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The Publisher Summit & Awards: Masterclasses
See who's leading our expert Masterclasses on July 8th in London.
Media Voices & Esther Kezia Thorpe
June 25, 2026
Welcome to the Publisher Newsletter by Media Voices: profiling the people and products powering publishing.
The Publisher Summit & Awards: Masterclasses
Our flagship Publisher Summit is being held in just under two weeks, on July 8th at HUCKSTER, Paddington, London. There’s air conditioning and an outdoor terrace, for those of you sweating it out now and wishing for a cool breeze…
This year’s Publisher Summit brings together newsletter, app, podcast, print and event case studies, showcasing what leading publishers are doing to grow audiences and revenue.
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.
Our Summit Masterclasses run in parallel to the main agenda. Attendance is free but pre-booking is advised - spaces are filling up quickly as they’ve opened to ticket-holders this week.
P.S. Ticket prices rise after this Friday, so book now to secure the best value rate.
The Publisher Summit 2026 Masterclasses
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tickets are excellent value for an industry event, with lessons applicable across many different products, so why not bring the team?
Look who else is joining us:
