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TV mogul Grade to deliver Society of Editors Lecture

The former chairman of both the BBC and ITV Lord Grade is to deliver next month’s Society of Editors Lecture for 2013.

Michael Grade, who was also chief executive of Channel 4, will set out his thoughts on the media landscape at the year’s biggest industry gathering.

This year’s conference takes place at the Tower Hotel, London, on 11-12 November, with the annual lecture moving to the Monday evening from its previous Sunday slot.

Lord Grade will follow a distinguished list of SoE lecturers who have included Alexander Lebedev, Lord Hunt of Wirral, Paul Dacre, Sir Christopher Meyer and Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post.

Jonathan Grun, President of the Society of Editors and editor of the Press Association said:  ““With his unique experience in broadcasting, the Society has no doubt that Michael Grade’s lecture will address to all of the concerns that will be at the top of the media agenda this autumn.

“We will look forward to his hearing his take on the current media landscape and what the future holds for our industry.”

This year’s conference, on the theme of ‘Freedom to Inform’ will include sessions on ways to pay for journalism, the relationship between the media and government, and the future of press regulation.

Another key discussion this year will be the relationship between the legal system and the media, with Keith Bristow, the director general of the new National Crime Agency, due to address delegates.

Other confirmed speakers include Steve Auckland, the outgoing chief executive of Local World, Sun editor David Dinsmore, Shami Chakrabarti, Director of human rights group Liberty and Kirsty Hughes, Chief Executive of Index on Censorship.

They will be joined by a host of industry figures and media lawyers including media lawyer Tony Jaffa, Trinity Mirror legal group director Paul Vickers and John McLellan, director of the Scottish Newspaper Society.