Alan Rusbridger will deliver the prestigious Society of Editors Lecture, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, John Whittingdale MP will present a keynote speech and Sir Martin Sorrell and Rona Fairhead will be in conversation with Steve Hewlett at the UK’s biggest gathering of editors at the Society of Editors conference in London between October 18 and 20.
They will be joined by a top cast including the French Ambassador, Sylvie Bermann, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, Head of Counter Terrorism and Mark Bailey, the Chief Constable leading for the police on child abuse and protection.
Highlights will include:
* After 20 years at the helm of The Guardian and its commanding website what is Rusbridger’s verdict on the media and his predictions for the future?
* Will Whittingdale and Fairhead find common ground or open warfare on the BBC?
* What lessons can advertising and PR guru Sorrell give us about raising revenue to pay for the news?
* How can the media help the police fight terrorism and protect children? And how can top policemen help restore sensible relationships with the media in return?
* What is the French take on the UK media’s view of Calais and the European Union?
* How do editors see the future as they gaze into the crystal balls on their desks? How can we beat off attempts to weaken the Freedom of Information Act?
* Is there money in all that wonderful content and who is best at social media?
And let’s celebrate the industry’s efforts to promote diversity in newsrooms.
Others in the cast will include Amol Rajan, Editor, The Independent, Sarah Sands, Editor, London Evening Standard, Eleanor Mills, Editorial Director of The Sunday Times and chair of Women in Journalism, Sue Ryan, former Managing Editor of the Daily Telegraph, Jonathan Levy, Director of News Gathering and Operations, Sky News, Caroline Diehl, Chief Executive, Media Trust, Matthew Kelly, Digital Director of Local World, Tiffanie Darke, Commercial Content Director, Method At News at News UK, Jonathan Grun, Emeritus Editor of the Press Association, Darren Waters, Social Media Editor at the Press Association, Stephanie Himoff, Director Brands, Agencies & Head of PR Partnerships at Outbrain, Doug Wills, Managing Editor of the Independent titles, Alison Gow, Digital Innovations Editor at Trinity Mirror, Steve Hewlett, Presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, Sarah Pinch, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, John Battle, Head of Compliance, ITN, Maurice Frankel, Director, Campaign for Freedom of Information, Simon O’Neill, Editor, The Oxford Mail, Steve Anglesey, Digital Content Director, Local World, Matt Cooke, Manager, News Labs, Google, Richard Evans, Head of Social Media & Audience Engagement, Sky News and Sarah Marshall, Social Media Editor, EMEA, Wall Street Journal.
