Industry bosses are set to discuss how to attract more people from working class backgrounds into journalism at an annual conference.

The debate will take place as part of the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ equality, diversity and inclusion conference 2022, which will be held on Thursday 30 November.

It comes after research consultant Mark Spilsbury warned in his yearly report for the NCTJ into diversity in the industry that newsroom bosses need to address issues around the social class backgrounds of their workforces as a “priority”.

The panel discussion will be chaired by former South Wales Echo editor Mike Hill, who teaches journalism at Cardiff University.

Mike will be joined by Helen Dalby, pictured, audience and content director for Reach plc in the North-East of England and Yorkshire, as well as Channel 4 News producer Toby Bakare and Daily Telegraph culture assistant Poppie Platt.

Other sessions at the conference, to be held at the London office of Reuters, will focus on retention and progression, and making inclusion a proactive priority in the newsroom.

More information can be found here.