As audiences become more segmented, solo journalists, upstart news outlets, and established media organizations compete for the same attention. Young journalists face the choice of going independent or reporting for a media organization. Journalists share how each path presents its own challenges and opportunities and where they see openings in 2026 and beyond.
Mara Balagtas McIlwrath, Creative Director, Autos, Hearst Magazines
Mara is a creative director and storyteller focused on the intersection of cars, motorsports, and the culture around them.
Her work has appeared in Road & Track, Car and Driver, Esquire, Condé Nast Traveler and more.
Subrata De, Chief Independence Officer for journalist-creators| Former EVP, VICE News
Subrata is a journalist, producer and media executive whose award-winning career spans 20+ years of global news and documentary. She got her start as a radio reporter for the CBC in northern Ontario, and has since held senior roles at NBC News, ABC News, and VICE News, where as EVP she led a landmark era of journalism and storytelling. Her work has reached millions and earned industry recognition, including four Peabodys and ten Emmys. She co-directed the feature doc Take No Prisoners, which premiered at SXSW and works with media partners to help build resilient models for independent storytelling.
Tanzina Vega, Journalist, Educator; Contributing Writer, Globe Opinion, The Boston Globe
Tanzina Vega is a journalist, media strategist and educator with over two decades of experience shaping narratives at leading organizations including The New York Times, CNN, The Boston Globe, and New York Public Radio. Her work centers on issues that define our times—social change, politics, wealth inequality, and more—using storytelling to inspire action and elevate public discourse.
Tanzina helps universities, nonprofits, and other companies craft powerful content strategies through podcasts, newsletters, and thought leadership. She has taught journalism and communication at institutions such as Princeton University and NYU and has developed curricula for learners worldwide.
Tanzina is a recipient of multiple journalism awards, including the Robert G. McGruder Distinguished Lecture and Award from Kent State University, and has been recognized by the News and Documentary Emmy Awards and the National Press Photographers Association.
Samantha M. Wender, Head of Content & Journalist, Carry-on Media
Samantha M. Wender has been creating award-winning and nominated stories for two decades. She’s a multi-Emmy Award winner that has traveled to every state in the U.S. and more than one hundred countries.
Samantha came to CBS News as an Executive Producer to lead development, production and execution of multi-part live and taped series as well as studio and field-based special projects for CBS News Streaming. She most recently produced for the CBS Evening News franchise “Eye on America.”
While a Senior Producer at Vice News, she oversaw and produced smart, in-depth and contextual storytelling that married people and their voices to global headlines and stories for Vice News Tonight and VICE on Showtime.
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At NBC News, she wrote and produced feature stories for TODAY, TODAY Food and Sunday Today with Willie Geist. She also produced breaking news and pitched, developed and booked much of her work, spearheading multi-platform series and sponsored content.From 2005-2012, at ABC’s News Magazines (Primetime & 20/20), Samantha produced, field produced and supported major newsmaker interviews and process hours including Diane Sawyer’s Hidden America series. She spent the better part of two years following the lives of five homeless teens, eight months on the Lakota Sioux Pine Ridge Reservation and several months with the Amish, heroin addicts and foster youth, chronicling the stories of those living in poverty, out of the mainstream and on the fringes of society.
In 2012, Samantha left ABC News to produce a 90-minute feature documentary for MTV while simultaneously producing for their True Life series at Gigantic! Productions. She also spent time helping to develop series, pilots and special pitches for a variety of networks and outlets including Yahoo! Where she produced sponsored digital video content.In June 2025, her independently produced documentary JUST KIDS world premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. The film was acquired by Prime Video for international distribution and will be available to stream, rent, and buy on that platform and Apple TV in June 2026.
Moderator: Camila Brango, Director of Community
Camila Brango is the Director of Community at the Center for Communication, where she leads the strategy and execution of marketing initiatives for the organization’s annual forums and summits, connecting students and emerging talent with leaders across the media industry. She is also the spokesperson and on-stage host, moderating conversations and creating spaces where ideas, stories, and opportunities come to life.
She is also the host of Make It in Media, a podcast she pitched and helped develop to expand access to industry insights while equipping fellows with hands-on experience in content production, storytelling, and digital media.
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She is currently a Master’s student in Strategic Communications at Columbia University (Executive cohort), deepening her expertise at the intersection of media, leadership, and impact.
With a background in journalism, marketing, advertising, and real estate, Camila has worked with organizations including AOL, Johnson & Johnson, Ogilvy, and UXPros, contributing to brand development and digital strategy. Her experience also includes coordinating the expansion of Johnson & Johnson’s global partnership with Costco and leading the growth of Avenues Real Estate as its former Chief Operating Officer.
A bilingual communicator in English and Spanish, Camila is passionate about storytelling that informs, uplifts, and connects.
Presented with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and George Polk School of Communications at LIU Brooklyn
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Center's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Accessibility: Center for Communication provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. Requests for accommodations for Center for Communication events should be submitted at least two weeks before the date of the accommodation need. Please email community@centerforcommunication.org for assistance.
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