Unveil the modern news subscription acquisition funnel transformed by AI and algorithms
Rebuild the subscription funnel for an algorithmic world
Rethink brand marketing, discovery, and direct audience growth
Convert motivated readers through smarter offers and data
Expand monetisation with new partnerships
How to grow subscriptions when AI redefines discovery?
AI, creators, and algorithmic platforms are transforming how readers find, value, and pay for journalism. After four years of steady growth, publishers now face a m ore complex environment: declining social referrals, shifting search dynamics, and changing consumer habits. Yet some news publishers show strong demand, experimentation, and resilience.
This just-in-time INMA Master Class will help you understand what’s changing, and what still works. Across three modules, you’ll learn how to market journalism in the age of AI, convert readers through evidence-based funnel design, and monetise smarter through dynamic paywalls, new incentives, and emerging payment models.
Curated and moderated by INMA Researcher-in-Residence Greg Piechota, this class features robust evidence from leading academics and in-depth case studies from news brands worldwide, equipping you with practical insights and frameworks to strengthen your 2026 growth strategy.
We have extended the Q&A sessions and will incorporate surveys, playbooks and refreshment breaks. This will allow us to gather insights into attendee practices and benchmarks, but also get a new cup of tea, a change implemented due to popular requests from previous classes.
Speakers
Mark Campbell
Chief Marketing Officer
Hearst Newspapers
United States
Weiyue (Cynthia) Chen
Assistant Professor of Journalism and Sports Media
Butler University
United States
Paul Dunny
Head of Customer Value
Mediahuis
Ireland
Ole Fehling
Senior Manager Data Science
DRIVE/Highberg
Germany
Carsten Groß
Chief Executive Officer
Medienholding Süd
Germany
Vamsi Kanuri
Viola D. Hank Associate Professor of Marketing, Mendoza College of Business
University of Notre Dame
United States
Eric Overby
Steven A. Denning Professor of Technology and Management, Scheller College of Business
Georgia Institute of Technology
United States
Adithya Pattabhiramaiah
Sharon A. and David B. Pearce Associate Professor of Marketing, Scheller College of Business
Georgia Institute of Technology
United States
Clara Soteras Acosta
SEO, News Publishers Consultant and Author, SEO Playbook for News Publishers
Spain
Johanna Strandholm
Vice-President, Content Business
Alma Media
Finland
Esther Thorson
Professor of Journalism
Michigan State University
United States
Neil Thurman
Professor of Journalism
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Germany
Zhengyi Xu
Research and Teaching Assistant
University of Zurich
Switzerland
Curated by
Greg Piechota
Readers First Initiative LeadInternational News Media Association (INMA)
10 questions this master class will explore
- How has the subscription funnel evolved in the AI and post-social era?
- What impact do AI search and discovery engines have on news distribution?
- Which channels most effectively drive reader registration and conversion?
- How can publishers balance free sampling, registration walls, and paywalls?
- Which offers or incentives deliver lasting subscriber value?
- What motivates people to subscribe, and how can messaging tap into it?
- How can data and experimentation improve funnel performance?
- What can we learn from brands that rebuilt direct traffic and loyalty?
- How do new payment models like Offerwall or micropayments complement subscriptions?
- How should publishers reimagine their funnels as AI assistants begin to transact?