Welcome to The Publisher Summit 2026
We're delighted to be bringing back The Publisher Summit for another successful year.
This year, there will be a single main stage focused on direct-to-audience product strategies, combining newsletter, app, podcast, print and event expertise and showcasing leading strategies.
There will be Masterclasses alongside dedicated to specific product opportunities and challenges.
As it becomes ever more difficult to acquire audiences and revenue through search and social, building and strengthening direct audience connections will be vital to surviving and thriving as publishers.
Date: July 8th, 8.45am-5.30pm
Location: HUCKSTER, Paddington, London
Who should attend?
The Summits are designed to help those working at the forefront of publisher products:
Editorial & Operations leaders: e.g. Editor-in-Chief, Head of Newsletters, Content Directors, Head of Audio
Senior Decision-Makers: Key professionals with overall responsibility for product strategy
Practitioners: Journalists, editors, podcast producers and hosts, newsletter creators
Every session will answer key questions:
- How does this initiative grow audiences?
-How does this bring in revenue?
We are heavily focused on practical tips and takeaways publishers can apply to their own businesses.
Premium Sponsors
Digital Sponsors
Agenda 2026
Please note this agenda may be subject to change.
Stage host: Charlotte Henry
| | Main stage | Masterclass |
| 08.00 - 08.45 | Registration | |
| 08.45 - 09.00 | Welcome & introduction | |
| 09.00 - 09.25 | Opening interview: If Good Housekeeping can do it, so can you: How a back-to-basics strategy helped a 104-year-old brand deliver its biggest year ever in 2025 Liz Settle, MD, Good Housekeeping | |
| 09.25 - 09.50 | What successful publishers are doing to build robust audience relationships Everyone is feeling the effects of industry headwinds like falling traffic, AI summaries and unreliable social media referrals. The message is clear for those seeking growth: building direct audiences is a top priority. The Guardian has seen heavy investment in apps, newsletters, podcasts and its websites over the past few years, from key hires to app launches like Feast. This is paying off in both audience growth and revenue, with their email subscribers alone going from 1 million to 8 million in just 2 years.
Liz Wynn, The Guardian's Chief Supporter Revenue Officer has helped drive the business to over 1.4m recurring supporters. She will discuss the importance of direct connections, where their products fit into this, and what works across different geographies. Liz Wynn, Chief Supporter Revenue Officer, The Guardian | |
| 09.50 - 10.30 | Panel: 'Quality over quantity' for long-term, sustainable audience growth As pressures on traffic and discovery grow, coupled with the bombardment of AI 'slop', there is an opportunity to lean into a true 'quality over quantity' ethos, and reap the benefits. On this panel, Maire, Malcolm and Anna share how actively embracing publishing fewer but higher-quality articles and newsletters has had a measurable impact on audience growth, conversion, and subscriber retention.
Panellists: Moderator: Charlotte Tobitt, UK Editor, Press Gazette | |
| 10.30 - 11.00 | Coffee break | |
| 11.00 - 11.20 | Case study: How a free-to-read newsletter-first news start-up smashed its paid subscriber targets The Nerve is a new news publication launched by a group of five former Observer journalists. In less than a week after launching, it had hit 8,000 sign-ups and more than 1,000 paying members, without a paywall. Seven months later, they have over 30,000 free subscribers, and a paid conversion rate more than triple the industry standard. Sarah Donaldson will talk about the opportunity they spotted to launch a news and culture brand, which audience touchpoints they decided to focus on, and what messaging has resonated to convince readers to support them so early on. Sarah Donaldson, Co-Founder, The Nerve | Podcast Masterclass: Metrics that matter (See full description below) Lead: Chris Stone |
| 11.20 - 11.55 | Panel: Using newsletters to supercharge other areas of a publishing business Kate Day, Senior Executive Editor, Europe, POLITICO Further panellists to be announced | |
| 11.55 - 12.05 | Brain break | |
| 12.05 - 12.25 | Case study: How a niche podcast makes live events and sponsorships pay Speaker to be announced | |
| 12.25 - 13.00 | Does my podcast really need to have video? Opportunities and challenges to consider when turning the cameras on. Apple is the latest platform to turn on support for video. The data seems to overwhelmingly point to video being a mechanism to supercharge audience growth and podcast discovery, but is it something all podcasts should be doing? Our panel will showcase where they're seeing success in video podcasting and audio-only delivery, how to approach video separately, and explore where video may and may not be a good investment. Alice Sandelson, Director of Business Strategy and Partnerships, The Observer, Tortoise Media Panel moderator: Daniel McLaughlin, Podcast and Series Editor, Reach plc Further panellists to be announced | Editorial Masterclass: How to turn audiences into loyal - and paying - communities
(See full description below)
Lead: Sarah Ebner |
| 13.00 - 14.00 | Street food lunch | |
| 14.00 - 14.20 | How a hyperlocal newsletter network uses AI for scale, consistency and speed Don't Miss Media Group is a publishing network of three weekly hyperlocal newsletters operating across Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Each edition curates what's on, where to eat, and what the community needs to know. DMMG have implemented AI across editorial production, commercial and operational infrastructure, and for strategic and financial planning, allowing the small team to operate well beyond what would otherwise be possible.
