2026 Future of News Conference

March 17, 2026

2026 Gallery Programme Speakers 2026

Some of the biggest names in the UK journalism industry spoke at the Society of Editors’ Future of News conference on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

The event, which took place at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London, brought together more than 200 editors and news executives from across the UK’s national, regional, broadcast and digital media for a full day of debate, discussion and practical insight on the biggest challenges and opportunities facing journalism. The conference was supported by Allwyn, Octopus Energy and VodafoneThree.

The event saw the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy MP launch the government’s Local Media Strategy that will includes £12m funding for the local news sector. The full text of her speech can be read here. The conference also saw the launch of a new Policing and Media Charter – the culmination of two years’ work between the media and policing bodies designed to help restore communication and trust.

The conference also saw the presentation of a Fellowship Award for services to journalism to The Times’ Editor Tony Gallagher as well as a plea by the son of imprisoned British citizen and pro-democracy supporter Jimmy Lai for the UK media to continue telling his father’s story.

Speakers at the conference included Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent at BBC News; Alessandra Galloni, Editor-in-Chief at Reuters; Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor at The Telegraph; Ramita Navai, Journalist and documentary maker; Laura Wilshaw, Editor at ITV News; Manisha Ganguly, Investigations Correspondent at The Guardian; Darren Lewis, Columnist at the Daily Mirror; Secunder Kermani, Foreign Correspondent at Channel 4; Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent at The Times; Sam McAlister, Journalist, Author and Producer; Sir Andy Marsh QPM, Chief Executive at the College of Policing; Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent at Sky News; Chief Constable Gavin Stephens QPM, Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Claire Newell, Investigations Editor at The Telegraph as well as Tanya Fowles, Local Democracy Reporter at The Impartial Reporter and many more.

A highlights video from the conference appears below with filming and editing by Hannah Jenkinson and Cole Pemberton.