The Media Product Forum 2026

Publishing continues to evolve at record speed. As business models shift and technology accelerates, leading media organizations are rethinking how they build, scale, and stay in control of what comes next.

In 2026, the Media Product Forum returns with a focus on turning AI disruption into opportunity. AI is reshaping the media landscape faster than most teams can adapt, and the window to act is closing. The organizations moving now won’t just keep up, they’ll define what comes next.

Join us for a day with the industry’s leading product minds, exploring open platforms, intelligent workflows, and audience experiences built to last.

When: May 20, 2026 (10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.)

Where: Apella NYC (450 E 29th St, New York)

Main stage programming hosted by Brian Morrissey, Founder, The Rebooting

• 10:30 – 11:00am: Registration + Networking
• 11:00 – 12:30pm: Main Stage Programming
  • Revenue That’s Actually Working: This session will explore what’s driving real revenue growth beyond subscriptions, looking at which models are gaining traction in 2026. We’ll dig into how publishers are layering events, licensing, commerce, and data to diversify income streams, and take a clear-eyed look at what’s actually converting versus what’s still more theory than practice.
  • AI in the Newsroom: From Experiment to Operation: Jessica Awtry, VP of Digital & Communications Strategy at Pew Research Center, Veebha Mehta, COO at Crain, and Kat Downs Mulder, SVP & General Manager of Yahoo News will explore how news organizations are moving AI from isolated experiments into real operational workflows, and what it takes to scale these efforts across teams, tools, and editorial processes.

• 12:30 – 2:10pm: Networking Lunch
• 2:15 – 4:00pm: Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussions + Key Takeaways
• 4:10 – 5:00pm: Closing Panel Discussion
  • Owning Your Audience: Ariscielle Novicio, CTO & SVP of Product & Digital Strategy at the New York Post, Adam McClean, CPO at People Inc., and Danielle Strle, CPO at The Onion, will discuss what’s driving real growth in registrations and newsletters, what’s actually converting readers into subscribers, and how first-party data is being used in practical, impactful ways beyond the pitch deck.

• 5:00 – 6:00pm: Networking Reception + Happy Hour