The 2026 NAB Show (April 18-22, 2026) in Las Vegas, reveals their speakers and sessions encompassing the creator economy, filmmaking, streaming platforms, artificial intelligence, broadcast technology and journalism.

Bringing together new voices and master storytellers, the show spans digital-native creators like Markiplier, who has expanded into long-form filmmaking with projects like “Iron Lung,” to cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins.

The newly announced sessions reflect the transformation of how content is produced, distributed and monetized across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms.

“We’re seeing a moment where technology, creativity and business are all evolving at the same time,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, Global Connections and Events at NAB. “The 2026 NAB Show brings that entire ecosystem together to explore how those changes are shaping the future of storytelling.”

The expanded Creator Lab, presented in partnership with Adobe and Blackmagic Design, returns with a larger footprint and sharper focus on the business and impact of the creator economy, bringing together creators, brands and platforms for hands-on learning and candid conversations.

Creator Lab sessions such as “Beyond Views: Measuring Creator Impact” examine how success is defined beyond simple metrics, while “Creator Survival Guide: Contracts, Burnout & the Business of Building Content” tackles the realities of sustaining a creative career. “Are We Nervous Yet: A Creator’s Guide to AI” explores how emerging technologies reshape content creation, audience relationships and long-term viability for creators.

The Media and Entertainment Theater, in partnership with The Ankler, will host insider conversations on the evolving power dynamics transforming the industry.

Other featured sessions include:

“The Evolving Paradigm of Broadcast News” with broadcast journalist Deborah Norville and Perry Sook, Chairman and CEO, Nexstar Media Group Inc., on how news organizations are adapting to new technologies and business models.

“Who Controls the Pipe? Platform Distribution, Power and the New Deal Economics,” featuring Matt Schnaars of NBCUniversal and Tedd Cittadine of Roku, on the shifting balance of power between platforms and content companies.

“Putting the New Back in News,” a session from Programming Everywhere on how TV news organizations can reframe their output across platforms to be more relevant and resonant with viewers, featuring executives with CBS LA, CBC News, Hearst Television and Gray News.

The 2026 NAB Show will spotlight the art and craft of filmmaking through sessions and workshops in CineCentral, including a special appearance by cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins (April 20 at 1:30 p.m.), dubbed by The Guardian as “the greatest practitioner of his craft alive.” In a live discussion with his wife and collaborator, James Deakins, the pair will share insights from their careers and their book “Reflections: On Cinematography.”

CineCentral programming focuses on the practical skills in cinematic storytelling techniques. This interactive space features live demonstrations, expert-led training and immersive, hands-on learning experiences for cinematographers, directors, camera operators and content creators. Workshops such as “The Storyteller’s Guide to Production on a Tight Budget” focus on practical execution, including planning, resource management and maintaining creative intent within limitations.

Across the Show, programming will highlight how AI, cloud workflows and new production technologies are reshaping media creation and distribution. New for 2026, NAB Show has added a second AI Pavilion to the show floor, reflecting how quickly AI has moved from experimentation into widespread, practical use across the entire media workflow.

Also new this year, the Enterprise Video Strategies track focuses on how organizations are scaling video across communications, marketing and operations. Sessions such as “Architecting ROI: Scalable Virtual Production for Enterprise Teams” highlight how enterprises are building efficient, repeatable production models that deliver measurable business impact.

The four-day Sports Summit, Powered by Lumen Technologies Inc., will bring together executives from leagues, media companies and technology platforms to examine the rapidly evolving sports media landscape.

“The 2026 NAB Show lineup is one that truly reflects where the industry is right now: a powerful mix of emerging creators and world-class storytellers alongside the technologies shaping how content is made and delivered,” Chupka said. “We’re seeing that same momentum in our registration, with a significant influx of new voices joining established leaders from across the global media ecosystem.”

