"Reuters has suffered a sudden and dramatic reversal in its fortunes. As recently as July 2001 Reuters, Britain's only media and financial information company with a global brand, was riding the crest of a wave following three decades of spectacular and virtually uninterrupted growth. Less than two years later, it was reporting a record loss, with massive staff layoffs and a sharp decline in its share price to the point where it is viewed in the City as a possible takeover target."

"The history of Reuters is a long and prestigious one, founded on news reporting known for its accuracy, reliability and independence. It was Reuters that first broke the news to the world of Lincoln's assassination and the Relief of Mafeking. At its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, Reuters was one of the most dynamic and successful companies in the world. So how could a company of such fine traditions, that fostered writing talents like Ian Fleming, Tim Sebastian and Frederick Forsyth, and pioneered the electronic market place to become the world's largest financial information vendor, have got it so disastrously wrong?"--Jacket.