AMERICAN NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 25684, 7 January 1946, Page 5

AMERICAN NEWS

“CONDITIONED” IN LONDON PROFESSOR'S ALLEGATIONS REUTER'S NEWS SERVICE ATTACKED (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) , NEW YORK, January 6. The United States State Department publishes to-day a report on the post-war international information programme in which an attack is made on Reuter’s News Service. 'The report, • which is compiled bv Professor Arthur MaeMahon, of Columbia University, quotes a statement that American news collected by the American news services tends to go to London, where it is “conditioned” by British agencies such as Reuter’s before transmission throughout the Empire. Professor MaeMahon, in the report, said that although Reuter’s denied receiving any Government subsidy, intimations continued to come to the contrary. He quoted a letter from the American Embassy in Mexico City stating that ‘EI Universal ’ was receiving Reuter’s service for practically / nothing. Professor MaeMahon quoted a letter from the United States Minister to Australia, Mr Nelson Johnson, dated October 15, 1944, which said: “We have no news service comparable to Reuter’s, not one that enjoys the world-wide communication facilities that Reuter’s possesses. The result is that, to a very large extent, news from the United States as collected by American hews services, tends to go first to London, where the most important consumer lives, and is thence transmitted throughout the conditioned by such processes of selection and manipulation as British news agencies, such as Reuter’s, give it.” Professor MaeMahon quoted the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ Freedom of the Press Committee’s report to the effect that a leading Reuter’s executive, in a conversation in London early in 1945, admitted that Reuter’s in competition would sell its services at cost price or less in some cases, notably France or Belgium, where the newly-liberated papers could not for the time being pay costs. Professor MaeMahon claimed that Reuter’s had an advantage in certain places in arrangements for internal distribution; for example, in India Reuter’s possessed the only teletype news service in the country, and the American News Agency was told that additional facilities were not available. “ One of the major developments helping Reuter’s,” 'he said, “is the powerful short wave transmitters at Rugby, and through these modern facilities Reuter’s now literally sprays the world with news files.” REUTER DENIAL. Reuter’s general manager in London, Mr C. J. Chancellor, in his reply, says: “By extracts from . official correspondence and innuendoes, Professor MaeMahon leaves the reader with the impression : First, that Reuter’s in some special way is associated with the British Government; secondly, that' it receives special privileges and/or assistance from the Govern; merit which is not available toother news agencies; thirdly,' as a ' result of this connection, ‘ conditions ’ its news to favour British interests. This is not true. It is known not to be true by all who have any elementary knowledge of the subject dealt with by the memorandum, and by all who have worked with Reuter’s in Britain and abroad.” Reuter’s was owned and operated by British newspapers just as the Associated Press of America was owned and operated by United States newspapers. • Reuter’s was specifically protected by its charter of incorporation guaranteeing it complete independence from Government control and from political interests. ' Mr Chancellor said the Mexico City newspaper, which Professor MaeMahon said was buying Reuter’s service for “ damn near nothing,’,’ had been paying 618 American dollars monthly for it since December, 1943. Concerning Professor MacMnhon’s allegation that Reuter’s teletype service in India was exclusive, Mr Chancellor described the statement as “ manifestly dishonest, and giving a false and unfair impression.” He said Reuter’s - 'had operated in India for 70 years and the American news agencies had not operated there seriously until the _ recent war. Reuter’s had no special favour terms or exclusive right, but owing to shortage of lines and equipment had a temporary fleeting advantage. Mr Chancellor, replying to the allegation that the news collected by American agencies tends to go to London, where it was “ conditioned ’ before transmission to the Empire, quotes a statement by the chairman of the Australian'Associated Press, Mr R. A, Henderson, who declares that Mr Nelson Johnson’s statement, so far as Australia and New Zealand are concerned, is demonstrably false. Mr Henderson adds that the Australian Associated Press, with one exception, services every metropolitan and provincial newspaper in Australia and New Zealand with overseas news, and never reported or sought to report American news from London. ’ Mr Chancellor similarly quotes Mr Sisson Cooper, chairman of the South African Press Association, who says anY suggestion that South African newspapers would be content with or tolerate manipulated news from America was a reflection on their integrity, which they resented.