Highlights from the INMA Media Subscriptions Summit 2026: Trust, Loyalty, and the Long View
The INMA Media Subscriptions Summit, held in Toronto this year, is one of those rare industry events that consistently delivers on both depth and breadth. There were enough fascinating insights, case studies, and general market information for an entire book! From the venue and pacing to the quality of speakers and conversations, the summit felt designed not just to inform, but to challenge how we think about subscriptions and the future of journalism.
A great deal of credit goes to the overall production and flow of the event. The MCs, Moritz Klein and Idalmy Carrera-Colucci, struck the perfect balance between structure and momentum, keeping the agenda tight without feeling rushed. And Greg Piechota, as always, brought clarity and synthesis to the complex subscription landscape. His insights helped connect dots across decades of trends and contemporary sessions, reminding everyone in the room that subscription success is never about a single tactic, but an ever-shifting challenge to stay just ahead of what's next without forgetting what has always worked.
What stood out most, though, was the sheer quality and range of speakers. Across markets, business models, and stages of maturity, there was an impressive diversity of experience in the room. This helped paint a broad picture of perspectives (which did not always align!) that reflected the real challenges publishers are facing today in different markets and geographical areas.
Trust as the Defining Theme
If I had to choose my favorite presentation, it would be the one from Jakub Górnicki, whose session explored how journalism organizations market themselves—and, more importantly, what they promise audiences in an era shaped by AI, misinformation, and eroding institutional trust.
Jakub framed trust as something that must now be demonstrated, not merely asserted, connecting many of the themes of the conference from an artistic point of view. He argued that journalism is moving into an era where the process must be visible — an interesting insight as the scale of AI accelerates. The idea that verification, human judgment, and editorial intent are now part of the value proposition was left for the audience to ponder.
These were recurring themes in multiple sessions: protecting real journalism, being transparent about how work is done, and giving audiences a reason to believe. It really does feel like the new frontier of journalism.
Rethinking the Funnel
Another theme I kept hearing, sometimes explicitly and sometimes between the lines, was the growing recognition that while the top of the funnel matters, the real leverage often sits at the bottom. Audience reach will always be important, but mobilizing the bottom seems more important than ever.
Many speakers emphasized that the most loyal subscribers should not be treated as just a retention metric. They are a growth channel. These customers drive word of mouth, influence others, and provide stability in an otherwise volatile acquisition environment. For example: enabling these loyal subscribers to send gift articles drives impressive lift. In some ways, a new conversation around “How do we get more people in?” is developing in parallel with “How do we better serve the people who already chose us?”
That reframing feels important. It’s less transactional and more relational.
A Candid Moment on Technology Choices
As a software vendor, one standout moment of the summit came during a candid exchange between Angus Frame, CEO of Torstar Corporation, and Pete Doucette, Senior Managing Director at Mather (an AdvantageCS partner). When asked about regrets, Angus spoke openly about technology decisions—over-investing based on promised functionality, then overcorrecting, and ultimately feeling constrained by expensive, rigid platforms with high switching costs.
His comments about vendors shaped by private equity where the focus is on revenue optimization and scale rather than steady product investment struck a chord with me. It was an honest reflection of a reality many publishers face: technology decisions that pause progress rather than accelerate it.
For me, that exchange underscored something I have come to deeply appreciate about the approach we take at AdvantageCS. Operating without investors chasing rapid scale allows us to focus on long-term growth, product integrity, and serving existing clients with care. The goal isn’t to lock customers into three-year decisions that feel risky and irreversible, but to build partnerships that evolve over time.
Parting Thoughts
I left the INMA Media Subscriptions Summit feeling encouraged. Yes, AI is real. Yes, reaching people is harder and more fractured. But there are real conversations being had by the important institutions we need to keep great journalism alive. And those discussions focus on advancing their missions and sustaining progress.
Trust is no longer a slogan. Loyalty is no longer passive. And technology, when chosen thoughtfully, should enable progress rather than stall it.