On The Media: Unprepared, Inexperienced and in a War Zone at The Frontline Club

A year ago, in the midst of the uprisings across the Arab world, when the news agenda was moving at a relentless pace, a group of journalists came together to talk about the practicalities of life as a freelance foreign correspondent. One year on, this event considers the opportunities, challenges and risks for freelancers. Should inexperienced freelancers be deterred from heading straight to conflict zones, or should training, insurance and guidance be more freely available? In a recent piece for BBC College of Journalism Stuart Hughes writes about the risks being taken by inexperienced freelancers. As more and more choose to cut their teeth in the field rather than in local newsrooms, Hughes will be joining us with a panel of journalists and editors to discuss what precautions need to be taken to keep them safe. Stuart Hughes is a senior world affairs producer with BBC News. He has worked in international news for more than a decade. Working alongside some of the BBC’s most respected correspondents, he has covered major news events around the world, including the 9/11 attacks, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Middle East conflict and the Arab Spring.