The future of design media isn’t simply digital or print… it’s increasingly personal.
At ICFF 2026, moderator Tiffany Jow joined editors Dan Rubinstein, Jill Singer, and Jack Murphy for one of the week’s most candid conversations, exploring how design journalism is adapting as traditional publishing models give way to independent platforms, newsletters, podcasts, and new editorial voices.
(Image above courtesy of Jenna Bascom Photography | Jack Murphy, Jill Singer, Dan Rubinstein, and Tiffany Jow on stage)
Jill Singer and Dan Rubinstein (Image courtesy of Jenna Bascom Photography)
Design Media Is Changing. So Is Its Audience.
One of the panel’s most compelling moments came when Jill Singer described today’s media landscape as “very fractured” and “very unstable,” noting that while new independent outlets continue to emerge, “nobody knows where their money is coming from.” Yet she also saw opportunity in the disruption, pointing to a growing community of writers building publications around their own expertise and perspective rather than institutional models.
The discussion became especially engaging when the panel debated who design journalism should serve. While Dan Rubinstein argued that the design industry’s trade community has helped sustain niche publications, Tiffany Jow pushed back, saying, “I don’t want to just talk to the trade because that just kind of perpetuates a design world that is so insular.” For her, the goal is to make design more accessible and meaningful to broader audiences, not just industry insiders.
Tiffany Jow (Image courtesy of Jenna Bascom Photography)
The Future Belongs to Original Storytelling
Perhaps the strongest takeaway came from Singer’s reflection on journalism itself. In an era dominated by inboxes full of press releases, she argued that editors have become too reactive, observing that “it’s almost like we’ve forgotten how to go find the stories… to be the journalist that we’re supposed to be.” The audience’s response suggested that sentiment resonated well beyond the stage.
Jack Murphy echoed that responsibility from another angle, explaining that he constantly weighs “how smiley do I have to be versus how real?” as an editor covering architecture and design. The question underscored a broader challenge facing the profession: balancing optimism with honest criticism while serving an industry in constant evolution.
Jack Murphy (Image courtesy of Jenna Bascom Photography)
Rather than offering definitive answers, the session revealed something more valuable: that design media is entering a new chapter shaped by independence, curiosity, and a renewed commitment to original reporting. If there was consensus among the panelists, it was that the future belongs to editors willing to look beyond the press release and tell the stories no one else is telling.
To hear the full conversation and explore the panelists’ insights in greater depth, listen to the complete session below.
