Madrid welcomes the world’s media as FIPP Congress 2026 gets underway
More than 400 media leaders from 40+ countries are gathered in Madrid to explore the forces shaping publishing, and the fundamentals that matter most.
The FIPP World Media Congress 2026 is now underway in Madrid, bringing together more than 400 participants, over 50 speakers and delegates from over 40 countries for three days of discussion on the future of media.
Opening the first full day of Congress at Hotel RIU Plaza España, Andrés Rodríguez, President of ARI and Founder and President of SpainMedia, told delegates that a proliferation of information is making trusted publishing brands increasingly important.
“We are the gatekeepers of this tsunami of information,” he said. “We don’t need more information. We need the right information.”
He also pointed to the opportunity publishers have to build clearly defined communities for advertisers and audiences. “Being human is more important than ever in this business,” he said.
Alastair Lewis, FIPP Executive Director, said the programme reflected an industry approaching its challenges with greater confidence.
“When I look at the programme that we have for you over the course of the next two days, I see and feel an industry that is moving forward,” he told delegates. “I feel that we are reinventing ourselves and looking for growth at every opportunity.”
He highlighted five themes he expects to run through the Congress programme: trust, AI, monetisation, resilience and focus, with a particular emphasis on the value of depth and specialist audiences: “Focus on a topic, focus on an audience. Depth beats breadth, and we’re seeing that time and again.”
The Congress opened on Tuesday with two organised visits designed to introduce the international FIPP community to Madrid and the wider region. One group explored the historic centre on a guided walking tour, while another travelled to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Aranjuez for a guided visit to the Royal Palace and gardens, followed by a wine tasting at Casa del Valle Winery.
The full Congress community then came together for the official Welcome Evening at Casa de América, inside Madrid’s historic Linares Palace.
Over the next two days, speakers and delegates will explore the fundamentals shaping media’s future, from audience relationships, subscriptions and advertising to AI, editorial trust, print, creators, investment and new business models.
FIPP World Media Congress continues until Thursday 15th October.
