From Comedy to Cable News to Streaming: JB Smoove, MS NOW Anchors and “Stranger Things ’85” Showrunner Join the 2026 NAB Show Lineup

Additions span entertainment, news, sports, business and policy leaders ahead of the April 18 Show opening — with free and discounted passes now available

Washington, D.C. — The 2026 NAB Show, beginning this week — April 18–22 (exhibits April 19–22) — at the Las Vegas Convention Center today announced a new wave of speakers spanning entertainment, journalism, sports, business and policy, further expanding a program that reflects how storytelling, technology and media economics are evolving across the global ecosystem.

Newly announced speakers include JB Smoove, actor and comedian; Jen Psaki and Ari Melber, anchors at MS NOW; Marcus Jones, All-Pro cornerback for the AFC champion New England Patriots; and Eric Robles, showrunner of Netflix’s upcoming “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85.”

They are joined by executives and leaders shaping the business and regulatory landscape, including Josh Simon, CEO of Funko; Will Brackett, head of partnerships at Kalshi; Oscar Sanchez, head of host broadcast production at FIFA; Anna Gomez, commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission; and Charlie Beller, acting deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, reflecting the growing intersection of media, finance, policy and emerging distribution models.

“These additions reflect where media is headed: a convergence of creative talent, business strategy and the technologies powering both,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, Global Connections and Events at NAB. “The 2026 NAB Show brings together the people shaping how content is created, how audiences are reached and how those ideas turn into sustainable businesses.”

Across the Show, programming will explore how creators, platforms, broadcasters and policymakers are navigating a landscape where the lines between content, distribution and ownership continue to blur — from the rise of creator-led studios and audience-first business models to the shifting economics of streaming, sports rights and platform power.

These newly announced speakers join a growing lineup that includes Jeff Probst, host and executive producer of CBS’s “Survivor”; Nate Bargatze, recipient of the NAB Television Chairman’s Award, who will be interviewed during the “We Are Broadcasters” event; and Mo Rocca, award-winning journalist and storyteller, alongside executives from NBC Sports, Google, Microsoft and other global media organizations.

Attendees can register for the 2026 NAB Show with code EM153 for a free Show Floor Pass and 10% off Premium Conference or All Access Passes.

• Find press materials and complimentary registration for accredited media on the NAB Show press resources page.
• Download speaker headshots for the 2026 NAB Show.
• Explore photo highlights from the 2025 NAB Show and download b-roll footage from the 2025 NAB Show.

Other newly added speakers include:

Film, TV and Content Creators

• Matthew Patrick, aka “MatPat” — Creator — Orbit Media
• Bernie Su — Head of Creative — Pickford AI
• Erin McFarlane — Head of Vertical Content — Dhar Mann Studios
• David Pond — Head of Production — LinkedIn
• Tayllor Lloyd — Content Creator — Tayllor Lloyd, LLC
• Ben Harris — Director of Strategy and Operations — Jesser

Sports and Entertainment Leaders

• Siumy Keys — VP, Brand Partnerships — NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships
• Ricardo Perez-Selsky — Sr. Director, Digital Production Operations — FOX Sports
• Michael Raiondo — VP of Broadcast Technology — PGA Tour
• Eric Hanson — VP, Digital Products — PGA Tour

News and Media Leaders

• Joe Flint — Staff Reporter — The Wall Street Journal
• Anna Dubenko — Director of Newsroom Audience — The New York Times
• Aja Whitaker-Moore — Deputy Editor in Chief — The Wall Street Journal
• Marcus Mabry — SVP, Content Strategy — MS NOW
• Nick Radziul — NAB Television Board Chair and executive vice president — Hearst Television
• Erin Boone — Senior Counsel and Media Bureau Chief — Federal Communications Commission

Technology, Innovation and Business Leaders

• Fred Turpin — Global Chair of Investment Banking — JPMorgan
• Samira Panah Bakhtiar — General Manager, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports — Amazon Web Services
• Sepi Motamedi — Global Head of Sports and Live Media Marketing — NVIDIA
• Sandeep Tiku — Group CTO — DAZN
• Rohit Nagarajan — CEO — Vizrt
• Kevin Coggins — Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Communications and Navigation — NASA

Platform and Distribution Leaders

• Rebecca Sirmons — General Manager of NASA+ — NASA
• Tom Dodson — VP Platform Operations — Roku
• Andrea Downing — President — PBS Distribution
• Marian Pittman — President — Cox Media Group Content and WSB-TV
• Joe Ochoa — Co-founder and GM — Creator Television

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