10:00 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.
(New York time)

Welcome and introductions

10:05 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.
(New York time)

What INMA has learned about newsroom transformation in 2025

What distinguishes newsrooms that talk about transformation from those that actually deliver it? The most successful share common traits: an audience-first mindset, purposeful use of data, a focused editorial strategy, smart adoption of technology (including AI), and leadership that empowers change. This session will explore how to move from ideas to action—and how to keep your newsroom's strategy evolving.

10:25 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.
(New York time)

Why user needs matter more than ever

A foremost expert on user needs, Dmitry Shishkin will share why every media company should be centering their strategy on user needs as we head into 2026. He’ll highlight how the framework has evolved over the years, what experiments and insights from 2024–25 have revealed about audience behavior, and where publishers should go next to build loyalty, relevance, and impact in a rapidly shifting news landscape.

10:55 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.
(New York time)

How to build deeper audience connections

Some highly effective newsrooms are getting loyalty right: Take the example of Grupo RBS, which restructured its newsroom into two dedicated teams. One serves broad audiences with breaking news and trends, while the other—focused squarely on loyal users and subscribers—publishes 50% fewer stories but delivers richer reporting, quizzes, investigations, and newsletters. That focus has empowered journalists to make decisions rooted in audience needs, lifted engagement, and deepened loyalty.

11:25 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.
(New York time)

Growing sustainable creator-led journalism

It’s time for legacy media organisations to take cues from the creator economy, valuing audience-first strategies over transactional relationships. Creators focus on interactive content that builds trust and community while providing content in the formats and styles that many prefer. Legacy media can adopt this approach—prioritizing engagement over clicks, giving journalists the space to experiment, and directly connecting with loyal audiences—to boost retention, loyalty, and meaningful impact.

11:55 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(New York time)

Wrap-up and looking forward to 2026