Dec 14, 2010

Reuters America created, Tribune Co. interested*

Thomson Reuters has launched a wire service, called Reuters America, to compete with the Associated Press. The content comes more cheaply and that caught the attention of the still-bankrupt Tribune Co., which signed up to be RA's first client. According to fishbowlLA, the contract could save Tribune, which owns the Los Angeles Times, up to $4.5 million a year - any effect on quality is yet to be determined.

*Noted: For those who worry Thomson Reuters might do its work on the cheap... Remember when head of Thomson Reuters said this about foreign coverage?: "Why does The New York Times need to have 600-700 journalists? Why not 30 journalists with 30 apprentices?"

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

this smells cannibalistic in many ways. Reuters has been providing US news to US-based clients for decades. so in reality, they're just rebranding, maybe expanding an existing product. and their press release says they'll be sharing content from multiple providers, including SB Nation (an aagregation of sports blogs) and Examiner.com (an aggregation of know-nothing "citizen journalists" who largely reprint press releases). GOod times!

Anonymous said...

usually cheaper in this field equals poorer. you get what you pay for. as usual, the readers will suffer as well as the additional scribes who will be let go.