By Karmrath News Desk
London: The Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) plans to close most of its news operation next month, including Context News, Sources told The Baron. Around a dozen journalists working for Context News were informed of the move during a staff meeting last week by TRF chief executive Antonio Zappulla. Seven of the journalists are based in overseas bureaux, with the remainder in London. Around eight contractors also work with Context. TRF is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters.
London: The Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) plans to close most of its news operation next month, including Context News, Sources told The Baron. Around a dozen journalists working for Context News were informed of the move during a staff meeting last week by TRF chief executive Antonio Zappulla. Seven of the journalists are based in overseas bureaux, with the remainder in London. Around eight contractors also work with Context. TRF is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters.
According to the sources, most journalists will be made redundant or redeployed where possible within other parts of the Foundation or Reuters News. A small group of three journalists will continue until the end of 2027 on a donor-funded project.
The sources said that while the Foundation continues to receive substantial funding from Thomson Reuters, donor support for the news operation has gradually declined. Context News had been contracting for some time despite investment in a new website, expanded social media output and a rebranding exercise.
A spokesperson for the Foundation confirmed that a “strategic reorganisation” had been proposed to certain teams and roles but declined to comment further while consultations with staff are under way.
“As part of these proposals, which would realign our services to deliver maximum value to the communities we serve, some Context staff are impacted,” the spokesperson told The Baron.
“We believe these proposed changes would maximise our impact as a non-profit organisation to best meet the evolving and urgent needs of the communities with whom we work, at a time when our mission has never been more critical, and the international development sector faces huge challenges.”
Journalists affected by the decision declined to comment during the month-long consultation period.
Critics of the move said a lack of dynamic management and weak marketing had contributed to the site’s decline, while others noted that areas where the Foundation once pioneered coverage, particularly climate change, are now covered more extensively by Reuters News itself.
Sources said Zappulla told staff that the Foundation would now focus on its other activities, including TrustLaw, which provides pro bono legal support around the world, media development programmes and initiatives promoting responsible business practices.
The Foundation’s news operation began in 1997 with the launch of AlertNet, a humanitarian news service. It later became Thomson Reuters Foundation News, expanding its remit to cover climate change, women’s rights and human trafficking. The service was rebranded as Context News in 2022. At its peak, the newsroom employed around 45 journalists worldwide.
Zappulla became chief executive of the Foundation in 2019, succeeding Monique Villa, who led the organisation for more than a decade.
Reacting to the decision, Villa said the closure of the news operation came at a time of growing global need for independent, public-interest journalism.
“It was with deep sadness that I learned that TRF is closing its news operations after having lost so many brilliant journalists over recent years,” Villa said in a statement dated Sunday, 25 January 2026.
“The impact of our journalism, distributed by Reuters since 2013, was significant across the main issues we covered: the human impact of climate change, modern slavery, and women’s rights,” she said, noting that the work had received more than 80 awards over eight years.
“At a time when the world is craving unbiased information and human rights are increasingly sidelined, it is sad to see this news operation disappear,” Villa added.