Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies will be among the standout speakers at a packed Journalism and Media Week at Leeds Trinity University in Horsforth.
The first female editor-in-chief of The Guardian Katharine Viner, BBC journalists such as Evan Davis and Reeta Chakrabarti and former BBC North America editor and host of the hugely successful The News Agents podcast, Jon Sopel, will also appear in the 17th year of the event.
Organised by Leeds Trinity’s Centre for Journalism, Journalism and Media Week returns from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 November. The event provides students with a valuable opportunity to learn from a range of experienced media professionals working in TV, radio and podcasting, print, film, and beyond.
Among those sharing their views will be Russell T Davies, who publicly addressed the issue of censorship during his acceptance speech at the recent BAFTA Cymru Awards.
Best known for his work on Doctor Who, Davies will discuss being the lead creative mind behind the modern era of the world-renowned science fiction series and share his predictions for the future of TV.
Yesterday the BBC confirmed the long-running series would continue for a Christmas special in 2026 to be followed by a new series.
The ‘BBC Day’ on Tuesday 11 November will include a talk and Q&A session with Evan Davis, long-time presenter of Dragons’ Den, before he broadcasts that day’s PM show live from the University’s new industry-standard radio studio, which will be officially opened at the Main Campus the week prior. The episode is set to focus on Higher Education and incorporate interviews with several Leeds Trinity students.
The dedicated BBC Day will also feature talks led by Reeta Chakrabarti, newsreader and correspondent for BBC News, Richard Frediani and Megan Bramall, editor and assistant editor of BBC Breakfast, Ellie Brennan, presenter on BBC Radio 2, and Jonathan Buchan, the BBC Radio Leeds sports editor.
As the global media landscape rapidly changes amid the rise of artificial intelligence and ongoing discourse regarding freedom of speech and censorship, Journalism and Media Week will also explore the challenges of working in today’s industry.
Later that day, attendees will hear from Katharine Viner, who is celebrating a decade as editor-in-chief of The Guardian.
A Yorkshire native, Katharine is credited with overseeing “one of the most significant turnarounds in recent British media history” after stabilising The Guardian’s finances through an innovative reader revenue strategy. During her session, Katharine will cover how technology continues to change the face of journalism and society, a topic she writes about regularly.
The programme has been designed to appeal to a range of interests so students and attendees can explore the diverse strands of the industry and the important role it can play in everyday life.
Jon Sopel, who covered the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, will offer advice on effectively holding power to account, while Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin will explain why she is passionate about using her position to boost the region’s media and digital industries.
Several Leeds Trinity alumni will also return to share stories of their progression since graduating, including Raj Kaur, a journalist at ITV News, and Keiran Smith, Assistant Director at GRV Media, one of Europe’s largest independent online sports publishers.
The week will end with a screening of Mind the Gap, a provocative film exploring the often-overlooked issue of unconscious bias within Higher Education produced by filmmaker Ricardo Barker, an Associate Professor at Leeds Trinity University, and co-created with students and staff from the University.
Darren Harper, Senior Lecturer in Radio and Journalism and lead of Journalism and Media Week, said: “As the number one Journalism course in the country for the second year running, we are committed not only to teaching excellence, but also to preparing our students for their future careers by providing valuable insights and opportunities within their chosen industries.
“Journalism and Media Week introduces our students to a range of established media professionals who know the demands and realities of working in media roles and can provide guidance on how to navigate the waters.
“As always, we’re grateful to all the speakers who have agreed to take part this year and look forward to hearing from them during the week.
“The event has become a real highlight of each academic year at Leeds Trinity, drawing attention from staff and students from across the university, colleagues from other organisations, and members of the public. I’m really proud of the work the team behind Journalism and Media Week puts into making the event so appealing each year, and 2025 is set to be one of the best yet.”
More information about Journalism and Media Week 2025 and the full line-up of speakers can be found on the Journalism and Media Week webpage.
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