With many publishers looking to close their offices forever and move to permanent home or hybrid working – Chris Blackhurst looks at the future of the newsroom and the all-important editorial conference.

Every morning in every news organisation in the world, pretty much, a time-honoured ritual unfolds.

It’s the editorial conference. Exact times as to when it is held may differ but the format is more or less the same. The editorial department heads or their representatives troop into the editor’s office or a meeting room. The editor arrives. There’s some chit chat, then one by one they go through their lists of stories.