Matthew Keys, Reuters’ social media editor, has been fired. In March, Keys was indicted by the Department of Justice for allegedly aiding Anonymous, the computer hacking group. Keys was charged with giving computer log-in information to Anonymous, who then used it to hack into the Los Angeles Times.

When news of Keys’ indictment broke, Reuters suspended him. According to Keys, he is now officially unemployed:

Just got off the phone. Reuters has fired me, effective today. Our union will be filing a grievance. More soon.

— Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) April 22, 2013

Update (5:00 pm):
The Newspaper Guild of New York says Keys was “fired without cause.” Below is the full statement:

Read more

Reuters’ managing editor, Paul Ingrassia, is on the move. The company has announced that he will relocate from New York to London, and will be based in Canary Warf.

The Pulitzer prize winning Ingrassia has been with Reuters since 2011. Before being named a managing editor, he served as deputy editor-in-chief. Prior to his time with Reuters, Ingrassia worked for the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones for 31 years.

We’ll probably never know if Ingrassia is actually happy about being shipped to London, but his statement certainly looked on the bright side of things. “Moving to London literally puts me at the geographic centre of the Reuters news operation,” he said. “We face many exciting challenges in 2013 and I am committed to ensuring that Reuters continues to produce groundbreaking and award winning journalism.”

There must be something in the air, because over the last week three major news companies have announced that their respective websites were getting updated. It started with The New York Times. Then yesterday The Wall Street Journal revealed a new site was coming. Now have a look at the new Reuters, pictured above.

A couple things we like about the Reuters update: It’s much cleaner and columnists are easy to locate. However, regarding the look, there is only one ad on this preview, so we’ll see how much white space remains in the final version. Another great new feature is a constantly updated feed that includes social media and news.

We don’t know what the Journal has in mind for its new site, but the little we’ve seen from the Times and Reuters has us excited. Because we’re dorks.

Matthew Keys, a deputy social media editor at Reuters, has been indicted by the Department of Justice for his alleged involvement with Anonymous, a computer hacking group. Politico reports that Keys is charged with providing Anonymous members with log-in information to Tribune Company computer servers.

According to a DOJ release, Keys began working with Anonymous when he worked for Fox 40, a Tribune Company network:

Keys identified himself on an Internet chat forum as a former Tribune Company employee and provided members of Anonymous with a login and password to the Tribune Company server. After providing log-in credentials, Keys allegedly encouraged the Anonymous members to disrupt the website. According to the indictment, at least one of the computerhackers used the credentials provided by Keys to log into the Tribune Company server, and ultimately that hacker made changes to the web version of a Los Angeles Times news feature.

Keys’ employment status is currently unknown, but a Reuters employee said his desk was being disassembled and his security pass was deactivated.

The three counts Keys faces each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

Jim Roberts, one of the more veteran New York Times journalists to accept a buyout, is joining Reuters. Roberts had been with the Times for 26 years, most recently as assistant managing editor. At Reuters, Roberts will serve as executive editor of Reuters Digital, a new role at the company.

“Jim, who was a masthead editor at the New York Times, brings to this role a unique and ideal combination of new and traditional media skills and experience,” said Reuters digital editor, Chrsytia Freeland, in a note to staffers.

Roberts joins Reuters February 25. Freeland’s full memo is below.

Read more

Reuters has promoted two staffers. Details below. Both will be working out of Reuters’ London office.

• Ossian Shine, most recently sports editor, has been named global sports editor. Shine has been with Reuters since 2006, and was responsible for overseeing all of Reuters’ London Olympics coverage.
• John Pullman has been named global editor, Reuters Video News. Pullman most recently served as head of news output. He has been with the company since 2010.

Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

1. NRA President Attacks The Journal News, Gawker, for Publishing Gun Owners’ Information, January 10

2. Top New York Times Editors Prepare for Shakeup, January 11

3. Chris Christie Upset About His Time Cover, January 14

4. Cover Battle: GQ or Time, January 10

5. Layoffs Hit Reuters, January 15

6. Rupert Murdoch is Puzzled by Women’s Fall, Assumes She’s Poor and Abusing Welfare, January 16

Keep up-to-date with the latest FishbowlNY news. Click here to sign-up for the FishbowlNY daily newsletter, bringing you our articles each afternoon directly to your inbox.

Company wide layoffs have hit Reuters. According to Talking Biz News, the cuts come from all departments, including editorial, sales and training.

Reuters confirmed the news, but didn’t say how many staffers were let go.

“Similar to efforts across the company, the Reuters organization is focusing attention on our global cost structure as well as the need to simplify and ensure we have the skills and expertise within our organization so we can continue to contribute maximum value to the business and our customers,” Barb Burg, vice president and global head of communications, told Taking Biz News.

Reuters is forming a new business unit which is essentially a combining of existing editorial and news-centric sales and marketing operations.

As part of the shift, Stephen Adler, editor-in-chief of Reuters, will run the business unit and add “president” to his role. Steven Schwartz will also become managing director for Reuters’ News Agency. Schwartz was most recently head of Reuters’ media strategy, marketing and business development.

“With our editorial and media-business operations under one roof, we will be able to enhance both the creation and marketing of our world-class journalism, to benefit our professional and media customers and all our readers and viewers,” said Adler, in a statement.

Both The Los Angeles Times and Reuters have said that News Corp is currently in talks to acquire the Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune. And both, according to News Corp., are wrong. “Reports that News Corp. is in discussions with Tribune or the L.A. Times are wholly inaccurate,” Julie Henderson, a spokesperson for the company, told Bloomberg News in an email.

The LA Times reported that News Corp. is in talks with the debt holders of Tribune Company (parent of the LA Times and Chicago Tribune). Those holders will become majority holders of the company when it emerges from bankruptcy.

Reuters has updated their report, saying that their source redacted info. The LA Times is sticking by its claim.