Owen Meredith To Speak At Westminster Media Forum
News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith will speak about the challenges facing the local media sector at a Westminster Media Forum policy conference on the future of news on Monday.
Creina Chapman, deputy chair and chief executive, Australian Communications and Media Authority and Francesca Unsworth, director, News and Current Affairs, BBC, will deliver keynote addresses at the conference on the future of news
It will be chaired by Andy Carter MP, All-Party Parliamentary Media Group chair, and Baroness Grender, a member of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee.
Owen, who took the reins as NMA chief executive on Thursday, will speak in a panel session looking at addressing challenges posed for the print and local media sectors.
Owen started in the role with a pledge to work with Government and regulators to ensure a sustainable future for independent journalism which is “vital for democracy and the future of our country.”
Owen said: “This is an incredibly exciting and important time to be joining the NMA and I am thrilled to be doing so. With a raft of important legislation on the horizon, the NMA has a vital role in advocating for press freedom and quality journalism.
“An independent, free and plural press is vital for democracy and the future of our country. Whether national, regional, or local the news brands the NMA represents are investing in reliable journalism read by 92 per cent of adults in the UK, providing vital sources of trusted information in an age of disinformation and fake news.
“While news brands are reaching more people than ever before across print and digital platforms, the commercial reality is funding this vital journalism is increasingly challenging.
“We therefore welcome the Government’s commitment to delivering a level playing field that allows fair competition and brings tech giants who abuse their scale and power to heel, not least through the creation of the Digital Markets Unit. I look forward to working with the Government to ensure the legal and regulatory framework delivers fairness, promotes competition and supports sustainable independent journalism.”