We have big news today. TheWrap, which struck a partnership with Reuters last year,  becomes the global news agency's main entertainment news provider as of July 1. 

This new partnership replaces a long-time alliance between Reuters and The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. 

TheWrap will be an integral part of the Reuters entertainment report, providing a full complement of entertainment and media news to its clients around the world. We will be working closely with the Reuters staff to make this partnership a success. 

I'm even more thrilled personally, since my very first real job in journalism was with Reuters – as a correspondent in their Jerusalem bureau. Reuters remains the most respected brand in global news, and we are very proud to be so closely associated with it.

But under its dynamic president of media Chris Ahearn, the company is also moving fast to mold a 21st century strategy that maps to the digital age and the fundamental changes going on in media. Reuters is not only a top-flight news-gathering agency, increasingly it will serve as a platform to deliver content from top-flight partners. I think that's incredibly smart. And the AP ought to be paying close attention. 

The agreement is a sign of how much TheWrap has achieved in scope and credibility since our launch two and a half years ago. Here's my official comment about it: 

"We are incredibly excited to extend TheWrap's growing brand through a prestigious, global news partner like Reuters," said Sharon Waxman, CEO and founder of The Wrap News Inc. "We feel strongly that our expertise within the entertainment industry, our ability to break news and transmit it immediately through the news service, offers a huge benefit to Reuters customers as well as an important benefit to the industry we cover."

"The Wrap allows us to provide broad coverage of Hollywood that is unmatched by our competitors," said Bob Tourtellotte, editor in charge of Reuters entertainment news.

As part of meeting the needs of this new partnership, we are launching a Reviews section, and have brought on board two terrific new critics – Alonso Duralde (right), a veteran of Salon, Movieline and MSN, and Chris Willman (above), the former chief music critic at Entertainment Weekly. 

We look forward to growing this prestigious partnership, and getting your input as we do!

 

Here is the news release we have just published: 

 

  THEWRAP.COM REPLACES HOLLYWOOD REPORTER AS

PREMIER ENTERTAINMENT NEWS SOURCE FOR REUTERS

 

(Los Angeles, CA) – July 1, 2011 – The Wrap News, Inc., the leading news organization covering the business of entertainment and media, is pleased to announce that as of July 1 it will become the premier entertainment news source of Reuters, the global news organization.

 

The move replaces Reuters' relationship with The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard and extends an initial alignment undertaken in 2010 for the launch of Reuters' new media platform.

 

"We are incredibly excited to extend TheWrap's growing brand through a prestigious, global news partner like Reuters," said Sharon Waxman, CEO and founder of The Wrap News Inc. "We feel strongly that our expertise within the entertainment industry, our ability to break news and transmit it immediately through the news service, offers a huge benefit to Reuters customers as well as an important benefit to the industry we cover."

 

"The Wrap allows us to provide broad coverage of Hollywood that is unmatched by our competitors," said Bob Tourtellotte, editor in charge of Reuters entertainment news.

 

In its expanded role, TheWrap will be providing a full complement of its movie, television, music and media news coverage to Reuters clients, including breaking news, analysis, box office and opinion pieces, while working closely with the global entertainment reporting team of the news agency.

 

As part of its growing commitment to Reuters, TheWrap is extending its already robust coverage to include movie, television and music reviews. TheWrap has hired movie critic Alonso Duralde, a veteran of Movieline, Salon, MSNBC.com, as well as a respected festival programmer, to lead movie criticism along with nationally-respected critic Leah Rozen.

 

And Chris Willman, a respected music writer previously with Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, will be TheWrap's lead music reviewer and reporter.

 

The reviews will be visible as a new vertical on TheWrap's home site, along with its recent addition, independent film.

 

TheWrap has also recently hired Fred Schruers as senior writer, a nationally renowned entertainment journalist formerly of Rolling Stone, Premiere magazine and Portfolio.com.

 

Visit www.thewrap.com daily to stay abreast of the breaking industry news that matters most.  And sign up for TheWrap's daily essential news summary, First Take and subscribe to Hollywood's most comprehensive database for working professionals,ItsontheGrid.com, a division of The Wrap News, Inc.