State of the Industry Panel — The Great Fragmentation: PR & Communications in the Streaming Era

The days of "the broadcast" are over. Sports fans and entertainment audiences alike are scattered across a dozen platforms — traditional TV, streaming exclusives, FAST channels, direct-to-consumer apps and social-first distribution. Media rights deals are being reshaped overnight, while studios and leagues alike are betting on niche, hyper-engaged audiences over mass reach. This panel brings together voices from sports, entertainment and brand communications to discuss how they're adapting: reaching fans across platforms without diluting the message, navigating rights and partnership shifts and rethinking what "reach" even means in 2026.

Moderator: Dr. Brandi Sims, past chair and at-large board member, PRSA Entertainment & Sports Section; founder and CEO, Brandinc PR.

Panelists:
Lindsey McElroy, executive vice president, sports and entertainment, Hunter PR
Danny Astoria, vice president, head of public relations and integrated communications, Urban One
Derrick McKinney, CEO, Loud Muzik

Hosted by the Entertainment and Sports Section. Paid registration for non-Entertainment and Sports Section members includes the live webinar and video playback for one month.