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FOR THE LOVE OF THE JOB CarOline drees, manaGinG editOr OF reuters middle east talKs tO siNDhU NaiR On matters ClOse tO her heart...
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othing beats having reporters on the ground, to tell the world what's happening in real time. That's Caroline Drees' take on Reuters, the organisation she has worked for for almost 16 years throughout the Middle East, Europe and the United States. She was recently appointed as the Managing Editor of the organisation in the Middle East and Africa. She's been the Middle East editor in 2008 and has run editorial operations in the region throughout the economic downturn, the Gaza conflict in late 2008 and early 2009, and the aftermath of Iran's elections last year. Trying to define her journalistic experience, in a word, at an organisation that ‘cares deeply about its staff, about news, and about the importance of balanced, impartial and fair reporting at all times’, she opts for ‘thrilling’. For someone who is a veteran in the field of journalism, her passion for her profession hasn't dimmed a bit nor has complacency crept in. “I love being a journalist. The thrill of breaking news and shedding light on developments across the world is so rewarding.” Drees talks about the new offering of Reuters that will soon hit the news market when she says, “Later in the year, we'll be launching a new product called 'Eikon' which will give clients in the financial industry Reuters news in Arabic on their Thomson Reuters desktop.”
The region and insights
Having lived in the ME for the past quarter-century, Drees clearly finds the area intriguing to work in. “I have greatly enjoyed discovering the complex fabric of this diverse region,” she said. “Since my first taste of the Arab world when my family moved to Sudan in 1986, I've been lucky enough to work and travel in most Arab countries, learning about the history, heritage and culture of places from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula.” She also notes the Middle Eastern countries as being “ex-
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tag this tremely hospitable with a wide variety of great food.” On her stint in running editorial operations through some difficult times both in Gaza and Tehran, Drees says, “One of the fantastic things about working for Reuters is the people. We have excellent reporting teams in both Gaza and Tehran, and their work during these momentous stories was outstanding. Many other media outlets struggled to report on these events because they weren't present on the ground. But Reuters has reporters based in Gaza and Tehran – and throughout the Middle East – all the time, so we are able to tell the world first-hand about the unfolding news. We were there long before, during and after these events, allowing us to bring true expertise to bear. Thanks to our hard-working and courageous reporters, we were able to give our subscribers news with unparalleled insight and free from bias, in line with the Reuters Trust Principles. And because our teams are permanently based in Gaza, Tehran and across the globe, we continue to provide insightful news from the ground, day in and day out.” But all the excitement was not without a bit of adrenaline-pumping challenge, the biggest among them being safety. “Keeping our journalists safe is our top priority, and we work hard to provide safety training and equipment, and to keep our teams out of harm's way. Working for the safety and security of journalists is a vital task that we take very seriously.”
Online versus Print Media
Drees gives her take on the debate that has taken its round in for some time now, on the print media and whether it will eventually be seen out. “I can't see print journalism being phased out in our lifetime. It continues to be an important part of the global media landscape, and particularly in this region, newspapers remain extremely popular.” But she feels that there has been some extent of personalisation in the media and aiding this have been social media tools. “Through the incorporation of social media, RSS feeds and online newsletters, people have been able to con-
sume more of the news they want, when they want it, and how they want it. With that in mind, Thomson Reuters recently launched a new financial television platform called Reuters Insider, which has been described by some as 'The YouTube for finance professionals.' It allows them to access news and information through video online at their desks at the touch of a button. The content is generated both by Thomson Reuters journalists throughout the world as well as banks and other third party providers. The content can also be viewed on your BlackBerry and there is an iPhone app as well.” Social media, she says, allows greater peer-to-peer interaction. “This interaction means that news can travel at a far greater speed to a much broader audience. Thomson Reuters through its products such as our instant messaging services which connect exclusive on-line communities such as Trading Middle East, Africa Markets and Middle East Treasury, connects tens of thousands of users who can share ideas and news from anywhere in the world, either individually or through chat rooms. “Reuters Insider also allows users much greater control and personalisation capabilities of video content which they can download and share among their peers. Reuters is also active on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook,” she says.
“We have excellent reporting teams in both Gaza and Tehran, and their work during these momentous stories was outstanding. Many other media outlets struggled to report on these events because they weren’t present on the ground”
Reuters and its competitors
Talking about the organisation she is part of, Drees says, “Thomson Reuters is diverse in its business model. Not only are we the world's largest news agency, we are also the leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare, science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organisation. Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and reports news from over 200 countries. We have been active in the Middle East since 1865, so we have a long history and unrivalled expertise in the region.” september 10
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Reuters in the Middle East “The Middle East is a key focus area for us, and we embarked on a regional expansion plan about 18 months ago. While other media outlets have been contracting or even closing during the global economic downturn, Reuters has been expanding. Thomson Reuters has invested millions of dollars on the Middle East growth plan over the past 18 months, highlighting the importance we attach to this region. We’ve added dozens of new journalists across the region. These new editorial posts are across financial news and multimedia, and cover commodities, energy, trea-
“If you want to work in a particular country or region, make sure you learn the language well. If you’re passionate about a topic, study it in depth and develop real expertise, that will set you apart as a journalist”
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This paved way to the next question, whether Reuters seeks to eliminate, assimilate or ignore its competition, to which Drees responds with a neutral comment. “A competitive market is good news for any industry and often results in higher standards. In the case of the media industry, competition encourages creativity, innovation and can promote a vibrant journalistic culture. Consumers of news benefit from competition because it gives them a wider choice of perspectives and ways to receive their content. We welcome competition, and on a global scale it will continue to spawn deeper, broader and better reporting across the globe. Thomson Reuters always seeks to stay ahead of the curve, and recently bought news commentary provider Breakingviews and created the financial television platform Reuters Insider. Reuters Insider sits on a unique broadband media player which serves as an aggregation platform for output from more than 100 providers including CNBC, UBS, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, Standard & Poors and the World Economic Forum.” Citizen Journalism seems to have garnered a lot of youth involvement and is said to be the 'new' exciting thing to happen to journalism. Drees responds, “Citizen Journalism is exciting, but clients and consumers will always need the services of organisations such as Reuters that provide impartial, fast, and accurate reporting on the breaking issues of the day.
sury, financial sectors and equities, the economy, and specific sectors such as real estate and banking. “A vital part of our offering is our Arabic news service. We’re continuing to expand our presence of Arabic Service reporters throughout the region, notably in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. We have also added Islamic finance and other sector specialists. This is a substantial expansion of our Arabic news service which has already been going successfully for decades, providing global and regional economic, political, cultural and sports news.”
“The financial services industry is undergoing an historic shift. The media sector is being wrenched by the strain on traditional business models. Consumers are younger, quicker, and are demanding their news and information in new and different ways. As other news organisations are laying off hundreds – if not thousands – and shutting their doors, Reuters is making the investments necessary to be the indispensible source of news.” As a signing-off note she gives her advice to budding journalists, “I would advise any aspiring journalist to get as much experience as they can, starting with student newspapers, university radio stations, summer internships, whatever you can get. I would urge them to keep at it, and not be deterred by setbacks. “If you want to work in a particular country or region, make sure you learn the language well. I started learning Arabic when I was 15 and I'm so glad I did! If you're passionate about a topic, study it in depth and develop real expertise, that will set you apart as a journalist.” While she doles out advice, Drees reminisces on the one best piece of advice she has been privy to, “I was told to do what I loved, and not what I thought I should do. That advice has allowed me to have an exciting career as a journalist and manager, working in dozens of countries on four continents. I consider myself very lucky. Insha Allah” n