The School of Journalism’s highly-anticipated annual journalism conference JournoFest is back and bigger than ever at The Stoop in Twickenham for 2024.

JournoFest 2024 will bring together The School of Journalism and News Associates trainees to hear from all-star guest speakers from the media industry.

Our ninth event will open with our keynote speaker, Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford.

During her 30-year career, Crawford has been arrested, detained, abducted, interrogated and faced live bullets, tear gas, IEDs, and mortar shells.

Based in Istanbul, she reports on major stories around the world. She has won numerous awards including two Emmys, a BAFTA for coverage of the Ebola crisis, and is an unprecedented five-time winner of the Royal Television Society Journalist of the Year award.

A photo of our keynote speaker for JournoFest, Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford.

Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford

Next, we will hear the story behind the story in a Q&A with Karl Flinders, Computer Weekly chief reporter who helped to break the Post Office scandal, and Balvinder Gill, a former sub-postmaster.

In 2022, Flinders was named Journalist of the Year for his reporting of the scandal at the Digital Publishing Awards.

We’ll also be in conversation with Stephen Wright, Daily Mail associate editor (investigations) and host of the Mail+ True Crime podcast.

In 2023, Wright was named Journalist of the Year by the London Press Club.

He has worked for the Mail for more than 30 years, specialising in investigations exposing police corruption, fugitives and dishonest lawyers.

JournoFest 2024 will also include two topical panels – the first panel of experts will discuss how to navigate the relationship between the police and the media, and the second will explain how to succeed in today’s changing media landscape.

Navigating the relationship between the police and the media panellists:

Martin Brunt – Sky News crime correspondent

Anthony France – Evening Standard crime correspondent

Pippa Mills – Scotland Yard assistant commissioner

Mike Sullivan – The Sun crime editor

Vicky O’Hare – Police communications manager

How to succeed in today’s changing media landscape panellists:

Eve Bennett – Sky News TV producer

Manuela Brown – Sky News social media producer

Dominic Ponsford – Press Gazette editor in chief

James Smith – Nub News head of content

Jacqueline Shepherd – Freelance TV and radio journalist

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All panels and Q&As will be chaired by News Associates deputy managing editor Graham Dudman and will include time for questions from the audience.

There will also be time set aside for networking between trainees, speakers and our special guests.

JournoFest 2024 will take place at the The Stoop in Twickenham, and will be livestreamed, on Saturday March 23. It is exclusively for News Associates and School of Journalism trainees, and a few special guests.

We will post updates from the day on X @NewsAssociates/@TheJournoSchool, Instagram @NewsAssociates and TikTok @NewsAssociates_

Read all the highlights and top tips from previous JournoFest events here.