Notable Speakers at the 2026 NAB Show:

Film, TV and Content Creators

• Stephen Brown — EVP, Programming and Development, Fox First Run and Fox TV Stations
• “Team Deakins” — Cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins and James Deakins
• Carolyn Giardina — Crafts and Entertainment Technology Journalist, Cinema Editor
• Jeff Hasler — President of Original Productions at Fremantle
• Dylan Huey — CEO, REACH
• Travis Keyes — Photographer, Filmmaker and Content Creator
• Shira Lazar — CEO, What’s Trending
• Ashlee McCullock — VP, Social Research and Insights, Paramount
• Pojo Riegert — Head of Mark Rober’s Creative Team at CrunchLabs
• René Ritchie — Head of Editorial and Creator Liaison, YouTube
• Rick Siegel — multiple Emmy Award-winning Director of Photography
• Nicki Sun — Host and Executive Producer, The Nicki Sun Show
• Mari Takahashi — Content Creator, AtomicMari

Sports and Entertainment Leaders

• Tom Ara — Partner, Weil Private Equity (leads Weil’s entertainment, sports and media practice)
• Assia Grazioli-Venier — Co-Founder, Muse Capital
• Laura “LJ” Johnson — Executive Producer and Senior Director of Game Presentation and Live Events, San Francisco 49ers
• Rebecca Kacaba — Co-founder and CEO of DealMaker
• Allen T. Lamb — Co-founder and CEO of EuroStep Ventures, Controlling Owner of Levallois Metropolitans Basketball Club
• Jon Miller — President, Acquisitions and Partnerships, NBC Sports
• Michelle Munson — CEO and Co-founder, Eluvio
• John Ourand — Sports Correspondent, Puck Media
• Blake Paris — SVP Safety and Experience, Smith Entertainment Group
• Jeff Roth — Partner, Bruin Capital
• Ameeth Sankaran — CEO of Religion of Sports
• Shelby Williams — Head of Integrated Sports Marketing at AWS

News and Media Leaders

• John Berman — Anchor/Correspondent, CNN
• Mike Dello Stritto — VP and News Director, CBS LA
• Mara Gassmann — Senior Staff Attorney, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
• Marc Lefebvre — Senior Director of Operations, CBC News
• Barbara Maushard — SVP and Chief Content Officer, News, at Hearst Television
• Mohamed Moawad — Managing Editor, Al Jazeera
• Deborah Norville — Journalist and television host
• Eric Rasmussen — Investigative Reporter, KSTP
• Perry Sook — Chairman and CEO, Nexstar Media Group
• A.C. Thompson — Correspondent, Producer/Staff Reporter, PBS FRONTLINE/ProPublica
• Lee Zurik — SVP Strategy and Innovation, Gray Media

Technology and Innovation Leaders

• Ernest Appiah — Senior Solutions Engineering Leader, Cisco
• Aaron Behman — Market Development Leader, AMD
• Silvia Candiani — VP, Telecommunications, Media and Gaming, Microsoft
• Caroline Coleman — Senior Manager, Product Marketing, Verkada
• Anil Jain — Managing Director, Global Strategic Industries, Google Cloud
• Justin Lee — Associate Director of Production, The Clorox Company
• James Leach — Director of Product Management, Modular Compute, Cisco
• Tony Masiello — Chief Network Officer, Castanet 5G
• Márcia Mayer — Head of Production, Google DeepMind
• Rajesh Ramachandran — President and CTO, Qube Cinema
• Andrew Shulkind — SVP of Capture and Innovation at Sphere Entertainment
• Steve Shultis — CTO, New York Public Radio
• Katie Stout — Director of Transformation, The Clorox Company
• Rich Welsh — President, SMPTE

Platform and Distribution Leaders

• Tedd Cittadine — SVP, Streaming Services Partnerships, Roku
• Ryan Pirozzi — Head of Prime Video Channels, Amazon
• Akash Saxena — Chief Technology Officer, JioStar
• Robert Schildhouse — CEO, Direct-to-Consumer, BritBox
• Matt Schnaars — President, Platform Distribution & Partnerships, NBCUniversal

Image courtesy of NAB Show.