Friday 10 June 2011, London School of Economics, London
The past year has seen the role of media in global politics thrust to the top of the agenda.
Wikileaks has taken on arguably the most powerful government on the planet, while a mix of social media and broadcast news has helped to fan the flames of revolution in the Middle East and North Africa. Join us on 10 June for a whole day of debate about the role of journalism in politics.
This is the second Value of Journalism conference following last year's look at how the news media has become networked. You can see videos of the previous event here; featuring Jon Snow, Peter Horrocks, Danny Finkelstein, Janine Gibson, Geordie Grieg and many more.
This year the speakers already confirmed include Helen Boaden, Director of BBC News, Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News, Peter Horrocks, head of the BBC World Service - plus a range of international speakers from across Europe and the Middle East.
There will be two theatres in the LSE's New Academic Building in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, with keynote speeches and panels in one arena and more specialised parallel sessions in a second theatre; as well as a networking space with special exhibits.
In addition to Wikileaks and the Arab uprisings, we shall look at issues closer to home. Are newspapers still powerful? Where are the new watchdogs? How do you build media for democracy? What do we need to know for an informed society?
It will be about the big ideas but also the practical skills journalists need and the real-world problems they face.
Click here to book tickets.
AGENDA
Sheikh Zayed Theatre sessions
9.00
Welcome by Charlie Beckett, Director, POLIS
9.15-10.00
The BBC and Democracy
Helen Boaden, Director of News, BBC
Chair: Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Channel 4 News
10.00-11.00
Media and the Revolutions
What was the role of social and traditional media in the Arab uprisings? Was the Internet a catalyst of democracy? Did international media organisations tell the story of the uprisings in a full and fair way?
Wael Abbas (Egyptian blogger and campaigner), Hosam El Sokkari, (Head of Audience, Yahoo! Middle East), Alan Fisher (Al Jazeera), Bill Neely (ITV)
1100-1130
Coffee break
1130-12.30
An Informed Society?
What do we need to know and who tells us what to think?
Chair: Adrian Monck (World Economic Forum)
Robert Philips (Edelman), Julia Hobsbawn, Stella Creasy MP, John Harris (Guardian)
1230-1330
Lunch break
1330-1430
Has the Press Lost Power?
With declining sales and reduced newsrooms, have newspapers lost the ability to hold power to account? Do TV, Twitter, bloggers and Wikileaks now set the agenda, or do the Westminster Lobby and the Paper Commentariat still have something to say?
Chair: Paul Waugh (PoliticsHome)
Steve Richards (Independent), Janan Ganesh (Economist),Tim Montgomerie (ConservativeHome)
1430-1530
Global News: International Journalism in an Age of Change
There are more international broadcasting organisations than ever before, but are they in it for propaganda and profit or to hold power to account?
Chair: Cilla Benko (Swedish Broadcasting)
Peter Horrocks (BBC), Andrew Wilson (Sky News), Antonio Caprarica (London correspondent, Rai), Ignasi Guardans (Director of Public Affairs and Member Relations, EBU), Hosam El Sokkari (Head of Audience, Yahoo! Middle East)
Wolfson Theatre sessions
9.00-10.00 [Thomson Foundation]
How do we Build Media and Democracy?
In the wake of the Middle East revolutions, it seems that media does have a catalytic role in fostering political change. Does that happen by itself or can we do more to support the creation of both professional and citizen news media?
Chair: Zahera Harb (Thomson Foundation)
Dr Damian Tambini (who has new research on comparative media and politics), Agnes Callamard (Article 19), Laura Walker (Hudson Frontline SMS)
10.00-11.00
Political Journalism: Panel Discussion
Is political journalism doing its job? Or has spin damaged relations between politicians and journalists for good?
Carolyn Quinn (BBC), Lance Price, Simon Lewis, Kevin Marsh
1100-1130
Coffee break
11.30-1230
After Wikileaks
Charlie Beckett (Director, POLIS), James Ball (Guardian)
12.30-13.30
Lunch
1330-14.30
DIY Media Democracy
Why rely on mainstream media to hold power to account? Why not do it yourself? A guide to creating your own platform to challenge authority
Chair: Nick Anstead (LSE)
UKUncut, Pits n Pots, Claire Sambrook
The conference is being held in partnership with POLIS at the LSE, the European Broadcasting Union and the Thomson Foundation.
