As a leading provider of security and hostile environment training to the media, Pilgrims Group provided premium security at the Hilton Hotel for the annual event.
The conference saw leading media personnel gather to discuss major issues such as ‘Undercover: the risks and rewards of investigative journalism’, ‘Crescent coverage: the challenge of reporting on Islam’ and ‘Hype, Hope and Headaches: making and selling digital news’.
NewsXchange was created to provide broadcast news organisations around the world with a first class, not-for-profit conference. Underwritten by Eurovision, the conference is supported by all 70 members of the European Broadcasting Union’s Eurovision News Exchange, as well as many international broadcast news networks and agencies.
NewsXchange 2008: not just about security
A major supplier of media security services, Pilgrims also held the role of Premium Sponsor for NewsXchange 2008. The company sponsored the conference raffle, giving away a Slingbox PRO – a media streaming device which allows the user to watch their TV home experience anywhere in the world on a laptop.
“Pilgrims was delighted to be the official security partner and a premium sponsor of NewsXchange for the third consecutive year,” said the Group’s Rowena Fell, manager of information and intelligence services.
Fell attended the conference with Pilgrims’ managing director, Bill Freear.
Media continually at risk
Freear told SMT Online: “In their relentless efforts to inform the public of situations and events, our friends in the media industry place themselves in extremely volatile areas around the globe. Pilgrims’ expertise in the security consultancy and risk assessment field enables us to support all of our clients who operate in such situations.”
In conclusion, Freear commented: “It’s important we offer comprehensive security solutions to ensure that the media can operate as safely as possible. In that way, the risk to what is a vital service may be significantly reduced.”
