Tim Duggan, Rebecca Costello and Nicholas Gray to feature at Mumbrella Publish

The 2025 Mumbrella Publish conference will feature industry heavyweights Tim Duggan (Digital Publishers Alliance), Rebecca Costello (the Guardian Australia) and Nicholas Gray (News Corp Australia), taking to the stage on October 28 in Sydney to pull back the curtain on an industry in upheaval.

The trio are the first announced speakers at Publish, which Mumbrella has brought back after a two-year hiatus. As well as hearing direct from key publishing figures, the conference will feature round table discussions where attendees can hash out crucial issues like copyright in the age of AI, and the next era of revenue.

“Throughout Mumbrella’s history, we’ve seen ourselves as part of the publishing community,” Mumbrella publisher Tim Burrowes said.

“We’re thrilled to announce our first speakers for the return of the Publish conference. Our biggest challenge is to do justice to the unprecedented mixture of problems and opportunities publishers currently face.

“And we also want this to be a conversation within the publishing community. That’s why the round tables — where we facilitate group discussions of some of the toughest challenges — are such an important part of the event.”

Details of Duggan, Costello and Gray’s sessions are below.

Earlybird tickets available now.

(L-R) Nicholas Gray, Rebecca Costello, Tim Duggan

Tim Duggan: Publishing is dead. Long live publishing.

The publishing industry is facing stronger headwinds than we’ve ever seen before, but it’s giving us a clear choice. We can either get blown over by the force of them, or we can build stronger foundations together to try to weather the storms.

In this no-holds-barred keynote, Tim Duggan, chair of the Digital Publishers Alliance and co-founder of Junkee Media, takes aim at the triple threat facing publishers today. From independents to the top end of town, B2B and B2C alike, he’ll lay out the biggest challenges facing the industry, and share the bold, practical steps we can take together to ensure that publishing not only survives, but thrives.

From reader revenue to AI threats: hard truths from the Guardian

Rebecca Costello, the Guardian’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, will take the stage in a candid interview with Mumbrella’s editorial director Hal Crawford to unpack the secrets behind the Guardian’s success in a market where so many international publishers have stumbled.

From understanding the science of reader contributions, to team culture and leadership, she’ll explore what makes the Guardian business model distinctive. Expect insights on regulatory interventions and a perspective on how media should respond to the rise of AI: both the internal opportunities and the external threat of AI systems summarising (and stripping value from) news content.

With decades of publishing experience, Costello will also look ahead: what’s set to change in media’s next chapter, and what are the enduring principles that will keep journalism essential?

Publishing under pressure: Nicholas Gray on value, markets, and the future of news

In an exclusive conversation with Hal Crawford, News Corp Australia managing director and publisher, The Australian and Prestige, Nicholas Gray will tackle the big strategic questions facing publishers in 2025.

From the lessons of subscription growth to evolving habits of audiences Gray will share insights into how publishers can create greater value and how they are resetting expectations in an increasingly competitive market.

The discussion will also interrogate the News Bargaining Incentive: how it will deliver meaningful support for news media, Australian audiences and consumers.

Gray will discuss how the publishing landscape has shifted since the traffic-chasing days of the 2000s, and what today’s fragmented ecosystem means for the future of content distribution, monetisation, and audience connection. With AI already reshaping workflows and business models, he’ll share his perspective on how publishers can seize its opportunities while defending against the risks of disintermediation.

Mumbrella Publish will be held October 28 at the State Library of NSW. The full agenda will be announced closer to the conference. Book your tickets now to receive the earlybird pricing.