History of Reuters in Timeline
Reuters, a prominent global news agency owned by Thomson Reuters, maintains a vast network of approximately 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists stationed across 200 locations worldwide. Delivering news in 16 languages, Reuters is widely recognized as one of the largest and most reliable news sources globally.
1915: Death of Herbert de Reuter
Herbert de Reuter, son of Paul Reuter and general manager of the company, died by suicide in 1915.
1916: Return to Private Ownership and Renaming
Reuters returned to private ownership in 1916 when Roderick Jones and Mark Napier purchased all shares and renamed the company "Reuters Limited," dropping the apostrophe.
1919: Misrepresentation of Korean Protests
Reuters faced criticism for falsely reporting the anti-colonial March 1st Movement protests in Korea as violent Bolshevik uprisings in 1919, potentially impacting international opinion on Korea.
1923: Pioneering Radio Transmission
In 1923, Reuters became a pioneer in news transmission by using radio to transmit news internationally.
1925: Press Association Acquires Majority Interest
The Press Association (PA) of Great Britain acquired a majority interest in Reuters in 1925, marking a shift in ownership structure.
1941: Restructuring and Ownership Changes
Facing pressure from the British government during World War II, Reuters restructured itself as a private company in 1941. Additionally, the PA sold half of Reuters to the Newspaper Proprietors' Association.
1947: Expansion of Co-ownership
Co-ownership of Reuters expanded in 1947 to include associations representing daily newspapers in New Zealand and Australia, solidifying its global reach.
1961: Scooping the Berlin Wall Erection
Reuters gained recognition in 1961 for being one of the first news agencies to report on the erection of the Berlin Wall, showcasing its newsgathering capabilities.
1969: Anthony Grey Released from Detention
Anthony Grey was released in 1969 after being imprisoned for 27 months and was later awarded an OBE by the British Government for his experience.
1973: Computer-Terminal Displays of Exchange Rates
In 1973, Reuters began offering clients computer-terminal displays of foreign-exchange rates, demonstrating its early adoption of technology in financial news.
1977: Allegations of CIA Cooperation
Rolling Stone and The New York Times published reports in 1977 alleging that Reuters cooperated with the CIA, based on information from CIA officials. Reuters denied the claims and requested evidence, which was not provided.
1981: Supporting Electronic Transactions
Reuters embraced electronic trading in 1981 by supporting electronic transactions on its computer network, leading to the development of electronic brokerage and trading services.
1984: Public Listing and Stock Exchange Debut
Reuters became a publicly traded company in 1984, with Reuters Trust listed on stock exchanges such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and NASDAQ.
1989: Reporting the Berlin Wall's Breach
Reuters was among the first news agencies to report on the historic breaching of the Berlin Wall in 1989, further solidifying its reputation for timely news coverage.
May 2000: Death of Kurt Schork
American reporter Kurt Schork was killed in an ambush while on assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone in May 2000.
2001: Dotcom Boom and Banking Troubles Impact
Reuters' share price experienced the highs of the dotcom boom followed by a decline due to banking troubles in 2001, reflecting the economic landscape of the time.
2002: Recognition as a Major News Agency
In 2002, Britannica acknowledged Reuters as one of the three major global news agencies, alongside the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse, highlighting its significant influence.
2004: Reuters requests CanWest Global Communications to remove bylines
In 2004, Reuters asked CanWest Global Communications, a Canadian newspaper chain, to remove Reuters' bylines from their articles. This request came after the chain edited Reuters articles to insert the word terrorist. A Reuters spokesman said the goal was to protect reporters and maintain editorial integrity.
2004: Deaths of Adlan Khasanov and Dhia Najim
Reuters experienced the loss of two cameramen in 2004. Adlan Khasanov was killed by Chechen separatists, while Dhia Najim was killed in Iraq.
August 2006: Reuters severs ties with Lebanese photographer Adnan Hajj
In August 2006, Reuters was accused of bias against Israel during the 2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict after using doctored photos by Lebanese freelancer Adnan Hajj. Reuters announced it had severed all ties with Hajj and removed his photographs from its database.
July 2007: Deaths of Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh
In July 2007, Reuters cameramen Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh were killed by fire from a U.S. military Apache helicopter in Baghdad.
April 2008: Death of Fadel Shana
Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana was killed in the Gaza Strip in April 2008 after being hit by an Israeli tank.
2008: Thomson Corporation Acquires Reuters
In 2008, the Thomson Corporation of Canada acquired Reuters, marking a significant moment in the company's history and leading to the formation of Thomson Reuters.
2008: Acquisition by Thomson Corporation and Formation of Thomson Reuters
Thomson Corporation in Canada acquired Reuters in 2008, leading to the formation of Thomson Reuters, a major player in the financial information and news agency sectors.
