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Welcome to The Niche Fix. Each week, we will share insights from experts and professionals in the niche publishing industry. Have questions or thoughts about the industry? Reply to this email, and let’s chat!

But first…

The Niche Media Conference is heading to Atlanta Buckhead!

Did you hear the news?! The Niche Media Conference is heading to Atlanta Buckhead in 2027!

Join us and hundreds of publishers and media professional from April 14-16 for a week of learning, networking, and just good ol’ fashioned fun. The conference will take place at the world-class Wyndham Atlanta Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, just minutes north of downtown ATL in the luxury hotspot of Buckhead.

Now, let’s talk about last week…

5 Takeaways from the Niche Media Conference

By Zach O’Brien

Well, we're back from Orlando, slightly sunburned, fully caffeinated, and armed with enough business cards to build a small fort. The 2026 Niche Media Conference at the Rosen Centre is in the books, and once again, it delivered. Whether you were there soaking it all in or following along from afar, here's what stood out.

But first, can we talk about Ryan Dohrn? What an incredible show he puts on (and no, I’m not trying to suck up). On top of putting on a great conference, he brings the energy every single time. The man showed up Friday in a blazer covered in hundred dollar bills, for goodness sake. Someone get this man a runway.

OK, on to the actual takeaways.

1. Niche and Local Media Is Thriving

If you came to this conference looking for doom and gloom, you came to the wrong place.

The energy in the room was unmistakable. Publishers are growing, launching new products, expanding into new verticals, and finding creative ways to build revenue. The narrative that media is dying has never really applied to niche, and this year's conference made that clearer than ever.

There's real enthusiasm in this market right now, and it's not performative. People are making money, solving problems, and building businesses that matter to their communities and industries.

2. Audiences Are Fragmented Like Never Before

This one came up in just about every discussion I had. Your readers are on email, social, podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, search, and probably three platforms that didn't exist last year.

The challenge isn't just creating content anymore. It's figuring out where your people actually are and meeting them there without spreading yourself so thin you lose what makes you valuable in the first place.

The publishers who are winning right now aren't trying to be everywhere. They're being strategic about where they show up and doubling down on the channels that actually move the needle.

3. AI Is All the Talk, But Niche Media Might Be Falling Behind

AI was the buzzword of the conference. No surprise there. But here's the thing that stuck with me: while some publishers are fully embracing AI tools and finding real efficiency gains in their workflows, others still won't even have the conversation.

There's a real divide forming. Some companies are using AI to speed up production, improve personalization, and unlock revenue opportunities they didn't have before. Others are treating it like a phase that'll pass. It won't. And the gap between the adopters and the holdouts is only going to widen.

You don't have to go all in overnight, but refusing to engage with it at all is a risk niche publishers can't afford to take.

4. Print Still Isn't Dead

I know, I know. We say this every year. But it keeps being true. Multiple publishers shared stories about print products driving serious revenue and reader loyalty.

In a world where digital content is infinite and attention spans are shrinking, there's something about a physical product that still resonates. Print isn't what it was in 2010, and it shouldn't be. But as a complement to a strong digital strategy, it's alive and well. Stop writing the obituary.

5. Our Community Is Closer and Stronger Than Ever

This is the one that matters most to me. Every year I walk into this conference and I'm reminded that the niche media world is small in the best possible way. People genuinely care about each other's success. The hallway conversations are just as valuable as the sessions. The vendors (and I mean this sincerely) are making publishers' lives better. They're building tools and partnerships that help small and mid-size media companies compete at a higher level. That matters.

It's always great seeing this community come together. There's a warmth and a realness to it that you just don't get at the big industry conferences. We're not here to posture. We're here to get better, share what's working, and help each other figure out what's next.

So to everyone I saw in Orlando, thanks for the conversations, the laughs, and the inspiration. And to Ryan, seriously, what's the outfit plan for next year? A cape?

See you all next time.

This issue of the Niche Fix is brought to you by The Publishers’ Circle

In strategic partnership with the Niche Media Conference, The Publishers’ Circle is a paid, invitation-only community designed for magazine publishers who want to grow faster, share smarter ideas, and solve real business challenges together. 

Built by Publishers for Publishers. This mastermind-style group brings together like-minded publishing leaders who believe collaboration is one of the most powerful tools for innovation and revenue growth.

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