Full lineup revealed for first ever JournoFest Manchester

News Associates’ renowned journalism conference JournoFest is back for the second time this year…in Manchester!

JournoFest brings together News Associates and The School of Journalism trainees for a day-long festival of all-star guest speakers from the media industry.

The previously annual event is back for the eighth time this November 4, 2023.

And we are delighted to announce our keynote speaker is BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live Breakfast presenter Rachel Burden.

Rachel began her career as a reporter at BBC Radio Suffolk, and 15 months later joined BBC Radio Bristol where she co-hosted the early morning breakfast show. She joined Radio 5 Live in 2003.

She took over the weekday breakfast show from Shelagh Fogarty in May 2011, alongside co-presenter Nicky Campbell. Rachel made her debut on BBC Breakfast in 2015 and has since gone on to be a regular presenter.

The day will also include two panels of experts discussing levelling up the media landscape and the art of investigative journalism.

Levelling up the media landscape speakers: ITV Granada reporter Simran Johal, Sky News north of England correspondent Shingi Mararike and The Times northern correspondent Tom Ball.

The art of investigative journalism speakers: The Sunday Times northern editor David Collins, The i investigations correspondent Dean Kirby and BBC journalist Perisha Kudhail.

Our JournoFest Manchester 2023 speakers. On the left-hand side there is a large image of Rachel Burden. To the right of Rachel's photo there are three photos on the top row. From left to right: Simran Johal, Shingi Mararike, Tom Ball. On the bottom row from left to right: David Collins, Dean Kirby and Perisha Kudhail.
JournoFest Manchester 2023 lineup: Rachel Burden, Simran Johal, Shingi Mararike, Tom Ball, David Collins, Dean Kirby and Perisha Kudhail

The day will also include plenty of time for networking between trainees and speakers.

JournoFest Manchester will be hosted at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation and is exclusively for News Associates and The School of Journalism trainees.

This venue has been carefully chosen to reflect a long history of excellent journalism in the city of Manchester. Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) was a famous author, composer, and journalist, best known for his dystopian novel The Clockwork Orange. He was born in Manchester and created a rich portfolio of work throughout his lifetime in Manchester and the world beyond.

You can follow all the action on Twitter @NewsAssociates/@TheJournoSchool, Instagram @NewsAssociates and TikTok @NewsAssociates_.

You can read all the highlights and top tips from JournoFest 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and March 2023 here.