Investigative Journalist Heidi Przybyla is Keynote Speaker for Newsapalooza 2026 Thursday, October 29, 2026
Heidi Przybyla, founder of Get Real News and a former national investigative correspondent for POLITICO, will deliver the keynote address at Newsapalooza 2026, the Center for Media Innovation’s (CMI) two-day festival celebrating local journalism, at Point Park University in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Przybyla, an award-winning investigative journalist who has also reported for NBC News, USA TODAY and Bloomberg News, launched Get Real News, which trains local newsrooms in creator journalism and equips non-journalist creators to deliver real news to their audiences, including a Pennsylvania-focused channel.
“The problem with journalism isn’t the journalism,” Przybyla said. “It’s the distribution. The new attention economy runs on collaboration.”
This year’s festival, themed “Local News Lives Here,” will be held Nov. 12-13 and will also mark the CMI's 10th anniversary at Point Park.
“In many parts of the country, local news is disappearing. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, local news leaders are collaborating,” said Lexi Belculfine, assistant vice president and managing director of the CMI. “We’re thrilled to have Heidi join us for Newsapalooza, because Get Real News understands the importance of working together and welcoming new voices — something the Center has done for a decade and will continue to do in the years ahead.”
The CMI’s Pittsburgh Media Partnership includes more than 40 news outlets across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The group comes together to share resources, stories and solutions. However, gaps and challenges remain, and Newsapalooza will take those on in conversation.
“Local news really is alive here,” Belculfine said. “We want the festival to reflect the resilience of the industry and the problem-solving happening every day to create sustainable newsrooms, combat news deserts and figure out what it means to create something new for audiences.”
Newsapalooza celebrates the strength of journalism in Southwestern Pennsylvania — one of America’s local news capitals — and beyond, inviting everyone to the celebration of local news. The festival lets attendees learn from and connect with the next generation of journalists, national and local industry experts, creators, community members and leaders.
Ticket Information
Newsapalooza tickets are available for purchase online. Students and members of the Pittsburgh Media Partnership may register for free.