With less than a week until launch day, Salford Media Festival organisers are busy with the arrangements for a dizzying 17 themed sessions and the hosting of industry leading speakers.
With its broad theme of ‘the future of broadcasting in an era of media convergence’, the event will focus on the challenges facing the media industry, from mainstream broadcast to newer online and emerging hybrid platforms.
But the changing face of UK local, regional and national media will also be discussed in key sessions at the Festival, which is aimed at content creators, producers, broadcasters, policymakers, media academics and students.
Festival Content Director, Professor Seamus Simpson, said: “We aim to establish Salford Media Festival as one of the key events of its kind taking place outside London. It will showcase new perspectives and work at the leading edge of the media sector and has an international, as well as a UK, focus.”
Formerly the Nations and Regions Media Conference, the Festival is organised by the University of Salford and will be held at its MediaCityUK campus from Tuesday 19-Friday 22 November.
Partners for the festival include the BBC, ITV, RTS and Creative England as well as us here at Prolific North.
Writer and Executive Producer of The Simpsons Josh Weinstein, Channel 4 Director of Creative Diversity Stuart Cosgrove, and Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs in the Scottish Government, head the list of speakers we revealed here previously.
Other contributors to the themed sessions, include: BBC Trustee David Liddiment; Director of BBC Children’s, Joe Godwin; Editor of BBC 5Live Breakfast, Gill Farrington; Lorraine Heggessey, Executive Chair, Boom Pictures; Trevor Dann, Creative Director, TDC; Alex Connock, Chair of the Royal Television Society (North West); Bobby Hain, Director of Channels at STV; and John Whiston, Creative Director, Serial Dramas, ITV Studios.
For further information, and to book a delegate’s place, visit the Festival website at www.salfordmediafestival.co.uk. Students wishing to attend the Next Generation days should contact Festival co-ordinator Jan Bradley on j.bradley@salford.ac.uk.
