By Susan Kantor, SVP, Marketing and Strategy
The conversations across stages and networking breaks at six media and advertising events this fall (highly recommend checking out Ad Age Business of Brands, Advertising Week, MACMA Chicago, A Media Operator Summit, ANA Procurement Day, ANA B2B NY Annual Conference) show that publishers, creators, brands, agencies and tech platforms each face unique challenges. But their opportunities are increasingly intertwined and depend on stronger audience relationships, clearer measurement and independent assurance.
One of the most consistent messages was that pageviews and impressions alone no longer reflect success. Publishers and brands both emphasized a shift toward cultivating audiences over driving traffic. AI is accelerating the decline of commodity content and the growth of niche content and first-party data.
Many publishers have diverse revenue models based on subscriptions, events and advertising. Events are growing because they provide in-person connections that can’t be replicated with AI. And print is being positioned as a premium membership benefit that offers readers quality, screen-free experiences. All these strategies depend on credible audience insights backed by transparent, independently validated data.
Creators and influencers are increasingly important to media and brands. Journalists and experts are increasingly building their own independent brands on platforms like Substack and Beehiiv. Rather than compete with this shift, publishers are partnering with creators to offer marketing and distribution support.
Advertisers are also leaning into creators to reach trusted, niche communities. But there are growing concerns around opaque fees, inconsistent performance data and unclear value in creator partnerships. As the creator economy matures, standardized, verifiable measurement will be essential to establish confidence across partnerships.
AI was engrained in conversations across every event. Companies are using AI for audience insights, creative development, analytics and process optimization. Many organizations now have internal AI councils to shape responsible-use guidelines.
AI accelerates innovation and risk. Errors are amplified if guardrails aren’t in place. As more content and data are created or influenced by AI systems, the need for industry standards, auditability and independent verification grows stronger.
Whether in audience strategy, creator partnerships and AI growth, trust is becoming the industry’s most valuable asset.
Independent assurance strengthens every part of the ecosystem. It helps publishers demonstrate audience integrity and gives advertisers confidence to make informed decisions. By having an objective third party validate data and business practices, the industry gains a common foundation of trust. The companies that can prove their performance with transparency and verification will be best positioned to lead media’s next chapter.