Join the #visualDEN discussion LIVE from London, New York, Paris and Johannesburg on 5 June 2014

14:00-15:15 SESSION 1: Why is focusing on visual content a strategic imperative for innovative media companies?

Chair: Lucia Adams @lucia_adams

14:00 Welcome to DEN & intro to hosts: François Nel @francoisnel

14:05 Introduction to VisualDEN & background: Lisa MacLeod, FT @lisataljard

14:20 David Dinsmore, The Sun @davidins

14:35 Amy Webb, Webb Media @webbmedia

15:50 Q & A

15:15 Comfort Break

15:30-16:45 SESSION 2: How to make compelling visual media?

Chair: Nick Turner @nickincumbria

15:35 Adam Westbrook, digital producer on why it's time to rethink visual storytelling from the ground up @AdamWestbrook

15:50 David Ottewell, head of the data journalism unit at Trinity Mirror @davidottewell

16:05 Lulu Pinney, freelance infografista @lulupinney

16:20 Martin Stabe, head of interactive news at the Financial Times @martinstabe

16:35 Q & A

16:45 Comfort Break  

17:00-18:00 SESSION 3: The challenge of implementation: the people, the process, the competition

Chair: François Nel @francoisnel

17:05 Fiona Ryder, MD at Mustard TV and Archant company @fi_ryder

17:15 Sarah Hartley and Will Perrin, Talk About Local @foodiesarah @willperrin

17:30 Alan Hunter, head of digital for The Times and Sunday Times @alanhhunter

17:40 Q & A

17:55 Wrap & thanks: François Nel @francoisnel

18:00 Networking Reception

19:30 Dinner at The Swan at The Globe (21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT)

#visualDEN: If making, managing and monetizing visual content is on your agenda, register now for the next DEN meetup on 5 June at FT - now also with interactive hookup to JoziHub

 [Update 19/05/2014: Reserve your space at the interactive hookup to JoziHub, South Africa, HERE from 20/05/2014]

Visual content is top of mind in newsrooms and boardrooms. And it's also on the agenda for next Digital Editors Network meetup hosted by the Financial Times on 5 June 2014, with a live, interactive hookup to Johannesburg.

So, who is doing good things? Who is doing it best? What do we need to know? And what do we need to avoid at all costs?

 "The often-repeated claim that visuals are processed 60,000 times faster by the brain than text is probably bollocks," says DEN co-founder François Nel. "But there's no doubt visuals are critical to effective communication. As we struggle to navigate a world awash 24/7 with waves of information, perhaps it has never been more important that today."

Lisa MacLeod 

And if visual media are important to users, its also darn important to those in the business of making media, said Nel who worked with Lisa MacLeod, head of operations for FT.com and Financial Times associate editor, and Steve Matthewson, group managing editor for BDFM,  to convene the event that's co-sponsored by Desk-Net , JoziHub and Google Africa.

To help us sift through the hype, share practical lessons learned and consider the way forward, we've invited a variety of media innovators to what is being called #visualDEN, including:

• David Dinsmore, editor of The Sun 
• Amy Webb, founder & CEO of Webbmedia Group and co-founder of Spark Camp

• David Ottewell, head of the data journalism unit at Trinity Mirror
• Adam Westbrook, digital producer on why it's time to rethink visual story telling from the ground up.[Updated: 28/04/2014]

• Sarah Hartley and Will Perrin, Talk About Local on what your competitors could do with access to new, free augmented reality functionality for mobile. [Updated: 13/05/2014]
• Lulu Pinney, freelance infografista 
• Alan Hunter, head of digital at The Times and The Sunday Times

• Fiona Ryder, MD at Mustard TV , an Archant company

• Martin Stabe, head of interactive news at the Financial Times

Discussion will be chaired by Lucia Adams, deputy head of Digital for The Times and The Sunday Times, Nick Turner, head of digital for the CN Group and François Nel. Additional presenters are to be confirmed. 

The programme on Thursday, June 5th, will run from 2pm to 6pm at the Financial Times offices, with registration opening at 1:30pm and conversations afterwards spilling over into a networking reception that wraps at 7:30pm. The closest tube stations are Tower Bridge and Mansion House . 

