About the Summit
Building the future of sustainable independent news businesses
Hosted by LION Publishers, this event will gather independent news publishers, industry experts, and supporters of independent news to share expert knowledge, hard-won lessons, and actionable advice on running a news business while being in community with people who care deeply about strengthening the local news ecosystem.
JOIN LION: Anyone interested in learning about independent news is welcome to attend the Summit, and LION members receive a discounted rate. Become a LION member today.
Why our members and supporters of local independent news businesses value the opportunity to gather in person.
Independent NewS Sustainability Summit
September 5–7, 2024 • Chicago, IL
Sessions
Three days of presentations and discussions led by industry experts on our pillars of news sustainability: financial health, operational resilience, and journalistic impact
NETWORKING
The opportunity to connect with and learn from other independent news publishers and people who care deeply about strengthening democracies through independent news
Recognition
Celebrating the best of independent news across the U.S. and Canada at our sixth annual LION Sustainability Awards Ceremony
LEARN MORE: What does it mean to be a “sustainable” news business? We define it as the intersection of being operationally resilient, financially healthy, and journalistically impactful.
Join us for the Summit and LION Awards
As a nonprofit membership association, we strive to keep the cost of attending our events low. Below is some information about our ticket options. You can attend just the Summit, just the LION Awards, or both! If you would like to attend both, you must purchase a Summit ticket and a LION Awards ticket. We sold out the 2022 Summit and are on track to do so again this year, so register today!
SUMMIT Early Bird RATE
$65
Lion member
$115
NOn-member
SUMMIT Standard RATE
$120
$165
NOn-member
LION Awards Ceremony
$50
Summit and LION Awards tickets are sold separately
Have questions about the 2024 Summit? We're happy to help.
Independent NewS Sustainability Summit
Sessions
The Venue
Westin Chicago River North
The Summit and LION Awards will be held at the Westin Chicago River North hotel. We've reserved a limited block of rooms for event attendees, and encourage you to reserve a room as soon as you can. Use the Westin's booking link below to receive the LION conference discount.
Sponsors
Independent News Sustainability Summit
Our sponsors believe in the power of independent news, and we thank them for helping us support news leaders’ continued learning and connection-building across our industry.
Our sponsorship options have a limited inventory and start at $10,000. Reach out to sponsorships@lionpublishers.com to learn more.