The money was used to expand Reuters coverage of the Middle East and Latin America and hidden by increased news subscription payments to Reuters from the BBC. However, the documents illustrate the level of involvement the government once had in Reuters' affairs and the explicit agreement to conceal the financing. "But the arrangement in 1969 was not in keeping with our Trust Principles and we would not do this today," said Crundwell, referring to the Reuters Trust Principles, designed to preserve the news agency's integrity, independence and freedom from bias. ReutersThe news gathering activities of Reuters are overseen by the Founders Share Company, which was created in 1984 to uphold the Trust Principles. The documents show the Information Research Department (IRD), a British anti-Soviet propaganda unit with close ties to British intelligence, led negotiations with Reuters.

Source: bd News24 January 13, 2020 21:45 UTC