If connecting our group of 40+ CEOs is one of the goals of the Napa Roundtable, introductions are in order. In this opening session over coffee and breakfast snacks, learn who is in the room, why they’re in the room, and what unique insights they bring and want to hear. Also pick up your registration credentials.
Session leader:
Gert Ysebaert, President, INMA (President and CEO, Mediahuis)
Be introduced to fellow Roundtable participants over a “welcome” of two exclusive wine tastings and pairings at elite Napa Valley vineyards: Odette and Pahlmeyer. The tour will depart the Harvest Inn at 9:30 a.m. and return to the Harvest Inn no later than 3:00 p.m. Spend the balance of the afternoon exploring Napa Valley and St. Helena.
Make your St. Helena dinner reservations in advance. Note that some of our recommended restaurants close early: The Charter Oak (family style), Press Restaurant (American), Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch (comfort food), Gott's Roadside (gourmet burgers), Cook St. Helena (Italian), Forum at Meadowood (elegant), Gatehouse Restaurant (Culinary Institute).
Join fellow Roundtable participants for an INMA-hosted continental breakfast before we kickstart programming.
This presentation explores the publisher’s path beyond Big Tech. It traces three decades of digital transformation, the collapse of legacy revenue models, and the deep entanglement with platforms that now deem news “not worth the trouble.” It highlights risks from AI disruption, declining referrals, and platform abandonment while presenting scenarios for the next three years. Finally, it outlines counter-moves for publishers — primarily, reclaiming direct audience relationships. The opening session will set the stage for two days of Roundtable programming.
Session leader:
Earl J. Wilkinson, Executive Director and CEO, INMA
Take a break, meet someone new, ask questions of speakers. Text or telephone if you must.
We are entering the era of AI agents — persistent, proactive tools that reshape how people search, discover, and interact with content. As consumer habits shift from browsing to instructing, how do news publishers remain relevant, accessible, and valuable? This session explores how agents are changing the distribution landscape, the impact on discovery and direct relationships, and how media companies can begin adapting their product and organisational strategies accordingly. We’ll look at emerging user behaviours, examples of agent-driven experiences, and how to prepare for a future where agents mediate more of the user journey.
Session leader:Jodie Hopperton, Product & Tech Initiative Lead, INMA
From AI agents to algorithmic gatekeepers, Big Tech is reshaping the architecture of the Internet — and the distribution of news along with it. This executive-level briefing explores the shifting power dynamics media leaders must understand now. We’ll look at where regulation may (or may not) go next, how formats like Google’s AI Overviews are redefining discovery, and what the move toward walled gardens means for reach and revenue. You’ll also get a first-hand look at emerging tech products like Huxe, the rise of agentic AI, and how atomisation is fracturing content pathways and eroding direct traffic. This session is your essential map to the rapidly evolving tech terrain.
Session leader:
Robert Whitehead, Digital Platform Initiative Lead, INMA
Take a break, meet someone new, ask questions of speakers. Text or telephone if you must.
OpenAI, one of the fastest-growing, boundary-shaping AI companies, is leading the charge in bringing AI answer engines into the heart of democratic discourse. By empowering citizens with transparent, accountable, and unbiased information, OpenAI bridges technology and trust. In this interactive session, hear insights into ethical model design, guardrails against misinformation, and how AI can bolster civic engagement. Together, they demonstrate that intelligent systems and democracy can thrive in harmony — fueling informed public debate, policy understanding, and responsible innovation.
Our guest:
Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer, OpenAI
We will conclude today's programme with a smart distillation and key takeaways.
Deepen connections with Roundtable peers over a “bon vivant” family reception and dinner in the shadow of the Whitehall vineyard in the backyard of the Harvest Inn. Watch the sunset over great wine and a sumptuous meal. This promises to be the highlight of the week (and the most picturesque).
Join Roundtable participants for continental breakfast before diving into today's agenda.
Subscriptions will get many publishers to the business model finish line. Yet for others, notably regional publishers, subscriptions are only the beginning. In this session, INMA will fuse together internal data showing a potential for sparking network effects among those who crack content discovery within a subscription bundle – one of today’s hottest subject. Many publishers see an opportunity to link product discovery and commerce with unbiased, relevant and easily digestible content, and reach some of the growing budgets. AI emerges as a game-changer, powering new contextual targeting, enhancing behavioural targeting based on the first-party data, and transforming creativity in content advertising.
Session leader:
Greg Piechota, Researcher-in-Residence, INMA
Take a break, meet someone new, ask questions of speakers. Text or telephone if you must.
News media advertising faces unprecedented disruption as AI reshapes everything from data to creative to operations, evolving traffic patterns make traditional scale models obsolete, and advertising spend continues to transition away from print and display toward walled gardens, retail media, creator platforms, and multiple forms of digital video. This session explores where the news industry is headed and how news publishers can strategically respond to set their companies on the path to successful evolution. Roundtable participants will examine practical approaches to AI implementation, revenue diversification strategies, activating owned data, and opportunities for industry-wide collaboration that can address shared challenges around measurement, brand safety, and platform dependency.
Session leader:
Gabriel Dorosz, Advertising Initiative Lead, INMA
As podcasters, YouTubers, TikTokers, and other creators capture massive audiences and shape public conversation — especially among younger demographics — news organisations must rethink their role in a fragmented, creator-driven media landscape. This session explores how journalism can evolve in response, drawing lessons from the authenticity, speed, and audience intuition that define creator success. Through case studies and discussion, we’ll look at how newsrooms can adapt, collaborate, and compete in an era where influence is being redefined.
Session leader:
Amalie Nash, Newsroom Transformation Initiative Lead, INMA
Take a break, meet someone new, ask questions of speakers. Text or telephone if you must.
AI is no longer optional—it’s table stakes. This session will break down the must-know tools and tactics every media CEO should understand, from core use cases to the pitfalls and trade-offs behind today’s most hyped capabilities. We’ll cover what’s working, what’s not, and what younger audiences expect from AI-powered experiences. The session wraps with an interactive segment where you’ll swap strategies with other leaders in the media industry.
Session leader:
Sonali Verma, Generative AI Initiative Lead, INMA
We will conclude today's programme with a smart distillation and key takeaways of the day and a wrap-up of The Roundtable.
INMA will make reservations at six St. Helena restaurants, and guests who opt in will enjoy a final evening with peers and subject-matter experts. INMA will provide dinner options closer to the Napa Valley Roundtable dates. Dinner start times will range from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“Closing drinks on INMA” will be at the Harvest Inn bar. Please wear your INMA pin for bar service.
Location: 1 Main Street, St. Helena