Close relations between journalists and politicians are not necessarily in the interests of the wider public, a former newspaper editor will argue in a free public lecture later this week.

Opening the prestigious Stevenson and Adam Smith Research Foundation lecture series, sponsored by The Herald, former editor of the the paper Harry Reid will speak about what he describes as the "irreconcilable conflict" between journalists and the public.

Mr Reid, who holds an honorary doctorate from Glasgow University for services to Scottish journalism, said: "There is a perpetual and irresolvable conflict between the ultimate interests of journalists and the mass of citizens.

"So although many - probably most - citizens do benefit from much print journalism, the main efforts of most newspaper proprietors, editors and journalists are not motivated by concern for the wellbeing or life improvement or even security of most citizens.

"Close relations between journalists and politicians too are not necessarily in the interests of the wider public. The best print journalism tends to be specialised and by implication elitist, and is rarely about the everyday concerns of Joe Public.

"On the other hand, genuinely popular mass journalism tends to be concerned with entertainment and trivialisation rather than shining light into dark places or helping a nation to understand itself. These tensions are exacerbated, not eased, by the current growth of citizens' journalism, when the pretence is that everybody can be a journalist."

Free and open to the public, the hour-long lecture starts at 7pm on Thursday, November 8, in the Sir Charles Wilson building, University Avenue, Glasgow.