Further regional press panellists have been unveiled for a series of debates on the state of the industry.

The Society of Editors has announced more speakers for its five-week virtual conference, which will be made up of a series of free events throughout November and December.

A discussion on the contribution of Wales to spheres such as politics, sport and creative thinking will feature Media Wales audience and content director Paul Rowland, pictured, as well as freelance journalist Carolyn Hitt.

The discussion, entitled ‘The size of Wales’, will be chaired by Reach plc editorial revenue director Ceri Gould and will also feature Helen Mary Jones, chair of the Welsh Parliament’s Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, and Ashok Ahir, who is currently working on major communications projects for the Cabinet Office.

Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: “When being ‘like Wales’ is used as a threat by the US President and Covid is seeing different approaches taken by Whitehall and the Welsh government to tackling the pandemic, it is only right that, as part of the Society’s debates in the nations and regions, we look at Wales’ position as separate to the UK.

“Alongside its media contribution, we want to hear about whether it punches above or below its weight in many spheres such as sport, politics and creative thinking?”

More speakers have also been unveiled on a debate on the topic of ‘Lockdown lessons from Leicester and beyond’, which will examine “what happens to the flow of information from official bodies to the media when a pandemic sends the world into a tailspin” and look at the experiences of on-the-ground reporters trying to get accurate, timely and trusted information to their readers, listeners and viewers.

Guest speakers include Jane Haynes, Birmingham Mail people and politics editor, and Dan Martin, politics reporter for the Leicester Mercury.

ITV Central news editor Liz Hannam and Index on censorship chief executive Ruth Smeeth will also appear on the panel, the be chaired by Reach plc Midlands marketplace publisher Marc Reeves.

Ian added: “With Leicester now having been under a variety of local restrictions for more than 100 days and ongoing rules impacting millions of people across the region, we will hear from frontline journalists and Index on Censorship about what lessons can be learned from lockdown.”

The debate will be held on the evening of Wednesday 11 November, while the ‘Size of Wales’ discussion will be held on Monday 16 November.