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Observer New Media Power List: Call for Submissions

Nominations are open for Observer’s 2026 New Media Power List

Observer’s inaugural New Media Power List recognizes the individuals who are defining how information, influence and capital move in the digital age. This is not a list about celebrity or follower counts alone, but a rigorous assessment of who holds real power in the new media ecosystem: the creators building loyal audiences outside traditional structures, the builders designing the infrastructure everyone else depends on, and the intelligence leaders whose tools determine where billions of advertising and PR dollars flow.

Honorees will be profiled in a landmark Observer feature and celebrated across our digital and events platforms, reaching our core audience of executives, investors, cultural leaders and decision-makers.

Who we're looking for

Nominations are open across three categories

Creators — Individuals who have built significant, monetizable audiences independent of legacy media, through video, podcasts, newsletters, social platforms or cross-platform brands. We are looking for people whose influence measurably shapes capital, culture, behavior or discourse.

Builders—Leaders of the platforms, tools and infrastructure that power the new media landscape, from publishing and distribution platforms to creator economy services. These are the people building the rails everyone else runs on.

Intelligence Leaders—Executives at the companies using data and A.I. to measure reach, map influence and guide how agencies and brands invest in earned and paid media. These behind-the-scenes power brokers determine where attention and capital flow across the ecosystem.

How honorees are evaluated

Observer will assess nominees across two primary dimensions

Capital Influence — evidence that the nominee has moved money

Paid subscribers, platform revenue or audience monetization at scale

Brand deals, licensing, merchandise, courses, or media extensions

Investment activity: funds launched, companies founded or backed, funding raised

Platform GMV, creator earnings facilitated, or ad spend directed

Conversation Influence — evidence that the nominee has moved minds:

Ideas, frameworks, or phrases that have entered broader cultural or industry discourse

Media citation frequency and cross-platform reach

Demonstrated behavior change at scale or shifts in how an industry operates

Thought leadership that has influenced peers, policymakers, or competitors

Trajectory, originality and leverage—how many other powerful people’s decisions flow through this person—will also factor into the final selection.

What to include in your nomination

Full name, title and organization or platform

Category: Creator, Builder or Intelligence Leader

A brief biography that explains the nominee's ascent

Quantitative metrics demonstrating the nominee's capital influence Reach Monthly active users & unique visitors  Total pageviews & time on site  App downloads & active users  Social media following & growth rates  Video views & watch time Podcast listens & downloads  Newsletter subscribers & open rates  Community engagement Growth Annual revenue & profitability Subscription & membership growth Advertising revenue Creator economy earnings  Brand collaborations & sponsorships Venture capital & private investment

Reach Monthly active users & unique visitors  Total pageviews & time on site  App downloads & active users  Social media following & growth rates  Video views & watch time Podcast listens & downloads  Newsletter subscribers & open rates  Community engagement

Monthly active users & unique visitors 

Total pageviews & time on site 

App downloads & active users 

Social media following & growth rates 

Video views & watch time

Podcast listens & downloads 

Newsletter subscribers & open rates 

Growth Annual revenue & profitability Subscription & membership growth Advertising revenue Creator economy earnings  Brand collaborations & sponsorships Venture capital & private investment

Annual revenue & profitability

Subscription & membership growth

Creator economy earnings 

Brand collaborations & sponsorships

Venture capital & private investment

Examples of how the nominee has influenced culture and conversations Influence Viral moments created  Number of viral stories & social shares Memes & challenges originated Crossover into mainstream media Number of citations in traditional media Influence on public policy & discourse Impact on celebrity & entertainment trends  The nominee's role in breaking news  Influence on purchasing decisions  Platform dependence (do they own audience data, or are they at the mercy of algorithms?)

Influence Viral moments created  Number of viral stories & social shares Memes & challenges originated Crossover into mainstream media Number of citations in traditional media Influence on public policy & discourse Impact on celebrity & entertainment trends  The nominee's role in breaking news  Influence on purchasing decisions  Platform dependence (do they own audience data, or are they at the mercy of algorithms?)

Viral moments created 

Number of viral stories & social shares

Memes & challenges originated

Crossover into mainstream media

Number of citations in traditional media

Influence on public policy & discourse

Impact on celebrity & entertainment trends 

The nominee's role in breaking news 

Influence on purchasing decisions 

Platform dependence (do they own audience data, or are they at the mercy of algorithms?)

A statement explaining why the nominee belongs on the list now (what makes their influence timely and significant) and the degree to which they've created something genuinely new versus scaled an existing model

Submit your nomination here by Friday, March 6, 2026.

Observer will review all submissions by Friday, March 13.

We will begin reaching out to a short list of honorees for interviews, fact-checks, data collection and other items on Monday, March 15. You will know if you have made the short list by that Friday, March 20.

The New Media Power List is tentatively scheduled to publish on Wednesday, March 25. Honorees will be notified that morning and provided with a folder of custom graphics for promotional purposes.

Feedback on nominees who didn't make the cut will be available upon request in the weeks following.

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