The Summit is the NPA’s global convening for the senior leaders defining what news becomes next. It’s where the decision-makers who set priorities and ship work across product, audience, technology, revenue, and editorial come together to align on what’s changing, share what’s working, and turn strategy into execution.

The 2026 edition took place in Chicago from October 21 to 23 with the theme “From Reaction to Readiness: Audience Intelligence as AI Infrastructure for News.” The program focused on how news organizations can move from responding to platform shifts and new AI tools to building the audience intelligence and infrastructure needed to operate with clarity, resilience, and control. Across 41 sessions, more than 80 speakers from organizations including The New York Times, POLITICO, Bloomberg News, Google, and the Mozilla Foundation shared their insights and experiences. Check out the recap here.

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“The NPA Summit was easily the most practical conference I’ve ever attended. The sessions weren’t just “pie in the sky” ideas that went perfectly. Presenters broke down the steps, showed where things could have gone better, and I left with tangible things I could start implementing right away.”
“A must-attend conference. If product is test-build-learn cycles, the NPA Summit dramatically accelerates learning—because it’s a place to trade stories of what everyone else is testing and building. We all move faster together.”
“This is where people building the futures of news figure it all out and show real examples of what’s working and how to do it.”
“It’s a forward-looking convening focused on real, hands-on solutions to very hard problems. A must-attend for anyone in the audience space.”
“Getting together for the Summit is a little like a reunion, but I actually learn something new every time I go. I can’t say that for every conference.”

About the NPA Summit

The NPA Summit is a high-impact, in-person gathering for leaders driving news product strategy and organizational execution.

Designed for leaders responsible for strategy, systems, and organizational change, the NPA Summit prioritizes depth over scale, peer-level exchange, and practical decision frameworks that can be applied inside newsrooms immediately. It is developed specifically for those who must sharpen strategic judgment, pressure-test long-term assumptions, and solve the complex challenges of modern newsroom management alongside a network of peers.

The value of the Summit lies in this concentration of expertise. In 2026, more than 420 participants from 250+ organizations in 12 countries attended the second in-person Summit. Attendees included global and national organizations such as The New York Times, Bloomberg News, CNN, NPR, and The Atlantic, alongside international publishers and broadcasters including ZDF, SPIEGEL Group, Schibsted, and RNZ. Regional newsrooms such as The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Boston Globe, The Minnesota Star Tribune, and The Baltimore Banner were joined by local and nonprofit organizations including City Bureau, Documented, Block Club Chicago, and Outlier Media.

The sold-out event demonstrated the growing strength, diversity, and strategic influence of the news product community. In 2026, 74% of attendees were professionals who directly influence or make strategy, budget, and purchasing decisions, and more than 87% of all participants were engaged in product work. This unique mix ensures that sessions are grounded in the practical realities of institutional change.

At its core, the NPA Summit is defined by an emphasis on strategic application and candid, high-trust discussion. It creates a unique environment where the industry’s most influential voices and decision-makers engage deeply with both the ideas and the people shaping the future of news.

Check out the NPA Summit 2026 Recap →

“A must-attend conference. If product is test-build-learn cycles, the NPA Summit dramatically accelerates learning—because it’s a place to trade stories of what everyone else is testing and building. We all move faster together.”

“This is where people building the futures of news figure it all out and show real examples of what’s working and how to do it.”

“It’s a forward-looking convening focused on real, hands-on solutions to very hard problems. A must-attend for anyone in the audience space.”

“Getting together for the Summit is a little like a reunion, but I actually learn something new every time I go. I can’t say that for every conference.”

About the NPA Summit

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