PRESENTING SPONSOR

The Google News Initiative works with publishers and journalists to fight misinformation, share resources and build a diverse and innovative news ecosystem.

PLATINIUM SPONSOR

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms, we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

AWARDS SPONSOR

Upland helps global businesses accelerate digital transformation with a powerful cloud software library that provides choice, flexibility, and value. Our growing library of products delivers the “last mile” plug-in processes, reporting, and job specific workflows that major cloud platforms and homegrown systems don’t provide. We focus on specific business challenges and support every corner of the organization, operating at scale and delivering quick time to value for our 1,700+ enterprise customers. To learn more, visit www.uplandsoftware.com.

GOLD SPONSOR

Genna is an AI platform that transforms trusted data into broadcast-ready video at scale. The platform converts structured and editorial content into video using verified media assets, integrating directly with CMS systems, data feeds, and publishing workflows. Genna automates video creation and distribution across owned and third-party platforms, enabling publishers and broadcasters to scale video production efficiently. Genna’s technology is used by major media organizations including Reach plc, Advance Local,and USA Today Co . Learn more at genna.com.

Local news built democracy. Then the internet broke the business model, and newsrooms got stuck duct-taping legacy CMSes, and a dozen SaaS tools just to publish a story and collect a dollar.

PubGen is the reset button.

It’s an all-in-one, AI-native publishing platform made specifically for community newsrooms – not bloggers, not enterprises, not “content creators.” Archive-grounded AI that knows your paper’s history, voice, and standards. Smart paywalls that actually convert. Ads, subscriptions, newsletters, and analytics in one place. Fast pages. Accessible by default. Free upgrades forever, not another migration in five years.

The goal isn’t to replace journalists. It’s to give them back their time – and give every community a shot at keeping local news alive.

SILVER SPONSORS

United Robots provides automated, ready-to-publish editorial content from structured data using data science and NLG (Natural Language Generation). United Robots has provided some 200 local news sites with > 5mi automated texts since launch in 2016, on topics like weather warnings, wildfires, sports and real estate sales. The company works as a partner to local publishers – currently some 30 newsrooms in the US alone – who are using robots as newsroom resources to provide real-time services, drive pageviews and conversions, expand local coverage and more. 

For more information, visit intandem.vcita.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Newspack is an open-source publishing, revenue and analytics platform for trusted news organizations. It’s designed to keep you on the leading edge of digital technology, help you develop a loyal audience and move you toward long-term financial sustainability. A project of WordPress.com, with support from The Knight Foundation and the Google News Initiative, it is led by journalists and technologists who collectively have over 100 years of digital publishing experience. More than 300 publishers have signed or launched on the platform, including such notable publications as VTDigger, CalMatters, Capital B, The Voice of San Diego, Lookout Santa Cruz, Black Voice News and more. Learn more at Newspack.com or request a demo for a look under the hood.

BLOX Digital powers media with the industry’s most widely used and most advanced AI-driven CMS. BLOX NXT is your central platform for streamlining content creation, audience engagement, workflow efficiency, and revenue growth. AI supercharges every step, from real-time analytics and predictive audience insights to targeted subscription strategies and effortless user management.

We equip newsrooms to make smarter decisions, grow audiences, and unlock new opportunities with less friction and more speed. Join the leaders already transforming local media and discover how BLOX Digital can strengthen your operations and deepen your community impact. Let’s build a smarter future together.

AdApt Media Sales empowers local media companies with modernized, AI-driven tools and fractional sales leadership. Through innovative solutions tailored to the challenges of today’s media landscape, AdApt helps media properties optimize sales strategies, streamline processes, and achieve sustainable revenue growth. With a combined 50 years of sales leadership experience with local media companies, Jeff Gallop and David Buonfiglio can deliver effective sales leadership to properties in markets large and small. By providing clear structures, actionable insights, and tools for enhanced efficiency, AdApt Media Sales supports sales teams in delivering measurable results while fostering long-term success.

EmpowerLocal helps local media organizations generate more advertising revenue through collaborative selling and simplified media buying. Our platform enables advertisers to reach trusted local audiences across digital, email, print, audio, social, and events through a single campaign workflow, while helping publishers participate in larger opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? We have lots of great sponsorship options for you! Contact Lindsey Estes if you are interested in participating.