DENVER, May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As streaming platforms race to capture younger audiences and live sports viewers, Questex’s StreamTV Show 2026, the streaming industry’s fastest-growing event, will bring together the executives reshaping how kids & family entertainment and sports content are distributed, monetized, discovered, and experienced in the streaming era.
From YouTube-native viewing habits and creator-led fandoms to the escalating battle for live sports rights and ad-supported streaming growth, StreamTV Show will spotlight the business models, platform strategies, technologies, and partnerships driving the next phase of the streaming economy.
Taking place June 16–19, 2026 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver, the event will convene leaders across streaming platforms, sports leagues, media companies, advertisers, FAST operators, technology providers, creators, and content studios navigating one of the most significant shifts in audience behavior the media industry has ever seen.
As younger audiences continue migrating away from traditional television toward YouTube, creator-led platforms, streaming apps, FAST channels, gaming ecosystems, and social video, media companies are rapidly rethinking how content is programmed, monetized, and discovered. At the same time, live sports has emerged as one of the most competitive and valuable battlegrounds in streaming, with leagues, platforms, advertisers, and distributors aggressively investing in rights, fan engagement, and direct-to-consumer strategies.
Key conversations at StreamTV Show will explore:
- The growing influence of YouTube and creator ecosystems on kids viewing and sports fandom
- How FAST and AVOD are reshaping children’s programming and live sports distribution
- Audience retention, monetization, trust & safety, and fan engagement strategies
- The future of content discovery in an algorithm-driven environment
- Franchise, programming, and platform strategies driving long-term audience growth
- How leagues, teams, and streaming platforms are redefining sports rights and direct-to-consumer distribution
“Kids and family media and live sports are two of the fastest-evolving and most competitive areas of the streaming business today,” said Kevin Gray, Founder of StreamTV Show and VP, Questex. “Audience behavior is changing rapidly, platforms are aggressively competing for engagement and rights, and entirely new monetization and distribution models are emerging. StreamTV Show is bringing together the executives, platforms, leagues, creators, advertisers, and technology companies driving that transformation.”
Featured Kids & Family Streaming Sessions
Among the featured sessions is Live The Media Odyssey Podcast: The Kids Media Landscape, a live conversation examining the forces reshaping children’s entertainment — including shifting platform strategies, tightening advertising regulations, algorithm-driven discovery, and the migration of younger audiences toward YouTube and social video.
Moderated by Evan Shapiro, Media Universe Cartographer, ESHAP, and Jamie Shapiro, ESHAP, the session features:
- Sara DeWitt, SVP & General Manager, PBS Kids and Education, PBS Kids
- Jill Murphy, Chief Content Officer, Common Sense Media
Additionally, featured discussion, Kids & Family Content in the Digital Era, will explore how streaming providers, FAST operators, and content companies are adapting to changing viewing habits and evolving parental expectations.
Featured speakers include:
- David Di Lorenzo, Senior Vice President, Content Acquisition and Partnerships, Future Today
- Dean Koocher, Head of Content and Co-Founder, Kidstream
- Emma Witkowski, Vice President, WildBrain Media Solutions
- Cara Fano, VP of Strategy & Operations, HappyNest Entertainment
The session will examine how companies are leveraging FAST channels, niche SVOD offerings, franchise IP, and audience engagement strategies to drive growth while balancing monetization, discoverability, and platform safety.
The conference will also feature Case Study: The Public Media Powerhouse, How PBS Dominates the YouTube Ecosystem, offering an inside look at how PBS has emerged as a leader on YouTube through a sophisticated multi-channel strategy spanning PBS Digital Studios, PBS KIDS, PBS Distribution, and PBS NewsHour.
Moderated by Ira Rubenstein, Chief Digital Marketing Officer, PBS, the session features:
- Maribel Lopez, Senior Director, Head of PBS Digital Studios, PBS
- Andrea Downing, President, PBS Distribution
- Travis Daub, Director of Digital, PBS NewsHour
The discussion will explore how PBS has cultivated massive subscriber audiences, expanded engagement across digital platforms, and redefined the role of public media in the creator economy.
Featured Sports Streaming Sessions
As live sports increasingly become the centerpiece of streaming strategy, StreamTV Show 2026 will also feature extensive programming focused on sports rights, sports FAST channels, fan-first viewing experiences, sports advertising, audience engagement, and direct-to-consumer monetization.
Featured sessions include:
- Leaders’ Roundtable: Streaming Sports Monetization and Discovery featuring Kerry Flynn, Media Reporter, Axios; Joe Franzetta, Head of Sports, Roku; Dave Bernarth, CEO, Wurl; David Proper, Senior Executive Vice President, Media, NHL; and John Morash, Global Sports Lead, Gracenote.
- Live Sports Advertising on CTV: What the Data Shows featuring Brian Mahony, President, OTT Executive Community; Joe Nilsson, CEO and Co-founder, C15 Studio; Dave Stelnik, VP Business Development, FloSports; Bo Han, Chief Commercial Officer, Transmit; and Lily Morrison, Director, Media Business Development, PGA TOUR.
- DTC and How Sports Leagues and Teams Win in the New Audience Economy featuring David Dembowski, Chief Revenue Officer, Operative, examining how leagues and teams are building direct-to-consumer strategies centered around audience ownership and fan monetization.
- Winning the Audience — The Future of Fan-First Sports Streaming featuring Brian Ring, Principal Analyst, Ring Digital LLC; Bill Yucatonis, Co-Founder, Pro League Network; Adriana Waterston, EVP, Horowitz Research; and Jared Widman, President, Indoor Football League – Business Division.
- The New Playbook for Live Sports Rights: Bidding, Bundling, and Beyond featuring Zoe Hilden, Founding Partner, Hilden & Scarton; Felipe Saltz, AVP Media Distribution, NBA; Ryan Blood, Chief Content Officer, EverPass Media; and Doug Eichler, SVP, DirecTV for Business.
- The State of Streaming Sports: Consumer Habits, Rights Deals, and Investment Trends featuring Seth Shafer, Principal Analyst, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan.
For companies operating across streaming, sports media, kids entertainment, advertising, licensing, FAST, distribution, creator media, and digital platforms, StreamTV Show offers a critical opportunity to connect with the executives shaping the future of audience engagement and the next generation of streaming business models.
Where the Streaming Industry Comes Together
StreamTV Show 2026 will bring together thousands of executives across streaming, advertising, sports, content, platforms, and technology for four days of strategy, networking, and business-driving conversations shaping the future of media.
Attendee Registration: Register here.
Press registration: Available here.
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About The StreamTV Show
StreamTV Show isn’t just a market and expo – it’s a community! From insightful sessions to lively networking events, this is where deals get made, partnerships are forged, and the future of streaming is shaped.
Produced and managed by Questex, StreamTV is widely known as the streaming industry’s largest annual event. For more information, visit http://www.streamtvshow.com. The StreamTV Show is supported by the event’s official publication, StreamTV Insider, the streaming TV industry’s daily monitor. For more information, visit https://www.streamtvinsider.com.
About Questex
Questex fuels exceptional business connections—where every buyer and seller interaction matters. Through live events enriched with data insights and active year-round digital communities, we deliver measurable results. It happens here.
Media Contact
Charlene Soucy
StreamTV Show
csoucy@questex.com
