If you listen closely to the interview I did with Chris Kane, you might pick up on a thread throughout the conversation. We didn’t come right out and say it, but we discussed before we hit record that the number of companies that truly work on behalf of the publishers is incredibly small. The truth is, the marketplace we’ve created is rich with opportunities, but not rich with creating opportunities for publishers to build their businesses. In their hearts, publishers who care about their audiences and advertisers know they provide value to both. But the game has been rigged, and it is sometimes impossible to know what the right thing to do is – especially when everyone else is doing the wrong thing and benefiting.
Pubwashing is akin to greenwashing. Publishers are looking for solutions. We’re encouraged to continue to look for more solutions and then even more. According to the Jounce report, I’m below average in the number of programmatic demand sources I work with. That’s crazy. It also sets up the perfect scenario for us to work with companies that are building their businesses off our backs, while not providing us fair compensation.
Not all of ad tech is bad tech. Even the good guys have to sound like the others because all we want to hear about lift, revenue and how easy it is to implement.
Publishers need to do their homework and understand who they are working with. They need to forge real partnerships with companies that not only say the right things but also demonstrate their ability to follow through. Pick partners, not vendors. Plant real trees that will make publishing thrive.
Summer/pre-Savannah check list:
- Missed our July Camp.Fire on Automation & AI, you can check out the recap here.
- August Camp.Fire call for publishers and In View clients on August 20th will include our 2026 event plans, some community updates, and other announcements. Those in the know will get the links needed.
- I’ll be at IBC. I’ll be at DMEXCO. If you are planning to be at either, I’d love to know that.
Base.Camp Savannah is right around the corner, and the agenda is packed
…and still growing. We’re zeroing in on the conversations publishers need to have now, and the ones that can lead to real change once you’re back at your desk.
Here’s a look at just a few of the sessions we’ll tackle together this October:
- Why build it if you can’t sell it? The tech is in place, the data’s clean, the work is done, but if sales doesn’t understand it or trust it, they won’t sell it. Jana Meron, Principal & Founder, Lioness Strategies LLC, will dig into how to turn all that effort into wins that count.
- Are publishers ready to act like brands? Standing out means standing for something. Amanda Sabreah, Founder, Thought Factory, will show how brand strategy drives loyalty, advertiser trust, and long-term revenue, and why it’s just as critical for publishers as it is for consumer products.
- What’s the real cost of hidden intermediaries? Patrick McCann, SVP Research, Raptive, will map out how to spot, trace, and cut the middleman costs quietly draining publisher revenue.
- How is AI and automation actually working right now? Courtney Glaze, VP Revenue Operations at The New York Times, will share what’s already in play, what’s delivering results, and how publishers can adapt these workflows for their own direct-sold strategies.
Publishers already confirmed for Savannah include WeatherBug, New York Post, The Weather Company, PGA TOUR, The New York Times, Optimism, Zynga, NASCAR, Ancestry.com, LoveToKnow Media, Ziff Davis, Tripadvisor, Graham Media, Edmunds.com, FanDuel Sports, and Chegg.
We’re almost there. Join us in Savannah to dig into the big questions, share what’s working, fix what’s not, and leave with a plan you can put into motion the very next day.
The list for Digital Day Camp is already growing
Pelmorex, Narcity Media Group, Better Collective, and Kobayashi + Zeitguys (just to name a few) are already locked in for Digital Day Camp in Toronto on October 22, 2025.
This fall, we’re digging into the questions that will define Canadian media and advertising’s next chapter: What bets can we confidently make for 2026? How will agentic advertising reshape the industry? What does the future of CTV ad quality look like? Can direct-sold innovation thrive in a programmatic-heavy world? And how can smarter, data-driven strategies deliver real results?
If you’re in the business of shaping where our industry goes next, early bird registration for Digital Day Camp is open!
It’s official, the Base.Camp Lisbon agenda is live and stacked
Joining us in Portugal will be leaders from The Weather Company, PGA TOUR, Publisher Collective, Twist Digital, Telegraph Media Group, Livenation, City Digital Oy, and Condé Nast.
And here’s just a taste of what’s on tap for Base.Camp Lisbon:
- Christina Kurteva (Reuters) and Frans Holmgren (Burt Intelligence) break down how granular data can surface hidden business intelligence and drive smarter revenue strategies, if you’ve got the right tools to extract it.
- Sales sells the dream, ops lives the reality. Teodora “Teddy” Tepavicharova (Condé Nast UK) guides a candid discussion on fixing the disconnect between commercial and operational teams, bridging the programmatic knowledge gap, and turning better communication into real revenue.
- Eugene Healey (EH Strategy Consulting) takes a hard look at the existential threats facing publishers, from AI disruption to collapsing business models, and lays out the structural shifts needed to survive in the years ahead.
- Shailey Singh (IAB Tech Lab) walks through new initiatives, from Trusted Server to LLM APIs and CAPI, and why it’s time to rethink the mechanics of how digital advertising gets transacted.
Base.Camp is coming to Lisbon, November 2-5, 2025. You should be there. Check out the still-growing agenda. Then raise your hand.
A full list of our 2025 events all in one nice little package:
- Base.Camp: Savannah, GA - October 5-8
- Digital Day Camp, Toronto - October 22
- Base.Camp: Lisbon, Portugal - November 2-5
More things to keep your eyes out for:
- Read our take on the top updates/news items from around the industry.
- Look for your next job on our job board. Also - sign up for our Jobs Newsletter (delivered every Thursday). Subscribe here.
- Fill your open positions by helping us help you: Submit a job and check out a job seeker like Job Seeker 33, just search “Job Seeker 33” to be taken directly to their description.
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Biking to Support Multiple Sclerosis
Chris Starr is at it again, cycling all over the place to raise money for worthy causes. This year it’s Waves to Wine, raising money for Multiple Sclerosis research and care. Whether you have a personal connection to MS, want to support Chris’ effort, or have community support goals, I hope you will join me in supporting this effort. Learn more and donate here.
Going to DMEXCO?
Our friends at The Digital Voice have put together a crowdsourced DMEXCO event list. Check it out and add your event(s).
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