly spaces to support children in their adjustment following the disaster, as well as trained physiotherapists to support the rehabilitation of those injured during the quake.
Staff who wish to donate can do so through ● AIDfund online. These donations will help to create a fund for future emergencies.
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters
The Foundation has donated $100,000, supplemented by $100,000 from Thomson Reuters, to be distributed through agencies chosen by the Foundation’s ● AlertNet International Disaster Fund (AIDfund), an independent grant-making fund. Often working in partnership with local people, the agencies, which are all members of ● Reuters AlertNet, will receive funding to help them fulfil specific aid programmes.
Thomson Reuters staff across Asia have set up local fundraising initiatives which have raised $60,000, as well as offering generous donations of blankets and clothes for earthquake survivors. These have been passed to local Red Cross Societies.
"The earthquake has prompted a tremendous outpouring of support and humanitarian relief from our staff across the region,” said Kenneth Tsui, managing director for North Asia for the markets division.
“The company, its employees and Foundation have responded rapidly to raise and distribute funds for those affected by the tragedy. In such a disaster situation, we will also continue to enable relief agencies to access and share vital news and information that could help improve the situation."
AIDfund has awarded cash grants to the following non governmental organisations, all of which have a long history of providing relief aid in China:
● Americare $30,000
● Handicap International $30,000
● British Red Cross $40,000
● World Vision International $40,000
● Save the Children $60,000
Selected by a committee of humanitarian experts, the programmes will help with basic utilities, food, tents and other forms of shelter. They will also provide child-friendly spaces to support children in their adjustment following the disaster, as well as trained physiotherapists to support the rehabilitation of those injured during the quake.
Staff who wish to donate can do so through ● AIDfund online. These donations will help to create a fund for future emergencies.
● SOURCE Thomson Reuters
$300,000 gift for cyclone relief
Wednesday 14 May 2008
Thomson Reuters and the Reuters Foundation said they will support disaster relief efforts in Myanmar with a donation totalling $300,000. The money will directly fund relief agencies that have gained access to areas devastated by Cyclone Nargis. It is being channelled through the AlertNet International Disaster Fund (AIDfund).
The Foundation is donating $200,000 to AIDfund and Thomson Reuters is giving an additional $100,000. AIDfund is an independent fund which provides immediate support to humanitarian organisations working on the frontline of emergency relief.
Cash grants are going to the following NGOs: Adventist Development and Relief Agency, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, HelpAge International, Muslim Aid and World Vision International. They will provide food parcels including rice, oil, pulses and dried fish, water purification tablets, clean water systems, blankets, clothing and temporary shelter.
“The point of AIDfund is to get cash fast to relief agencies already on the ground in Myanmar,” Foundation CEO Monique Villa said. “These agencies are the ones most able to make a difference in this critical period when lives can still be saved. All the agencies we’ve chosen have been active in the country for years. They have the local knowledge and connections to get relief where it’s needed quickly.”
● SOURCE Reuters Foundation | AlertNet
The Foundation is donating $200,000 to AIDfund and Thomson Reuters is giving an additional $100,000. AIDfund is an independent fund which provides immediate support to humanitarian organisations working on the frontline of emergency relief.
Cash grants are going to the following NGOs: Adventist Development and Relief Agency, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, HelpAge International, Muslim Aid and World Vision International. They will provide food parcels including rice, oil, pulses and dried fish, water purification tablets, clean water systems, blankets, clothing and temporary shelter.
“The point of AIDfund is to get cash fast to relief agencies already on the ground in Myanmar,” Foundation CEO Monique Villa said. “These agencies are the ones most able to make a difference in this critical period when lives can still be saved. All the agencies we’ve chosen have been active in the country for years. They have the local knowledge and connections to get relief where it’s needed quickly.”
● SOURCE Reuters Foundation | AlertNet
