Baron Survey Results

Below is a summary of the results but please keep the suggestions coming.

Most popular content

-The most valued items are those about former and serving Reuters staff, which mainly encompasses the current News and People tabs. This includes obituaries but there is also a strong demand for more news about colleagues still working at Reuters and those who left more recently.

There is continuing demand for amusing reminiscences, but readers are divided. Some younger respondents are irritated by stories from the ancient past about “acts of derring do” and suggestions that Reuters was universally better in the old days. But other veterans like to read amusing anecdotes about the past of Reuters.

Action

We will try to increase People content including expanding our existing Life After Reuters feature. We may turn it into a separate section if justified by the input.  Such items will be judged on their interest and entertainment value and should steer clear of a list of achievements.

Reuters Now

- The interest in stories about existing employees and life in Reuters Editorial now was the top request by respondents to the survey.

Action

- This will require an effort to recruit more people inside the company who are willing to describe their work and conditions, even anonymously. Suggestions would be welcomed on how to expand our network of informants and reporters. Ideas for new content would be welcomed. We will renew attempts to have current executives address the Baron’s Briefings

- Reader requests

Readers like reports and scoops on Thomson Reuters job losses, controversial contracts with the U.S. government, management decisions, successes and failures including from departments outside Editorial.

Help

Many respondents said they would be willing to help with editing and posting content. The new website should be much simpler for occasional contributors to use. We also need more contributions from our readers including tipoffs about relevant media stories.

Technical and design improvement

- Many respondents criticised overlap on the site between different sections, some of which show only very old content.

- There are complaints about the website being outdated (it is  more than 15 years old). One answer described it “as user-friendly as a Reuters beeper”. Comments highlight difficult navigation and parts of the website that are easily missed, especially on mobile devices.

Action

The rebuilt site will remove several redundant tabs like Editorial and Columns, using Comment as a catchall.

- Our rebuild will make the website easier to navigate, including on mobile devices. Suggestions from the survey include expanding the number of items on the front page and on the Latest section. The Trending page is erratic and will be reviewed. Some readers suggested removing older items, especially from the ticker. This is already done but can be refined.

- Access to Baron updates

 By far the most efficient way to see Baron updates is via the email alerts that can be accessed on the site, sending automatic emails at optional intervals. Most people do this already, but we would like to increase the number. The RSS feed used by a few readers is broken and will be fixed.

Miscellaneous:

Improve the Directory (if we have the resources )

Content

-Most readers believe the site should continue its existing focus on Editorial but with some carefully chosen items on other departments and on Refinitiv. But not the wider TR Legal, Tax etc departments

- More photos

- More on other media and press freedom when resources allow

Funding

- Most respondents were favourable to a smallish subscription which is essential to cover The Baron’s overheads including the site rebuild.

Action

- We will endeavour to reactivate a safe and efficient automatic payment system rather than donating via the Editor, as now.  The suggested base amount is £50 annually but more generous donations will be gratefully received from those who are able.

Message Board

- There were suggestions to introduce an interactive message board, where readers can post comments direct to the site and others can respond. This might be particularly useful when there is a surge of  content.

Action

We will look at this while retaining our ability to edit badly written or inappropriate content. ■