Policymakers throughout the world recognise the need to protect a diversity of voices and views in a democracy, but what does media plurality require in practice? How do you legislate to prevent undue concentration of media power? What interventions are needed to help new players flourish? How do you reconcile sustainable media businesses and a sufficiency of voices? How should policy approaches differ at national, regional and local level? The government’s consultation last year focused on media measurement, but there are far broader policy issues at stake and possible lessons to be learned from other countries.

• Location: City University London (Room A130, College Building)
• Time: Friday 2 May 2014, 8.45-5.15
• Book your place

This conference, in the wake of recommendations from the Leveson Inquiry and from the House of Lords Communications Committee, will explore UK policy on media ownership and diversity, as well as possible manifesto commitments in the forthcoming general election. Other panels, featuring a range of leading academic, industry and policy practitioners, will look at UK and European policy, options for local and hyperlocal initiatives, and the potential for “charitable journalism”. The conference is organised by the University of Westminster’s Media Plurality and Power research project and hosted by the Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism at City University London.

Tickets for this event are free and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

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Programme

8.45 - Registration

9.15 - Keynote

• Baroness Onora O’Neill, whose influential Reith Lectures in 2002 shaped thinking on media trust and ethics.
• Chair: Professor Steven Barnett, University of Westminster

10am - Panel 1 - Priorities for national policy

• Chair: Professor Lorna Woods, University of Essex
• Rachael Craufurd-Smith, Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
• Robin Foster, Partner, Communications Chambers and adviser on media strategy, policy and regulation
• Professor Des Freedman, Goldsmiths College, University of London
• Professor Tom Gibbons, University of Manchester

11.30 - Coffee

11.45 - Panel 2 - Subsidies, non-profits and charity: ideas for regeneration

• Chair: Professor Eric Barendt, University College London
• Mandy Cormack, Non-executive Director, Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust
• Isabel Hilton, Founder and Editor, China Dialogue
• Tom Murdoch, Senior Associate, Charity & Social Enterprise Team, Stone King

1pm - Lunch

2pm - Panel 3 - Local media plurality: is it all doom and gloom?

• Chair - Judith Townend, University of Westminster and City University London
• Nigel Dacre, Chair, Local TV Network
• David Holdsworth, Controller, English Regions, BBC
• Martin Moore, Director, Media Standards Trust
• William Perrin, Founder, TalkAboutLocal

3.30 - Tea

3.45 - Panel 4 - What can the UK learn from other countries?

• Chair: Professor Petros Iosifidis, City University London
• Dr Benedetta Brevini, Lecturer in Communication and Media, University of Sydney and City University London
• Professor Peter Humphreys, University of Manchester
• Professor Philip M. Napoli, Fordham Schools of Business
• Mark Thompson, Open Society Foundations - TBC

5.15 - Close / thanks