Bringing together public media leadership, development, marketing, and content professionals to better connect with and serve audiences.
The 2026 Audience Development Summit, presented by Greater Public and The Public Media Content Collective, addresses our industry imperative: to fully engage in strategic audience growth and connection.
For the fifth year, this two-day virtual event brings together leaders from across content, development, marketing, and station management to offer insights and expertise on ways to reach new audiences.
Attend the 2026 Audience Development Summit
- Tuesday, February 10, 1-4:00pm ET / 10am-1:00pm PT
- Wednesday, February 11, 1-3:30pm ET / 10am-12:30pm PT
Participation in the 2026 Audience Development Summit will equip you and your team with:
- A framework for incorporating core takeaways from our recent national research study (RUN), uncovering the unmet needs of audiences in how we approach content, revenue, and community engagement
- First-hand accounts of how public radio and public television organizations have implemented new approaches to serving their current audiences and their broader communities
- Ideas and steps to translate audience engagement into financial support
Learn more about the Audience Development Summit
Who should attend the Audience Development Summit?
This virtual event is specifically for cross-disciplinary teams to attend as a group. It is an opportunity to bring an internal team together to focus on connecting with and engaging new audiences. The goal is to give your team focused time to learn and reflect. Then, after the Summit, you will receive suggestions for the next steps your organization can take to strengthen your audience development approach.
To make the most of the Summit, each participating station should assemble a team of decision-makers and practitioners, including the station’s:
- CEO or General Manager
- Leaders from content, development, and marketing divisions
- Professionals doing the day-to-day tasks of audience building
What Past Years’ Attendees are Saying
Speakers
Additional speakers will be announced soon. Please stay tuned.
Ernesto Aguilar
Executive Director of Radio Programming and Content Innovation Initiatives
KQED
Ashley Alvarado
President & CEO
Texas Public Radio
David Lowe
President & General Manager
PBS KVIE
Michelle Maestas Simonsen
Chief Engagement and Content Officer
Classical KING
Amanda Mountain
President & CEO
Rocky Mountain Public Media
Briana O'Higgins
Audience Development Advisor
Greater Public
Robin Pizzo
Director of Education
WKAR
Linda Wei
Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President of Content
Alaska Public Media
Nancy Worlie
Chief Content Officer
KPBS
Schedule
Each day will include two sessions highlighting local public media initiatives that are engaging in strategic audience growth and connection. Representatives from public radio stations, public television stations, and joint licensees will outline their recent successes, followed by an interactive audience Q&A portion.
Day 1 – Tuesday, February 10th
Session 1: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 10:00 – 11:00 am PT
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Public media now has a clearer picture than ever of what audiences truly want — local relevance, practical usefulness, a sense of belonging, and news that helps people navigate challenges and experience the place they call home. RUN research gives us a thoughtful foundation for understanding these needs and how our work can meet them more fully. This session explores how all stations can use those insights to shape an audience strategy that spans awareness, from membership to community.
PANELISTS
- Briana O’Higgins – Audience Development Advisor, Greater Public
Session 2: 2:15 – 3:15 pm ET / 11:15 am – 12:15 pm PT
SESSION DESCRIPTION
To successfully connect with new audiences and more deeply engage your current and future audiences across platforms, you must be prepared to let go of products, programs, processes, and practices that take up time and resources but have little impact. Continuing with the mindset of “we’ve always done it this way” will hold you back, especially when media consumption habits are changing dramatically. This session will offer examples of how two public media organizations decided to stop doing low-impact work and shift attention and resources to connect with audiences in new ways.
PANELISTS
- David Lowe – President & General Manager, PBS KVIE
- Michelle Maestas Simonsen – Chief Engagement and Content Officer, Classical KING
Breakout Activity: 3:20 – 4:00 pm ET / 12:20 – 1:00 pm PT
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Determining what we should stop doing allows us the freedom to think boldly about what we want to start doing instead. In this activity, attendees will be assigned to random groups to reflect on what no longer works within their realm of control, and then discuss with their peers. This activity is designed to help attendees get comfortable with letting go in order to make space for new ideas.
