TellyCast has added Richard Beech of Hearst UK (above, bottom right), Zoo 55 managing director Martin Trickey (bottom left), Oli Thomas of FlightStory (top right) and Tubi’s Sami Qasem (top left) to the speaker line-up for its 2026 Digital Content Forum.
The fifth edition of the event takes place at BFI Southbank in London on Thursday 5 November. It brings together creators, studios, producers, broadcasters, brands, agencies, platforms and publishers working across the digital-first content economy.
Beech will join Bauer Media’s Nadia Holmes and Guardian Studios’ Leah Green on a panel examining why groups built on radio, print and magazines are now running video as a studio operation in its own right, rather than licensing it out or treating it as an add-on. Media consultant Victoria Jaye will moderate.
Trickey, who runs ITV Studios’ digital distribution label Zoo 55, will appear alongside Studio 55’s Will Scougal in a session moderated by Justin Crosby.
Thomas and Qasem will look at where the creator economy goes next. Their panel will examine how three revenue streams are starting to develop: creators selling directly to their own audiences and building real-world businesses, brands moving budget into creator-made entertainment, and streamers commissioning talent that built its following on social video. Qasem is director of creator and content partnerships, UK, at Tubi. The streamer recently ordered its first UK original through its creators programme, with football freestylers Woody & Kleiny. He was previously head of TikTok LIVE business for Europe. They will be joined by Siobhan McDade Chief Publishing Officer at Jungle Creations, with Gerrit Kemming MD of Quintus Studios moderating.
TellyCast founder and Digital Content Forum host Justin Crosby said: “Legacy media businesses are reorganising around the same shift in audience behaviour, but from very different starting points. Richard, Martin, Oli and Sami are each close to a different part of that change, and having them in the same room on the same day is exactly what the Forum is for.”
Also newly confirmed are brand funded programming consultant Rupert Britton, Zoo 55’s Diane Glynn and Lifted Entertainment’s Head of Digital, Franky Harte.
They join a line-up that includes Attention Industries chief executive Sam Barcroft, BBC head of digital development Mariel Capisciolto, Channel 4 digital commissioning editor Kaio Grizzelle and Hearst Canvas creative director Danny Baggott. Also confirmed are Strong Watch Studios co-founder Thom Gulseven, Shorties Studios co-founder Kelly Luegenbiehl, Seen.TV co-founder Yusuf Omar, Spud Gun Studios’ Tom Payne, Platform Media’s Ainsley Cannon, branded entertainment consultant Sam Glynne and Matt Amys of Sidemen Entertainment.
Other speakers include Matt Campion of Spirit Studios, Bryony Hopkins of BRYONY ink., Molly Bonham McDonald of Blue Door Productions, Grace Miller of Grace Experiments, Cam Mensah of Curve Media, Anthony Smith of StoryGrain, Seb Losardo of Grow, Howie Fine of Mindzone Media and Caroline Servy of The Wit.
The programme will examine channel commissioning, creator-led businesses, audience development, monetisation, vertical content, fan funding and duty of care on digital budgets. It will combine panels, presentations and case studies with networking across the digital-first production community. Tickets are available here.