We aim not to charge for DEN meetups, though a donation of £10 or more is invited to cover expenses. To reserve one of the 80 places available at the FT, please register HERE.Register for the JoziHub hookup HERE.

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations.  You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page, joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or this blog .

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors François Nel at FPNel @ uclan.ac.uk, Nick Turner at nick.turner @ cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk , or Lucia Adams at lucia.adams @ news.co.uk .

Dont miss this Spring date: The business of visual journalism will be under the spotlight at the Spring 2014 DEN meeting to be hosted by The Financial Times

Mark your diary; you'll definitely not want to miss this one. 

We’re delighted to announce that the theme for the Spring Digital Editors Network meeting on 5 June 2014 is VisualDEN and that our hosts are The Financial Times, London.

The convergence of journalism and technology as we move to a digital world opens up countless rich possibilities for presentation, for innovation and creative display. From web design, to user experience (UX), sharing to navigation; data visualisations to slideshows and interactive. The way we offer our content to readers is richer and more diverse than it ever was on paper, and the speed of digital development is lightning fast.

So, who is doing good things? Who is doing it best? What do we need to know? And what do we need to avoid at all costs?  

Over the coming months we’ll be working with FT Associate Editor Lisa MacLeod, who is head of Head of Operations of FT.Com, to put together a programme that will aim to answer those questions - and to examine the practical implications for your business, your team and you.

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on the VisualDEN event, or a future DEN meetup or workshop, don’t hesitate to contact any of the other convenors: François Nel at FPNel @ uclan.ac.uk, Nick Turner at nick.turner @ cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk , or LuciaAdams at lucia.adams @ news.co.uk

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page, joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or this blog .

#smartDEN Smart Content (not Smart Data) in the spotlight at the Autumn 2013 DEN meetup in London

There’s been a lot of talk about ‘Smart Data’ of late, but the focus shifts to ‘Smart Content’ at the next Digital Editors Network meetup on 15 October at News UK, 3 Thomas More Street, London.

‘I see Smart Content as Social, Measurable (yes, we need data too), Audience-focussed, Rewarding (for all involved) and Timely,’ says François Nel, a co-founder of DEN and director of the Journalism Leaders Programme at the University of Central Lancashire, who worked with Lucia Adams, deputy head of Digital for The Times and The Sunday Times, and Nick Turner, head of digital for the CN Group, to convene the event.

To help further define the concept, share lessons learned through practice and to consider the way forward, they’ve invited a variety of media innovators to what is being called #smartDEN. John Witherow, acting editor of The Times, will welcome participants and presenters, including:

• Julia Hutchinson, head of content for the global marketing solutions business Group FMG, whose clients include Net-A-Porter, Associated Newspapers, Asda, John Lewis & IBM
• Mary Beth Christie, online product management director at Financial Times (FT.com)
• Lucia Adams, deputy head of digital for The Times and The Sunday Times
• Ola Henriksson, project manager of the pioneering SvD.se (Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden)
• Alison Gow, editor of Daily Post, Wales, site of Trinity Mirror’s Newsroom 3.0 pilot.
• Joe Alicata, principal product owner of the real-time data analytics tool, Chartbeat (formerly head of ESPN.com )
• Kevin Delaney, editor in chief and co-founder of Quartz, which describes itself as ‘a digitally native news outlet, born in 2012, for business people in the new global economy”.
• Tom Whitwell, head of digital for The Times and The Sunday Times, London

The programme will run from 2pm to 6pm on the 13th Floor of NewsUK’s offices near Tower Bridge, where the great views are sure to provide a suitable backdrop for the lively discussions and networking reception that will follow until 7:30pm. There is no charge for DEN meetups, though donations are invited to cover expenses.

Additional presenters to be confirmed. And, as always, suggestions for speakers and sponsorship are welcome.

Please REGISTER HERE.

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page, joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or this blog .

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors François Nel at FPNel @ uclan.ac.uk, Nick Turner at nick.turner @ cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk , or Lucia Adams at lucia.adams @ news.co.uk .