Secret Funding of Reuters

The British government secretly funded Reuters during the 1960s and 70s, as revealed in declassified documents. This funding was orchestrated by an anti-Soviet propaganda unit linked to British intelligence, with the payments concealed through the BBC. The documents showed an explicit agreement for government support to bolster Reuters' coverage in the Middle East and Latin America, raising questions about the influence the government may have had on Reuters' reporting. Critics argue that the exposure of this funding underscores the inherent conflicts of interest plaguing mainstream media and highlights the blurred lines between journalism and government propaganda.