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Web Summit Rio ・ June 8-11, 2026

New Media Summit

Porta dos Fundos has redefined digital storytelling. In this session, Fabio Porchat, Co-founder of Porta dos Fundos, joined Patricia Muratori, Director, Latin America at YouTube, to take us behind the scenes of their journey.

Welcome to the future of cross-platform storytelling

The session examined how the film industry evolved beyond traditional studio models, radically transforming the roles that shape storytelling, from writing to cinematography.

Brian Newman, Founder, Sub-Genre; Tod Plotkin, Founder, CEO, Green Buzz Agency; Dana Harris-Bridson, Senior VP/Editor in Chief, IndieWire; and David Bloom, Senior Contributor, Forbes, on New Media Summit stage during Web Summit Vancouver

Beyond Hollywood: the film industry in 2030

This talk explored the hidden price we pay for living online, from the erosion of privacy and mental health to the spread of misinformation and digital manipulation.

The cost of social media

In this session, industry leaders discussed how their organizations navigate shifting consumption habits and digital disruption while upholding core editorial values

Christian Broughton, CEO, The Independent; Danielle Belton, Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post; and Thorsten Dörting, Deputy Editor-in-chief, Der Spiegel - Hamburg Office; on New Media Stage

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Don’t miss your chance to connect with leading journalists, content creators and publishers at Web Summit Rio 2027.

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Meet the new media leaders who've attended

From social platforms and gaming to podcasting, journalism, and the creator economy, digital media is evolving fast and reshaping how we connect. This track explores the new media platforms that power online communities.

Social and streaming platforms continue to redefine the rules of engagement, discovery, and monetization. But with algorithms shifting, audience attention fragmenting, and pay-to-play becoming the norm, creators and publishers are rethinking their dependence. And as streaming giants compete for control over content, data, and distribution, the balance of power between platforms and the people who rely on them is constantly being renegotiated. 
What happens when TikTok becomes a news source? Or YouTube outpaces Spotify as a podcast hub? 
Explore how the next era of platform dominance is changing how media is made, distributed, and monetized.

The platform power shift

Creators aren’t just personalities – they’re production houses, IP owners, and full-stack entrepreneurs. As the creator economy matures, new business models are emerging: memberships, licensing deals, AI-generated assets, and direct-to-audience platforms. But with opportunity comes tension: who owns the content, the data, the audience?
Learn how creators are building sustainable businesses – and what brands and media companies can learn from their playbooks.

Inside the creator economy

In an age of misinformation, platform dependency, and fractured attention, journalism faces an inflection point. From AI-assisted reporting and newsletter empires to video-first storytelling and paywall experimentation, the news media is rewriting its own future.
Explore how publishers are rebuilding trust, rethinking business models, and adapting to a world where journalists and creators increasingly occupy the same stage.

News, trust, and the reinvention of media

Gaming is no longer a silo. It’s a cultural superpower. From branded worlds in Roblox and Fortnite to esports and streamer fandoms, and even a blockbuster Minecraft film that was in the 5 highest grossing films in 2025, gaming is driving new forms of media, community, and creativity.
Discover how entertainment is becoming more interactive, how fan-driven storytelling is shaping IP, and what it means for marketers and media companies trying to tap into the most engaged audiences on the planet