January 2009: Death of Marguerite, Baroness de Reuter
Marguerite, Baroness de Reuter, the last surviving member of the Reuters family founders, passed away at the age of 96 in January 2009.
2010: Reuters criticized for cropping photos
In 2010, Reuters faced criticism from Haaretz for allegedly showing anti-Israeli bias. The news agency cropped photos from the Gaza flotilla raid, removing commandos' knives and blood from the images. Reuters stated this was standard procedure and later replaced the cropped photos with the originals.
2012: Jim Smith Appointed CEO
Thomson Reuters appointed Jim Smith as CEO in 2012.
July 2013: David Fogarty resigns from Reuters
In July 2013, David Fogarty, a former Reuters climate change correspondent in Asia, resigned after nearly 20 years with the company. Fogarty cited increasing difficulty in publishing climate change stories following comments from then-deputy editor-in-chief Paul Ingrassia, who was a climate change skeptic.
2014: Brazilian politicians involved in Operation Car Wash scandal
In 2014, several Brazilian politicians were implicated in a corruption scandal known as Operation Car Wash, where they accepted bribes in exchange for government contracts. This scandal was later referenced in a Reuters interview with former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
March 2015: Reuters releases interview excerpt about Operation Car Wash
In March 2015, Reuters' Brazilian affiliate released an interview excerpt with former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso about Operation Car Wash. The excerpt included a local editor's comment suggesting corruption during Cardoso's presidency, which was mistakenly published. Reuters later confirmed the error.
May 2016: Publication of Journalists' Data by Myrotvorets
In May 2016, the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets published personal data of thousands of journalists, including those from Reuters, who had been accredited by authorities in separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, raising concerns about safety and privacy.
July 2016: Sale of Intellectual Property and Science Operation
In July 2016, Thomson Reuters sold its intellectual property and science operation to private equity firms for $3.55 billion, marking a strategic divestment.
October 2016: Expansions and Relocations to Toronto
Thomson Reuters announced expansions and relocations to Toronto in October 2016, signaling a focus on its Canadian base.
November 2016: Job Cuts and Restructuring
As part of cost-cutting and restructuring efforts, Thomson Reuters eliminated 2,000 jobs globally in November 2016, impacting its estimated workforce of 50,000.
2018: Conviction of Reuters Journalists in Myanmar
Two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, were convicted in Myanmar in 2018 for obtaining state secrets while investigating a massacre in a Rohingya village, sparking international condemnation as an attack on press freedom.
March 2019: Release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had been imprisoned in Myanmar for over 500 days, were released on 7 March 2019, after receiving a presidential pardon.
November 2019: UK Foreign Office funding to Reuters revealed
In November 2019, documents revealed that the UK Foreign Office funded Reuters during the 1960s and 1970s to expand coverage in the Middle East. An agreement with the Information Research Department (IRD) provided £350,000 over four years, aiming to influence Reuters' work without giving editorial control.
March 2020: Appointment of Steve Hasker as CEO
Steve Hasker was appointed president and CEO of Thomson Reuters in March 2020, ushering in new leadership for the company.
June 2020: Reuters announces TASS joins 'Reuters Connect' programme
On 1 June 2020, Reuters announced that Russian news agency TASS joined its 'Reuters Connect' programme, which then included 18 partner agencies. Reuters President Michael Friedenberg expressed delight at the partnership's expansion.
June 2020: Reuters mistakenly uses wrong image in exclusive story
On 9 June 2020, three Reuters journalists used the image of an Indian herbal medicine entrepreneur in a story about an Indian cyber firm. The error led to the man being interrogated by Indian police. Reuters admitted the mistake, but local media found discrepancies in the journalists' explanation.
April 2021: Implementation of Paywall on Website
In April 2021, Reuters announced that its website would be placed behind a paywall, following the trend of other news organizations seeking to monetize online content.
March 2022: Reuters removes TASS from content marketplace
On 23 March 2022, Reuters removed TASS from its content marketplace. Interim CEO Matthew Keen stated that making TASS content available on Reuters Connect was not aligned with the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2022: Reuters' partnership with TASS scrutinized post Ukraine invasion
In 2022, Reuters' partnership with TASS came under scrutiny following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reuters staff expressed frustration and embarrassment over the continued partnership.
February 2023: Selden Ring Award for Human Rights Investigation
A team of Reuters journalists received the Selden Ring Award in February 2023 for their impactful investigation that exposed human rights abuses committed by the Nigerian military.
March 2024: Agreement with Gannett for Content Use
Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the United States, signed an agreement with Reuters in March 2024 to utilize the wire service's global content after ending its contract with the Associated Press.
2024: Pulitzer Prize Recognition
Reuters journalists achieved significant recognition in 2024 by winning two Pulitzer Prizes. One was for National Reporting, highlighting their investigation into Elon Musk and misconduct at his companies, including SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink. The second was for Breaking News Photography, recognizing their coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