Founder Georgina Wilson-Powell will share which areas they do (and don't!) use AI in, and how it has enabled them to scale, from event listings to community directories and ad management. Georgina Wilson-Powell, Don't Miss Media Group | Video Podcast Masterclass: Pod vs. Vod: A framework for evaluating video podcasting (See full description below) Lead: Paul Doyle
|
| 14.20 - 14.55 | Why apps are engagement powerhouses in the era of enshittification Social media is awash with AI-generated (and human!) garbage, but the demand for high-quality, trustworthy, curated information hasn't gone away. On this panel, publishers share how their apps are setting them apart as offering a premium experience, and why that's vital for the future. Debora Hedy Amato, Senior Product Manager, dmg media
Panel moderator: Jonny Kaldor, CEO, Pugpig | |
| 14.55 - 15.05 | Brain break | |
| 15.05 - 15.30 | From traffic to intent: how editorial powers an events-led business As Sift has evolved from a traditional digital publisher into an events-led business, the role of editorial has fundamentally changed. At AccountingWEB, this has meant moving away from a website-first model, where newsletters exist to drive traffic, to a 365 audience model where editorial, newsletters and live events operate as a single connected system. This session, Editorial Director Joanne Birtwistle shares how aligning content across platform and event, developing high-value editorial products and using behavioural insights come together in practice to shape future content, audience strategy, and commercial outcomes. Joanne Birtwistle, Editorial Director, SIFT | Newsletter Masterclass: Your newsletter retention playbook (See full description below) Lead: Jake MccGwire |
| 15.30 - 15.55 | How events drive membership and community for Black Ballad Tobi Oredein, CEO and Founder, Black Ballad | |
| 15.55 - 16.30 | Panel: The opportunities and pitfalls of publishing on other platforms Platforms like Substack, Beehiiv and Linkedin offer a range of tools for publishing and growing newsletters, podcasts and audiences. On the one hand, publishers have a lot to gain from publishing in places audiences are looking for writing. But there are always trade-offs to consider, from wider reputational issues with some platforms, to the question of audience ownership. This panel will bring together publishers who have experimented with content on other platforms to find out what went well, and what advice they have for others considering doing the same. Rob Parsons, Executive Editor, Reach plc | |
| 16.30 - 16.45 | What next? Priorities and predictions for the future The emphasis on direct relationships and building audiences on owned platforms may be a strategy to combat current challenges, but it also serves a more sustainable business model, albeit one with slower growth than the early digital era promised. Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, will highlight what is top-of-mind for publishers this year, and where they are looking for opportunities in 2027 and beyond. Nic Newman, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism | |
| 16.45 - 17.30 | Summer party & networking drinks | |
| 17.30 - 18.30 |
THE PUBLISHER NEWSLETTER AWARDS | |
| 18.30 - 19.30 | Shared Awards bowl food and networking drinks | |
| 19.30 - 20.30 |
THE PUBLISHER PODCAST AWARDS | |
2026 MediaVoices Masterclasses
These Masterclasses run in parallel to the main agenda. Attendance is free but pre-booking is advised. Masterclasses will open for pre-booking a month before the Summit to ticket-holders.
11.00-11.55 - Podcast metrics that matter
Lead: Chris Stone, Executive Producer, New Statesman, Founder of Podcast Strategy Weekly and Podcast Crew
Understanding the data from podcasts can be a minefield. Using those metrics to inform key decisions is another challenge. What matters and why, and how does that change depending on your aims?
Chris Stone has spent over a decade immersed in podcast metrics, from his work at the New Statesman, The Telegraph and the Evening Standard. He regularly shares his findings in his newsletter Podcast Strategy Weekly.
In this Masterclass, Chris will share what metrics matter at different stages of your funnel; for growth, retention, conversion and monetisation. He'll guide you about which specific metrics help inform specific decisions across both audio-only and video podcasts.
12.05-13.00 - From reach to relationships: How to turn audiences into loyal - and paying - communities
Lead: Sarah Ebner, Editorial expert, consultant and writer (ex Financial Times, Telegraph, The Times, BBC)
As platforms become less reliable and AI reshapes how audiences discover content, media organisations need new ways to build loyalty and long-term value.
In this practical session, Sarah will explore how publishers and individuals can create stronger audience relationships through engagement, habit, community and distinctive voice — and what this means for subscriptions, membership, advertising and events.
The session will look at why the future is about building better audiences, not just bigger ones — and how media brands can adapt to a changing landscape where people increasingly follow people, not institutions.
14.00-14.55 - Pod vs. Vod: A framework for evaluating video podcasting
Lead: Paul Doyle, Director of Video Strategy & Delivery, Immediate
The 'pivot to video' has been top-of-mind for any publisher with podcasts. With platforms from YouTube, Spotify and Apple investing in video podcast-specific capabilities, do audio-only shows risk getting left behind?
Paul Doyle leads video strategy and delivery at Immediate Media. They have three types of podcast: audio-only, video-adjacent, and video-first. In this Masterclass, Paul will outline how they approach video podcasting, from video-first workflows to the benefits of having video assets.
However, there are also challenges with video. Paul will give you a framework to think about your own shows, and where there may be benefits. Crucially, he will also help evaluate where podcasts are best left as just podcasts.
15.05-15.55 - Your newsletter retention playbook
Lead: Jake MccGwire, Head of Product, beehiiv
Too many publishers know too little about their subscribers which directly impacts their ability to better monetize and retain those readers. Outside of a few questions at signup and the occasional survey, most publishers are flying blind without clear data on reader preferences, demographics, and changing behaviors. By creating survey habits and automations that seamlessly become part of the reader experience, advanced newsletter operators are executing programs that have business wide impact.
In this masterclass beehiiv's Head of Product, Jake MccGwire will share best practices to turn your email program into a data generating, reader retaining machine.
For speaking opportunities or Masterclass suggestions, please email esther@voices.media
For sponsorship opportunities, please email peter@voices.media
2026 guests so far:
Any questions or comments? Email team@publisherpodcasts.com or subscribe below for updates.