The Financial Times is today pulling back the curtain on one of the least visible parts of a news organisation operation and inviting readers to join its editorial writing conference and play a role in shaping the FT’s editorial line. Previously the realm of only the most senior writers, the FT is aiming to bring the value of discussions taking shape online and incorporate views of the FT.com community in the

leader column.

Starting today on the Arena blog (ft.com/arena) the FT’s editors and specialists will debate an issue to be covered in a forthcoming FT leader column, with one journalist opening the debate. Other specialists will join the debate with readers also able to participate. Readers will be able to comment on every post and the best comments will be posted as part of the main debate. On Monday 4th May (news agenda permitting) the editorial team will review the debate and respond to readers’ views in the paper and

online in that day’s leader.

The first online editorial conference debate will be around the theme: Should the return of high taxes be a temporary phenomenon. The question is whether governments take the opportunity to keep taxes high for social purposes once the budget deficits are under control?

Robert Shrimsley, managing editor at FT.com, said: “I’ve long wanted to share the quality of the debates we have inside the building with our readers. This way we get to go one step further and invite them to participate. Our community of readers is perhaps the most sophisticated in the business world and this is a chance to draw on their expertise and invite them into the editorial process at the highest level.”

For further information, please contact:

Kristina Eriksson, Financial Times, +44 20 7873 4961 or kristina.eriksson@ft.com