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Programme for conference "fightback" unveiled

The prospects for new regional press involvement in local TV news consortia and the benefits of live blogging platforms will be among the subjects up for discussion at a key industry gathering next month.

The Society of Editors has now finalised its draft programme for its annual conference which takes place at Stansted Airport from 15-17 November.

Under the title ‘Fighting Back,’ the event will focus on efforts to build new platforms for news delivery, revenue streams and working practices.

Hull Daily Mail editor John Meehan, Trinity Mirror Regionals head of multmedia David Higgerson and NWN Media associate editor Martin Wright are among a panel of experts who will discuss how newspaper websites are using platforms such as “CoverItLive” to compete with the broadcasters in breaking news coverage.

Another session on “local news on screen and in print” will look at the possibilties for local press publishers to become involved in regional news consortia as originally proposed in the government’s Digital Britain report.

Panellists include Neil Benson, editorial director of Trinity Mirror Regionals, John Hardie, chief executive of ITN, and David Holdsworth, the BBC’s controller of English regions.

A discussion on openness in government and the courts will be chaired by Benedict Brogan, assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph, who fronted-up the paper’s expose on MPs expenses earlier this year.

Another recent addition to the line up is the new London Evening Standard editor Geordie Greig, who will be part of the “2020 Vision” panel on the final day looking at the future of the industry.

As previously announced, the keynote Society of Editors Lecture on the opening night will be given by Baroness Peta Buscombe, the new chair of the Press Complaints Commission.

Other confirmed speakers include the Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, new information commissioner Christopher Graham and the new director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer.