Come for the strategies. Stay for the community. Go home with the roadmap to grow your station’s impact.
The world of public media is moving faster than ever. To thrive, we must work together. The Public Media Growth Conference (PMGC)—formerly PMDMC—is designed to give you more than just inspiration. You will gain the integrated strategies and the cross-departmental perspectives you need to build a resilient, audience-first organization.
What You’ll Bring Home
When you leave PMGC, you won’t just have a notebook full of ideas; you’ll have action steps to:
- Secure Your Revenue Future: Gain actionable tactics for high-level philanthropy, digital sponsorship, and innovative revenue streams that work in today’s fragmented media landscape.
- Grow and Strengthen Audience: Discover proven community-building strategies to engage new audiences and turn casual users into loyal, local supporters.
- Connect the Strategic Dots: Learn how to lead projects that span your entire organization. You’ll build better alliances by understanding exactly what success looks like—and what gets in the way—for your colleagues in content, marketing, and development.
The PMGC Experience
- Real-World Solutions: We focus on business outcomes and concrete takeaways. You’ll hear from stations of all sizes—from “Mega” markets to small community broadcasters—sharing what actually works on the ground.
- A Broader Perspective: We are intentional about bringing new voices and fresh ideas to the stage. You’ll learn from the people who are building deep, authentic relationships with the audiences our industry needs to grow. By challenging the status quo together, we find more creative ways to serve our entire community.
- Connections Across the Entire Industry: This is the only place where the people who create the content, the people who find the audience, and the people who fund the mission are all in the same room. You’ll find the perfect balance of peers who understand your specific role alongside national associations, networks, industry initiatives, and the vendors who support our system. These connections become your year-round support system for a unified public media.
It’s an Investment that Pays for Itself
Attending PMGC is an investment in your station’s long-term sustainability.
- For Fundraisers: Get the cross-team buy-in you need to make your campaigns more effective.
- For Content Creators: Understand the business models that keep your stories on the air.
- For Leaders: Build the strategic alignment required for faster execution and higher ROI.
New to the Community?
If 2026 is your first time joining us, you’re in for a warm welcome. The PMGC is famous for being the friendliest room in public media. To help you hit the ground running, we offer:
- First-Timer Orientation: A dedicated kickoff session to help you navigate the schedule and meet fellow newcomers.
- Strategic “Must-Attend” Guides: Curated session tracks tailored to your specific role.
- Low-Pressure Networking: Small-group meetups designed to help you build your “external brain trust” without the stress.
You’re not just a face in the crowd here—you’re the future of the industry. We can’t wait to meet you!
Make the Case to Your Organization
Ready to join us? We’ve made it easy to demonstrate why this is a “must-attend” for your professional growth and your station’s bottom line.
Your proposal should include:
- Direct Benefits to Your Station: Connect the conference sessions to your current station goals. Highlight that PMGC is the only place to get a “big picture” look at the industry, covering:
- Membership & Philanthropy: Sustainer growth, major giving, and planned giving.
- Corporate Support: Digital sponsorships and new revenue opportunities.
- Marketing & Audience: Community-building and social media strategies to reach new participants.
- Strategic Partnerships: Insights from our 2026 partners, the PMCC and NFCB.
- A “Knowledge Transfer” Plan: Show your supervisor that the investment benefits the whole team. Commit to sharing what you learn through:
- A “Conference Takeaways” presentation or informal “Lunch and Learns.”
- Short “Knowledge Bursts” during regular team meetings.
- An “Innovation Incubator” workshop to adapt PMGC strategies to your specific station projects.
- The Power of the Network: Emphasize the value of building an “external brain trust.” You aren’t just attending a session; you are connecting with a national network of peers you can call on for data and advice all year long.
- A Clear ROI: Outline the costs (travel, hotel, and registration). Remind your manager that one actionable revenue-generating idea from Chicago can pay for the entire trip.
Pro Tip: Register by May 1 to lock in the Early Bird rate of $899 (for Greater Public members). That’s a $1,300 savings off the standard rate—making the ROI of your trip even stronger.