SoE
Amol Rajan, the BBC’s media editor, will chair a question and answer session with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at the upcoming Society of Editors media conference.
Rajan, Media Editor of the BBC since late 2016, will quiz Jeremy Wright QC on the changing media landscape and discuss key industry issues after the Secretary of State delivers a keynote address to delegates at the Manchester conference on Monday 5 November. The session will be one of the first opportunities to speak to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport since he took over from Matt Hancock MP in July 2018.
Amol is the BBC’s first ever Media Editor, covering the global impact of the rapidly changing media landscape across politics, business and culture for the BBC’s biggest outputs: ‘Today’ on Radio 4, and the ‘Six O’Clock News’ and ‘Ten O’Clock’ News. He is host of The Media Show on Radio 4, and is a regular presenter of Start the Week on Radio 4 and The One Show on BBC One. Before joining the BBC, Amol was Editor of The Independent. When appointed to the role in 2013, aged 29, he was both the youngest ever Editor of a British broadsheet title, and the first non-white Editor in Fleet Street history. He is co-founder of KEY Sessions, a charity for inner-city pupils in London, and has written a book on cricket.
Ian Murray, Executive Director of the Society said: “I’m delighted a journalist of Amol’s standing and abilities will be able to chair the Secretary of State’s session at the Manchester conference. I feel certain he will ensure a lively debate during the questions and answers session following the Secretary of State’s speech to delegates.”
The event, a must-attend in the media calendar, will take place at the iconic Lowry Hotel on Sunday 4 and Monday 5 November and will focus this year on The Trust Factor – and How to Fund it. Paul Dacre, who announced he was stepping aside as Editor this year after 26-years at the helm of the Daily Mail, will deliver the prestigious Society of Editors Lecture on the evening of Sunday 4 November. Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright MP will address delegates on Monday 5 November alongside Katharine Viner, Editor-in-chief of The Guardian and Lloyd Embley, Group Editor-in-Chief of Reach plc.
Other confirmed speakers include John Battle, Head of Compliance at ITN, Darren Thwaites, Editor-in-Chief of the Manchester Evening News, Joy Yates, Editorial Director of Johnston Press North East and Tristan Kirk, Courts Reporter at the London Evening Standard. John Battle, Tristan Kirk and Joy Yates will take part in a panel discussion looking at court coverage while Darren Thwaites will join a session exploring whether the media is effectively holding the powerful to account or whether it is losing public trust.
Booking is open for the conference and members can take advantage of rates of £549 +VAT for full conference and accommodation. Full conference including accommodation for non-members is £599+VAT. More information on the conference can be found on our Conference page.