Please Note: Organizations that are joining the Summit in-person together will be exempt from joining a breakout room and asked to do this activity amongst themselves.
Day 2 – Wednesday, February 11th
Session 3: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 10:00 – 11:00 am PT
SESSION DESCRIPTION
In the last year, public media has discovered the true depth of the connections we have with our donors and audiences. Many of them have heard our plea to fill the gap for the short term, but what will “membership” mean to new audiences in the future? How do we evolve beyond transactions and move toward deeper engagement with both donors and audiences? In this session, we’ll talk about successful approaches for building a stronger connection with our communities. We’ll focus on the power of belonging and how to align our organizations and practices to build two-way relationships with the people we serve and aspire to serve.
PANELISTS
- Amanda Mountain – President & CEO, Rocky Mountain Public Media
- Robin Pizzo – Director of Education, WKAR
MODERATOR
- Ashley Alvarado – President & CEO, Texas Public Radio
Session 4: 2:15 – 3:15 pm ET / 11:15 am – 12:15 pm PT
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Our RUN research shows us how much today’s audiences want to feel a sense of connection to the places they live. People gravitate toward local media with authenticity and place their trust in local voices and brands in which they see themselves. This session showcases stations that reflect the unique character, tone, and voice of their state, city, or town to build loyalty and a sense of community. Our panelists will show examples of their own work, and we’ll see and hear lots of examples from stations across the country. You’ll walk away with a few great ideas worth stealing and a lot of creative inspiration.
PANELISTS
- Ernesto Aguilar – Executive Director of Radio Programming and Content Innovation Initiatives, KQED
- Linda Wei – Chief Operating Officer & Senior Vice President of Content, Alaska Public Media
- Nancy Worlie – Chief Content Officer, KPBS
Pricing and Registration
This event is designed for cross-disciplinary teams to attend as a group. Organizational passes allow everyone at your organization to attend for one flat rate based on your organization’s size (as measured by your station’s non-federal funding, or NFFS). Due to the cross-disciplinary nature of the Summit, individual registration is not available.
Members of Greater Public and PMCC will receive special discounted rates to attend the Summit.
The pricing outlined below covers everyone at your organization. The early bird deadline is January 30, 2026. Prices increase on January 31st.
| Station Size | Greater Public/PMCC Members | Non-Members | ||
| Early Bird Price (Until 1/30/26) | Standard Pricing (After 1/30/26) | Early Bird Price (Until 1/30/26) | Standard Pricing (After 1/30/26) | |
| Small (Under $4,000,000) | $350 | $600 | $600 | $1,000 |
| Medium ($4,000,000 - $9,999,999) | $750 | $1,200 | $1,300 | $2,050 |
| Large ($10,000,000+) | $1,150 | $1,800 | $1,950 | $3,050 |
Registration opens on January 6, 2026.
FAQs
The Summit is a virtual event that will happen on Zoom. Attendees will receive a unique Zoom link upon registration. Stations are welcome to join remotely or together at their station.
Attendees should make best efforts to attend both days, as the sessions build upon each other.
The breakout activity will include breakout rooms within Zoom. Attendees will be assigned to random groups to reflect on and discuss projects that they can stop doing at their station. Organizations that are joining the Summit in-person together will be exempt from joining a breakout room and asked to do this activity amongst themselves.
No! All attendees can join the Zoom Webinar remotely or together.
Attracting new audiences is important to radio stations, television stations, and joint licensees as non-profit media organizations. The content of the Summit will feature speakers addressing the overarching themes that pertain to both TV and radio.
Yes! There are many benefits for smaller organizations to participate. Regardless of size, understanding changing demographics and expectations of audiences is a critical conversation we need to have industry-wide. We’ve also created pricing tiers so the Summit is affordable for teams of all sizes.
Due to the cross-disciplinary nature of the Summit, individual registration is not available for the Audience Development Summit.
Yes! Recordings and slides will be available and sent via email within a few business days of the end of the Summit. If your station registered to attend the Summit, but you did not receive the email containing these links, please contact us.
Registration opens on January 6, 2026.
