Four editors from the regional press will be among the speakers at this year's Society of Editors Conference.

Mike Gilson of The News in Portsmouth, Leicester Mercury editor Nick Carter, Hannah Walker of the South London Press and Terry Manners from the Western Daily Press will all deliver talks at the event, which is this year being held at the Russell Hotel in London from October 12 to 14.

Entitled Heroes or Villains, the theme of the conference is to suggest that despite all the criticism, and its faults, the media is a force for good rather than evil.

Key issues affecting the media this year will be discussed by speakers Sir Christopher Meyer, chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Ray Snoddy, media editor of The Times, and Martin Bell.

Also giving talks will be Piers Morgan, editor of the Mirror, Joshua Rozenberg, legal editor of the Daily Telegraph, Roohi Hasan, editor of Five News, Rt Hon Lord Justice Judge, and Richard Stott, former editor of The Daily Mirror.

Further information on the event can be obtained by calling the Society of Editors on 01223 304080 or by e-mailing info@societyofeditors.org.

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