From Industry Panels to Comic Strips: Steve Smith's New Chapter in Media

After 25 years leading MediaPost's panels and serving as an editorial director, Steve Smith is transitioning from his role in organizing industry expert panels to become the editor-in-chief of "Panels & Prose." In this new position, he will explore the history and influence of comic strips, one of America's earliest mass media formats. Join me as I discuss with Smith the highlights and challenges of his career as a prominent media critic and trade journalist, and why he has chosen to step back from industry coverage. Smith also reflected on his most proud achievement: documenting the rise of digital media through his Mobile Insider columns. He emphasized that understanding this new technology required capturing its intimacy and integration into daily life, which he began exploring shortly after the iPhone's debut, starting on Cape May beaches. Growing up immersed in media through his family's advertising business in Northern New Jersey, Smith learned the fundamentals of copywriting, photography, and persuasion—experiences that shaped his career. Like many, his early inspiration stemmed from comic strips and comic books, which remain a significant influence. Smith is currently worki...