Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith, will deliverthe first Society of Editors Lecture at the society’s annual conference inCardiff between October 15 and 17.

The conference theme, “The Future of News”, will be summed up by Mr Smith inhis lecture on the final day.

Leader of the Opposition, William Hague MP, and Sir John Stevens will bothbe speaking on Monday 16 October along with politicians from Wales, Scotlandand Northern Ireland.

President of the Society, Neil Fowler, editor of the Western Mail, said: “This second annualconference of the society will look at the future of news. Editors willdebate the key issues that face us in the 21st century.

“The past year has been immensely busy with so much legislation that willaffect the media passing through Parliament. The conference will be a keymeeting for media practitioners, politicians and some of the manyorganisations that affect our work.”

Other speakers will include Rosie Boycott, editor of the Daily Express,Brian Macarthur of The Times, Nigel Dacre, editor of ITN, investigative journalistPhilip Knightley, Jamie Shea from Nato and John Wadham, Director, Liberty.

Also contributing to various sessions of the conference at the Hilton Hotelin Cardiff will be: Nicholas Jones, Political Correspondent, BBC, DavidWalters, Director of Media Communications, Liberal Democrats, Lord Warner,Chairman of the Youth Justice Board, Dafydd Wigley MP, Alex Salmond MP,Geoffrey Robertson QC, Guy Black, Director, Press Complaints Commission,Mike Granatt, Head of Communication Service, Cabinet Office, Fran Unsworth,Editor, Home News, BBC, Shirley Harrison, Lecturer in Public Relations,Leeds Metropolitan University, Ed Townsend, Manager of Corporate PRProgrammes, BT, Peter Long, Editor in Chief, Celtic Newspapers, RachaelCampey, Editor, Evening Herald, Plymouth, David Clarke, Managing Director,Trinity Mirror New Media and Chris Mann, Editor, Sport First.

There will be two formal dinners during the conference including the galadinner at Cardiff’s City Hall on the evening of Monday 16 October.

The Society of Editors has more than 450 members in national, regional andlocal newspapers, broadcasting, new media, media law and journalismeducation and campaigns on behalf of the industry for media freedom, editorialstandards and training and self regulation of the press.

Ed Curran, editor of the Belfast Telegraph, will take over as presidentduring the conference and Liz Page, editor of the Evening Press, York, isexpected to be confirmed as vice-president.

The annual conference is supported by the Western Mail and Echo, GolleySlater, the Welsh Development Agency, BT, PR Newswire, Unisys and BritishGas.

Booking for the conference or formal dinners can be made through the societyoffice on 01223 304080, fax 01223 304090, e-mail [email protected] orthrough the society’s website at www.ukeditors.com

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