Welcome from Justin Crosby, TellyCast Media & Events.

Moving from TV to digital requires more than new skills—it requires a beginner’s mindset. This session explores how to stay open and curious when your hard-won expertise feels challenged, and offers practical questions to carry with you throughout the day.

John Ireland – Executive Leadership Coach

15 mins

YouTube streams 1 billion hours of video every day and reaches 89% of high-income households monthly. For TV executives, it represents the single biggest untapped opportunity in digital and the most misunderstood.

In this session, Joe draws on his experience growing the Sidemen YouTube ecosystem to 155M+ subscribers and building Side+, one of YouTube’s largest membership programmes, to break down how YouTube works and how to make real money from it. The session covers the YouTube metrics that matter (and the TV habits that get in the way), the different revenue models available to creators and media companies, and practical principles for any TV professional stepping into the digital-first space for the first time.

Joe Tattersall – Founder, The Content Group

20 mins

In a world obsessed with short-term spikes and numbers, the real opportunity lies in building signals that the platforms actually reward: relevance, consistency, and genuine audience satisfaction. This session explores how to work with algorithms, creating content that travels further without resorting to empty clickbait. The result: sustainable growth, stronger brand equity, and audiences that stay.

Nikhil Acharya – Effectiveness Director, JustSo

20 mins

In this session, Middlechild’s Andrew Eastel explores the strategy behind the successful Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh YouTube channel, from identifying the opportunity and developing the content, to building an audience, and using trusted broadcast TV talent to create a thriving social video proposition. Expect practical insight into what makes established talent work on YouTube, and what TV producers can learn from it.

30 mins

Meet the movers and shakers of the digital-first video sector. Complementary tea, coffee and fresh fruit.

30 mins

There’s never been a better time to bring your video to Spotify. With over 675M+ listeners worldwide and more than 350M engaging with video podcasts, Spotify is the place where creators can grow their reach and unlock new revenue streams. Join Spotify for an in-depth session where you’ll learn exactly how to build audiences with video, get a behind-the-scenes look at how to drive engagement, plus insider tips on how to monetise your content effectively.

Rowan Collinson – Senior Audience Development Manager, Spotify

Naomi Channell – Head of Curve Sounds / TV Producer / Podcaster, Curve Media

Kindly sponsored by Spotify

30 mins

Learn why podcasting is entering a new revolutionary moment and what that means for your business for revenue creation, creativity and IP ownership.

Steve Ackerman – Ack Media Consulting

20 mins

Most channels obsess over what they make. The best ones obsess over how it looks before they ever hit record. In this session, Cam Mensah breaks down the psychology and strategy behind YouTube packaging, why your title and thumbnail are the highest-leverage decisions you can make, and how to get them right every time.

Cam Mensah – YouTube strategist

20 mins

Find out what makes a vertical drama binge-worthy. I’ll explore how vertical audiences behave differently from traditional film and TV viewers, the writing styles and pacing that hook them within seconds, the genres that consistently convert, and the emotional beats fans are actively looking for. I’ll also highlight the common mistakes producers make when applying old models to a new format — and how to avoid them.

Jen Cooper – Founder, Vertical Drama Love

20 mins

This session examines vertical drama from a producer’s perspective, focusing on market demand, audience behaviour, and commercial potential. It outlines practical production and distribution models that enable scalable and sustainable vertical drama production.

Samantha Sun – Creative Producer, ReelForce

20 mins

Matt Campion will reveal how to build a successful vertical video studio from the ground up, drawing on Spirit Studios’ experience across short-form entertainment, creator-led content and emerging vertical video formats. He will explain what makes vertical storytelling different from both traditional TV and standard social video, and explore the kinds of formats, teams and production workflows needed to succeed.

The session will also examine the commercial realities behind the model, including how vertical video studios make money, what production budgets look like and how to balance speed, scale and quality. Delegates will leave with a clearer understanding of how to develop ideas for vertical platforms, avoid the common mistakes TV producers make when entering the space and build a sustainable digital-first business.

Matt Campion – co founder, Spirit Studios

20 mins

Meet the movers and shakers of the digital-first video sector. Complementary tea, coffee and biscuits.

30 mins

This session explores how indies can unlock real revenue by bridging traditional commissioning with the fast-moving digital ecosystem – without getting eaten alive in the middle. It breaks down how to maximise the value of existing catalogues through smart rights strategies, and platform-native thinking, while also building digital-first original content that generates new income streams.

Luci Sanan – Director, 53 Degrees North Media 

20 mins

Three founders of successful digital-first businesses share the story of how they built their studios from the ground up. From spotting the opportunity and finding their niche to securing clients, building audiences and creating sustainable revenue streams, this panel offers an honest look at the realities of launching a digital-first studio. Expect practical lessons, hard-won advice and insights into what it really takes to build a business in the new production economy.

Katy Llewellyn-Jones – KLJ Consulting (moderator)

Lou Tonner – Co Founder / Chief Operating Officer, Wander

Julie Tzabar – Managing Director, Brighton Zoo

Lucy Smith – Founder, Fawkes Digital

40 mins