Evan Shapiro

Many of those shuttling around New York City this week for the upfronts, on the heels of the NewFronts two weeks ago, may find themselves trying to synthesize all of the claims and counter-claims, the big data and bigger spectacle.

Evan Shapiro, veteran of many an upfront during his time as a cable network chief and more recently a consultant, producer and self-described “media cartographer,” has a way to process it all. A new event he is shepherding, Streaming Media NYC, kicks off Monday at the Intercontinental New York Barclay hotel and runs through Wednesday. Shapiro calls it an “idea festival” designed to bring together “the smartest people in media to have frank conversations about the industry’s biggest challenges.”

The roster of executive speakers is slated to include Roku’s Charlie Collier, Rob Caruso from Google, Danielle Carney from Amazon and Steve Ellis from Paramount Global. The world beyond entertainment and media will be represented by the likes of Uber’s Laura Sandoval. Shapiro, who has appeared at a wide range of media and tech conferences over recent years, will also deliver a “state-of-the-state” address. The session will conclude the event by assessing the “true health” of the media universe.

Shapiro tells Deadline the speakers will take part in sessions that are not intended to be panels but active debates. Topics will include whether AI and sports rights are bubbles or booms; the merits of performance advertising vs. brand campaigns; or over the definition of “premium” in today’s fragmented attention economy.

A track at the conference is dedicated to how media should define leadership as a set of economic and industry forces reshape the sector. Career guidance will be offered to those who’ve been laid off or downsized and are now looking to pivot to new sectors or roles.

More information on the event can be found at streamingmedia.com.