With the attempted regeneration of self-regulation of the Press Complaints Commission taking place alongside the first phase of the Leveson inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press, the past, present and future of media regulation has taken centre stage on the front pages and at the top of broadcast news bulletins.
What shape any regulator should take is yet unknown but what is certain is the need for a system that enhances rather than diminishes the freedom and integrity of the press.
Lord Hunt (pictured), former Cabinet minister, vice-president of the Holocaust Educational Trust and former President of the Atlantic Association for Young Political Leaders, will apply his wide and diverse experience to address issues that will affect the industry hard on the heels of the imminent publication of the Leveson report expected in October.
A seasoned politician and a working solicitor who has specialised in regulatory and administrative law and served as an MP during the Thatcher and Major governments, Hunt will focus on the future of regulation and the challenges and changes in months to come.
After over a year of focus on the behaviour and ethics of the press and relationships between journalists, politicians and the police in the past, Lord Hunt will head a hub of media discussion on the vision for the future and new directions in which the industry should now be heading.
Lord Hunt follows a distinguished list of SoE lecturers who have included Lord Patten, Chairman of the BBC Trust, Alexander Lebedev, Paul Dacre, Gavin O’Reilly, Sir Christopher Meyer and Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post.
The conference will be based at the iconic Europa Hotel where many news gatherers made their name during the troubles and will run from the 11-13th November.
Monday 12 November will be given over to working sessions on numerous topics with time in between to meet friends old and new. The annual gala dinner, held this year at the iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard, will follow in the evening for hundreds of media guests. The conference will wrap up with the Tuesday morning 20-20 Vision breakfast seminar and the incoming president’s address.
Society of Editors President Fran Unsworth, Head of Newsgathering at the BBC said: “Lord Hunt has already made a major contribution to the debate about press regulation and the need for a system that enhances rather than diminishes the freedom and integrity of the press. We are sure his lecture will point to further steps forward.”
There are still places available.
The SoE says: Our preferential rates for members and regional editors offer extremely good value. Even if you cannot give us complete details of your booking requirements please email Angela at office@societyofeditors.org and she will reserve a place[s] for you at a beneficial rate and we can complete the paperwork afterwards. Bookings can also be made online.
