What is it about Falkland Islanders and the Society of Editors’ annual conference?

Last year in Glasgow, delegates were treated to the presence of Juanita Brock of the Falkland Island News Network. Lovely lady; awesome woolly jumpers.

Twelve months on, Juanita was back, but was this time joined by competitor Lisa Watson, the managing editor of the Penguin News, the Falkland’s amazingly successful weekly newspaper.

This 20-page title, with a steep cover price of £1.50, sells an average of 1,780 copies a week in an area with a population of just over 3,000.

How does that work when at least a third of these are children and there’s an average of three people living in a total of 1,047 households?

Lisa’s dream answer: “Our readers are so keen to get their hands on the paper that many families buy two and sometimes three copies.”

Staffing levels at the Penguin News are also mind-boggling: a managing editor, a deputy editor, a reporter and a receptionist – the latter handling all advertising and financial matters as well as welcoming visitors.

Methinks a few UK mainland papers could do with p-p-picking up a few penguin tips from Lisa. Have a peek at www.penguin-news.com

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Many editors have great stories on what gave them that crucial leg-up in the industry.

But the most bizarre ‘lucky break’ trophy must go to the increasingly legendary David Bourn, now editorial director of Scottish Provincial Press.

Bourny was lamenting when regional newspapers had such an over-abundance of reporters that you could actually get away with writing a single story in a day – especially in the districts.

Supposedly a district reporter for the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, Bourny was spotted by a manager in his local pub dressed in a pair of shorts and serving beers at 11am one work day and was hauled in to explain himself.

“They transferred me to head office duties and I had a clear choice: tell them to stuff their job or show them what I could do. Before I knew it I was running the news desk, and I’ve never looked back since then.”

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The conference’s worthy series of discussions on phone-hacking and the future of press regulation made for some heavy listening.

Cue Alan ‘Tigger’ Geere, the ever-energetic editorial director of Northcliffe South East, who chose a mood-lightening angle for his Twitter coverage of Lord Patten’s opening speech.

“Mesmerised by Lord Patten’s hair – part Compo, part comb-over, a wonder to behold,” tweeted Tigger to the 788 followers of @alangeere.

Similarly distracted during the all-day debate on day two, I started scribbling a few delegates’ hair notes:

• Tigger himself – 1950s Pompadour quiff, possibly enhanced by a curler;
• Press Gazette editor Dominic Ponsford – a tremendous brush with The Mallen Streak-style silver highlights;
• Daily Mirror editor Richard Wallace – just got up;
• John Whittingdale MP, chairman of the media committee – classic brunette colouring;
• BBC Trustee Alison Hastings – stunning jet black;
• Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger – quite possibly a wig;
• John Kampfner, chief executive of the Index on Censorship – interesting widow’s peak forming horn shapes;
• David Seymour, former political editor on the Daily Mirror – scarecrow; and
• HoldtheFrontPage publisher Paul Linford – boot polish job.  (That’s enough mullets. Ed)

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New Hull Daily Mail editor Neil Hodgkinson was heard describing his first cuts – reducing hour-and-a-quarter news conferences to just 15 minutes.

Another regional delegate said he wished Hodgkinson had been involved in managing today’s nationally-focused SoE agenda…

More Dyson at Runnymede tomorrow.