NEWS AGENCIES AND HOW THEY FUNCTION: AN EXAMINATION OF REUTERS NEWS AGENCY

News agencies provide an important and irresistible service. They supply and circulate news and other kinds of information within and between countries to news papers, broadcasting stations as well as a growing number of other clients. The biggest players in this news gathering terrain are the United Press International (UP1), in USA, the Associated Press (AP), in USA, Agence France Presse (AFP), in France and Reuters in the United Kingdom. Collectively, they are called the Big Four. This paper looks at their history, structure and operational challenges, with a particular reference to the Reuters news agency