Council newspapers, local TV, the daily-to-weekly switch and life after Leveson will all be on the agenda at next month’s Society of Editors regional conference.
The full programme has now been unveiled for the 15 April event sponsored by HoldtheFrontPage and Marriott Hotels.
Local World chief executive Steve Auckland and communities secretary Eric Pickles have now been added to an already impressive line-up of speakers.
Tickets for the event, which will take place at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel in the West Midlands, cost just £35 + VAT and are available from [email protected].
The day will kick-off at 9.45am with a discussion on press regulation after the Leveson Report with Press Complaints Commission chairman Lord Hunt among the main speakers.
Steve Auckland and CN group chief executive Robin Burgess will both deliver keynote addresses, while East London Advertiser editor Malcolm Starbrook will debate council newspapers with Mr Pickles.
After lunch, Coventry Telegraph editor Alun Thorne will chair discussion on daily newspapers going weekly, with Oldham Evening Chronicle editor Dave Whaley and Scarborough News boss Ed Asquith.
And Bob Crawley, publisher of Archant Norfolk, and Fiona Ryder of its fledgling Norwich TV station Mustard TV will discuss the opportunities offered by local TV.
The conference begins on the evening of Sunday 14 April with a dinner. Those wanting to attend the dinner and stay overnight for the conference can do so for an addtional £120 + VAT.
The full programme is as follows:
09.30 Welcome
09.45 Sunday Post editor Donald Martin to introduce Lord Hunt to discuss regulation after Leveson
11.00 Robin Burgess, chief executive CN Group
11.40 Council Newspapers – East London Advertiser editor Malcolm Starbrook to introduce Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
12.15 Steve Auckland, chief executive, Local World
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Going Weekly – Coventry Telegraph editor Alun Thorne to chair a debate with Ed Asquith (Scarborough News) and Dave Whaley (Oldham Evening Chronicle)
15.15 Local TV – Bob Crawley and Fiona Ryder of Mustard TV Norwich
15.50 Sarah Hartley – An Internet Overview
16.30 Close
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
Considering the stoosh that was kicked up by the apparent lack of serving editors at the last regional conference, isn’t holding the latest event on a Monday a little foolhardy? The vast majority of weekly titles in the UK go to print on a Tuesday or Wednesday (with most of the remainder on a Thursday). So Monday is arguably one of the worst days to hold such an event if they want to encourage serving editors to show up. Surely Friday would’ve made much more sense, even if that day of the week would’ve likely cost more for the event to be put on by organisers.
Report this comment
I’m washing my hair that day!
Report this comment