9:00 - 9:20

Welcome, vision, and logistics for Newsroom Innovation Hub

We’re here because the pace of change in journalism isn’t slowing — and transformation and innovation can’t wait. This opening session will outline why we’ve chosen these urgent topics, what the next 1.5 days are designed to accomplish, and how we’ll work together to move from insight to impact.

Amalie Nash

Newsroom Transformation Initiative Lead, INMA, United States

9:20 - 10:00

Keynote: Reinventing newsrooms for the new era of AI

Kicking off the Newsroom Innovation Hub is Jess Awtry, who brings a powerful combination of editorial leadership and data fluency to the stage. In this moment of seismic change — where AI, audience shifts, and news fatigue collide — Awtry will challenge us to rethink how we build relevance, trust, and connection in a fragmented digital ecosystem. Drawing on her deep experience at the intersection of journalism, research, and strategy, she’ll explore how insights from Pew’s rigorous audience data can help shape smarter newsroom decisions, more personalised content strategies, and more sustainable models of engagement. In this session, Awtry will outline what it takes to evolve not just tools or tactics, but culture. She’ll set the tone for action by asking: Are we ready to build the kind of newsrooms that audiences actually need today?

Jess Awtry

Vice President, Digital Strategy & Communications, Pew Research Center, United States

10:00 – 12:15

Module 1: How newsrooms are deepening engagement and using data effectively

In this session, discover how leading newsrooms are transforming audience relationships by pairing editorial strategies with smart data use. We'll explore how publishers are identifying loyal readers, tailoring content for impact, and leveraging analytics to strengthen engagement and drive growth. Learn from real-world examples where insights — not just intuition — are powering newsroom decisions.

Featuring three case studies:

• Der Tagesspiegel (Germany): It's not about print to digital, it's about a content revolution: How user needs, user journeys, and storytelling are shifting newsrooms, featuring Christian Tretbar.
• Politiken (Denmark): This session tours Politiken’s all-purpose data dashboard, showing how real-time engagement metrics, quality-read insights, and subscription tracking are embedded directly into journalists’ workflows — empowering newsroom teams to make smarter, data-driven content decisions, featuring Troels Jørgensen.
• Mediahuis (Belgium): This session spotlights Mediahuis’ new approach to analytics, with more focus on attention time and reading quality, as well as how Mediahuis defines value perception, featuring Yves Van Dooren.

Christian Tretbar

Editor in Chief, Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

Troels Jørgensen

Digital Director, Politiken, Denmark

Yves Van Dooren

Business Partner Data & Insights, Mediahuis Belgium

12:15 – 13:30

Lunch and networking

13:30 – 15:45

Module 2: How newsrooms are using AI and automation to unlock efficiencies and spark innovation

Discover how leading newsrooms are harnessing AI to streamline workflows, automate routine tasks, and supercharge editorial creativity. This module explores real-world examples of AI tools transforming everything from content tagging and translation to newsroom planning and product development, freeing up journalists to focus on impactful, high-value storytelling.

Featuring these case studies:

• Axel Springer (Germany): Discover how AI notification bots can transform your content promotion strategy, driving higher engagement and monetisation, featuring Janis Kitzhofer.
• Zeitungsverlag Waiblingen (Germany): This regional news publisher in southern Germany has embarked on a bold transformation — automating its print production to shift the newsroom’s focus fully to digital-first journalism. In partnership with Aptoma, ZVW became the first German publisher to implement the AI-powered Dr. Edition tool to generate print pages directly from online content without reporters writing for print any longer, featuring Ramona Adolf

Janis Kitzhofer

Senior Manager, Editorial Insights & Development, Axel Springer, Germany

Ramona Adolf

Head of Digital, Waiblingen, Germany

Felix Kallio

Prompt Engineering Specialist, Bonnier News, Sweden

15:45 – 16:00

Networking break

16:00 – 17:00

Tour of The Irish Times newsroom

Step inside one of Europe’s most storied news organisations and see how The Irish Times is reimagining its newsroom for the digital age. This tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at innovation in action.

17:00 - 18:30

End of day drinks on NewsWhip

Join Hub & Tour colleagues for a drink around the corner from The Irish Times in a quintessiential Irish Pub called "Mulligan's". Drinks paid by

09:00 – 9:15

Welcome back and reflections

09:15 – 10:45

Module 3: What newsrooms can learn from content creators

Content creators are redefining how audiences consume information. They’re meeting people where they are, building loyal communities, and delivering news and storytelling in formats that resonate, particularly with younger and more digital-native audiences. We’ll explore how newsrooms can borrow from the creator playbook: thinking audience-first, embracing personality-driven formats, leveraging short-form video, and building two-way relationships that foster loyalty and trust. We’ll also look at how newsroom workflows and culture might evolve to support experimentation, speed, and authenticity — without sacrificing credibility or quality.

Featuring these case studies:

• The News Movement (United Kingdom): The News Movement was founded to change the way the news is done. This looks like breaking news, investigations, and cultural stories to followers and fans – reaching over 70 million of them on social media every month through brands TNM, The Recount, and Capsule. The session features Rebecca Hutson.

Rebecca Hutson

Editor-In-Chief, The News Movement, United Kingdom

Kerstin Hasse

Creator, Hasse mit Liebe, Switzerland

Jeremy Gilbert

Knight Professor Digital Media Strategy, Medill, Northwetern University, United States

10:45 – 11:00

Networking break

11:00 – 12:00

From inspiration to action

As we wrap up our time together, this closing session will tie together the most impactful ideas, insights, and strategies shared throughout the programme — and focus on what comes next.We’ll begin with a keynote conversation featuring Lena K. Samuelsson, board member, senior advisor, and former publisher of Aftonbladet, Sweden’s largest news brand. Samuelsson will speak candidly about why the time for newsroom transformation is now — and what’s at stake if we don’t act with urgency. She’ll draw from decades of experience leading through disruption, navigating digital shifts and championing innovation and accountability in journalism.Following the keynote, participants will break into small groups to reflect on their top takeaways, identify the three most important ideas they want to implement in their newsrooms, and name the biggest obstacles they may face. Each group will share their key action items, making transformation feel tangible and actionable.We’ll close with a readout of those real-world strategies, then send you off with momentum and clarity — ready to bring these ideas to life in your own newsroom.

Lena K. Samuelsson

Senior Advisor, Schibsted, Sweden