Programme
Society of Editors Media Freedom Conference
March 17, 2026
Leonardo Royal Hotel, London
Programme listed below with more to follow. Timings are subject to change.
8.30 – 9.10 am Coffee and Registration
9.10 am Welcome from Sarah Whitehead, President of the Society of Editors and Director of Newsgathering and Operations, Sky News
9.15am Welcome from Dawn Alford, Chief Executive, Society of Editors
9.20am New era: policing and the press
How the relationship between journalists and the police is evolving, at a moment when both sides have recognised the need for clearer expectations, better communication and more consistent ways of working. Against the backdrop of significant structural change within UK policing, the discussion will focus on how a more constructive, professional relationship can operate in practice without diluting scrutiny or independence.
The panel will examine what has shifted, what still causes friction, and how newsrooms and police forces can navigate access, safety, legal risk and fast-moving incidents more effectively. Delegates will take away a clearer understanding of escalation routes, how to resolve problems before they harden into conflict, and how editors can better support reporters covering crime, courts and public safety in a changing policing environment.
10.10 am Perception vs Reality: How Film, TV and Popular Culture Shape Public Attitudes to Journalism
Public understanding of journalism is shaped not only by news coverage but how journalists are portrayed in film, television and popular culture. This panel examines how those portrayals influence assumptions about motivation, ethics, intrusion and trust, and why those narratives can matter for real-world journalism.
The discussion will explore what these portrayals get right, what they miss, and how editors might better communicate the realities of journalism to audiences and whether popular culture helps or harms trust.
11.10am Coffee
11.30am Reporting War in the Age of Disinformation: From OSINT to the Front Line
Covering conflict has become more complex, more dangerous and more contested. This session looks at how war reporting is changing in an environment shaped by propaganda, online manipulation, and competing narratives.
Panellists will discuss verification under pressure, the growing role of OSINT, decisions around speed versus certainty, and the responsibilities newsrooms carry when reporting from or about conflict zones. Delegates will take away insight into how editorial judgement, safety considerations and audience expectations are evolving.
12.10 pm Keynote Address – speaker to be announced
12.40 pm Networking Lunch
1.40pm Investigations & Campaigns: Why They Matter, How to Fund Them, and How They Change Lives
Investigations and campaigns remain among journalism’s most powerful tools, but they are increasingly difficult to sustain. This panel focuses on the practical realities of funding, resourcing and protecting investigative work in modern newsrooms.
Panellists will debate how investigations are prioritised, how collaborations can reduce cost and risk, how legal and operational challenges are managed including the realities of what can be achieved across different newsroom sizes and budgets.
2.30 pm Reporting Politics in the UK: Holding Power to Account in a New Era
Political journalism is being reshaped by tighter message control, managed access, platform-driven narratives and increasingly sceptical audiences. This session looks at how political reporting is changing at national and regional level, and what editors need to do to retain authority and relevance.
The panel will debate access versus scrutiny, how to avoid becoming reactive or agenda-led, and how political journalism can better reach diverse and wider audiences.
3.20pm Coffee break
3.40pm Keynote conversation – speaker to be announced
4.00pm Trump, Power and the Press: What US Politics Means for UK Newsrooms
US politics has become a stress test for the relationship between power, media and audiences. This session uses the American experience as a case study in how political power can seek to control access, shape narratives and challenge the authority of journalism, particularly in a highly polarised and global media environment.
Rather than focusing on UK political reporting mechanics, the discussion will explore what it is like to report from the White House, how newsroom culture and decision-making have changed under sustained pressure, and how editors respond when political coverage itself becomes part of the story. Panellists will debate which lessons are transferable to the UK, which are not, and how newsrooms can prepare for similar pressures without losing editorial independence or credibility.
4.45pm The Editors’ Panel: The State of News 2026: Power, Pressure and the Future of Journalism
The conference closes with a candid conversation between high-profile and experienced editors on the realities of leading newsrooms today and the challenges ahead. This session will explore the pressures shaping editorial decision-making, including financial constraints, changing newsroom structures, audience trust, journalist safety and the impact of new technologies.
Editors will debate whether diversity initiatives are delivering meaningful change, how news organisations are supporting and protecting journalists in increasingly hostile environments, and how newsrooms are experimenting with new platforms and formats to reach and engage audiences. The discussion will focus on what is working, what is not, and what needs to change if journalism is to remain resilient, relevant and trusted in the years ahead.
5.20pm Fellowship Award
The Fellowship Award will recognise outstanding contribution to journalism and service to the profession.
5.30pm Drinks reception
6.30pm CIoJ Young Journalists Awards 2026