Program

How can a modern newsroom be seamlessly connected to all distribution points, incorporating AI for vital efficiencies in content production and versioning? How can people be better organized with systemic connection points across the organization, especially when multiple platforms (e.g. broadcast or cable networks, streaming channels and digital platforms) are involved? How can duplication be avoided in reporting efforts and production?

Marc Lefebvre, Senior Director of Operations, CBC News

Ray Thompson, Senior Director Partners and Alliances, Avid

Ross Dagan, EVP and Head of News Operations and Transformation, CBS News and Stations

Gideon Gilboa, Chief Product Officer and GM for the Americas, LiveU

Marcy Lefkovitz, SVP of Product Innovation, Dalet

Glen Dickson, Contributing Editor, TVNewsCheck (moderator)

Operating in 121 markets, Gray Media ranks as the second-largest owner of TV stations in the U.S. During the last five years, the company has installed as many as 50 Calrec Type R IP consoles across a number of regional stations, adopting a cookie cutter approach to standardizing configurations, automating workflows and reducing its reliance on physical control surfaces. What has been the result so far in terms of streamlining 2110-30 workflows, reducing costs and maintaining or improving quality output?

Peter Gogas, Director of Engineering, Gray Media

Peter Walker, Senior Product Manager, Calrec

As part of the BBC’s strategy to expand its reach and relevancy among digital audiences outside the UK, BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the UK’s venerable public service broadcaster, recently re-launched its international news website and app. Jennie Baird, chief product officer of BBC Studios and board chair of the nonprofit Ethical Tech Project, was one of the key architects behind these new digital services. In this NewsTECHForum keynote interview, Baird will discuss the thinking that helped unlock the brand’s multiplatform potential, as well as broader industry challenges facing publishers and broadcasters in an increasingly digital age.

Jennie Baird, Chief Product Officer, BBC Studios

Michael Depp, Chief Content Officer, NewsCheckMedia and Editor, TVNewsCheck (interviewer)

Organizations are taking a top-to-bottom look and reassessment of their products across digital platforms from their homepages to news and weather apps and more. What are the major changes coming to UX and UI based on consumers’ changing habits? Who is working on the forefront of change there, and what does it look like? What technologies are involved?

Malik Abdullah, VP, Product, NPR

Lora Dennis, EVP, Multiplatform, NBCU Local

David Schmeltzle, Founder, Bizbudding

Sam Guzik, Senior Director of Product, New York Public Radio

Paul Wagner, Founder and CEO, Chord Communities

Rubina Madan Fillion, Associate Editorial Director of A.I. Initiatives, The New York Times (moderator)

Since 1946, RTDNA has set the gold standard in helping broadcast and, for the past several decades, digital news outlets serve their communities and the nation better. It recognizes outstanding responsible journalism through the Edward R. Murrow Awards and other honors; provides professional development to journalists at all levels of their careers; and advocates for press freedom in Washington, statehouses and at the local levels of government in all 50 states. Learn more from two of RTDNA’s top leaders.

Tara Puckey, Executive Director, RTDNA

Tim Scheld, Chair, RTDNA Foundation

How are cloud specialists progressing at moving all or part of news production into the cloud? What are the current challenges in terms of controlling cloud computing costs and latency? Are hybrid models emerging? What about redundancy?

Walid Hamri, AVP, Media Systems Engineering, Sinclair Broadcast Group

Stefan Hadl, SVP, Broadcast Engineering & Technology, Hearst Television

Michael Masek, Senior Director, Production Application Engineering, NBCUniversal Operations and Technical Services

Mark Gray, SVP of Network and Station Operations, The E.W. Scripps Company

Bob Valinski, Sales Manager, Vizrt Americas

Glen Dickson, Contributing Editor, TVNewsCheck (moderator)

Avid has acquired Wolftech, empowering news production teams to accelerate storytelling—from pitch to publish. This AI-powered, unified toolset will combine Avid’s digital-first, end-to-end media solution with Wolftech’s expertise in story-centric workflow management. News organizations will be able to eliminate the barriers between digital, broadcast and long-form teams enabling them to seamlessly plan, create, publish and amplify stories faster on any distribution platform, reaching audiences everywhere. Wellford Dillard, CEO of Avid, and Arne Berven, CEO of Wolftech, will discuss their commitment to helping to transform news, sports and live production workflows.

Arne Berven, CEO, Wolftech Broadcast Solutions AS

Ray Thompson, Senior Director Partners and Alliances, Avid

Wellford Dillard, CEO, Avid Technology

How are news organizations tackling challenges in content strategy, product development and news workflow on their AVOD and FAST channels? How are innovators expanding the content pipeline, fine-tuning the product and simplifying workflows?

Angie Grande, Senior Director of Streaming News Channels, NBCUniversal Local

Emily Stone, VP of Digital Content and LiveNOW, Fox Television Stations

Bobby Cassidy, Executive Director of Multimedia, Newsday

Socrates Lozano, VP, Solutions and Global Head of Partnerships, TVU Networks

Lisa Allen, VP and GM of Washington Operations, Gray Television

Justin Tuggle, Director of Sales, Strategic Solutions, The Weather Company

Rick Young, SVP, Head of Global Products, LTN

Adam Wiener, Founder, Continuous Media (moderator)

News AI pioneers work through scenarios of embracing the technology from pragmatic, ethical, journalistic, technological and cybersecurity lenses in a workshop context. A technologist, newsroom leader, AI ethicist and security leader will address real-world issues like disinformation/deepfakes, versioning and AI as part of the reporting/story building process.

Aimee Rhinehart, Senior Product Manager AI Strategy, AP

Kyle Plantz, Senior Program Manager, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Gina Chua, Executive Editor, Semafor

Michael Depp, Chief Content Officer, NewsCheckMedia and Editor, TVNewsCheck (moderator)

Mike Kralec, CTO at Sinclair Broadcast Group, talks with Amagi’s Stephen Bach about the journey to migrate Sinclair’s stations to the cloud and the key considerations for others exploring a similar move.

Stephen Bach, North America Sales, News & Strategic Accounts, Amagi

Mike Kralec, SVP and CTO, Sinclair

A fast-paced look at technologies influencing news workflows – from AI to AR/VR – in 2025.

Josh Brandau, Founder and CEO, Nota

News media technologists unpack advancements, including generative AI, that will fundamentally change the newsgathering, storytelling, production and multiplatform distribution. How will “zombie processes” be eliminated and journalists, editors and producers work more efficiently and productively under growing economic pressure using new tools that will revolutionize their work?

Mike Kralec, SVP and CTO, Sinclair

Erik Smith, VP of News Operations and Technology, Fox Television Stations

Anthony Plosz, VP and CTO, Graham Media Group

Paul Cramer, Managing Director, Media and Broadcast, Veritone

Jon Accarrino, Founder, Ordo Digital (moderator)