As the NAB Show 2026 returns to Las Vegas April 18 through 22, radio and audio professionals will find a packed agenda of sessions aimed at navigating the industry’s most pressing challenges—from artificial intelligence and podcast growth to revenue strategy and evolving distribution platforms. At the center of that conversation is the NAB Small and Medium Market Radio Forum, set for Sunday, April 19 in North Hall. Designed for broadcasters in markets ranked 51 and below, the forum will bring together operators for a focused afternoon of idea-sharing tailored to stations where resources, staffing and revenue models differ sharply from larger markets. The session opens with a panel on AI featuring Sun Sachs and communications attorney David Oxenford, exploring how automation and emerging tools are reshaping programming, workflows and monetization. From there, peer-driven roundtables will tackle digital sales, social media strategy, community events, high school sports programming and audience growth, along with innovation in the connected car. Organizers say the emphasis is on practical, immediately applicable ideas. Radio programming continues throughout the week as part of the Broadcast Management and Monetization Conference. Among the highlights: “Hot Digital Trends: What to Know About Video, Podcasts and AI,” featuring insights from Amazon ART19 and other digital leaders on where stations should invest as audio consumption becomes increasingly platform-agnostic. Another session, “Music Licensing for Internet Radio with SoundExchange,” will guide broadcasters through the complexities of streaming rights, while “America 250” will outline how stations can leverage the nation’s 250th anniversary for content, community engagement and revenue growth. Technical innovation also plays a key role in radio’s presence at the show. The Broadcast Engineering and IT Conference will include sessions on digital audio workflows, IP-based distribution and the growing importance of connected car platforms, alongside broader discussions on AI-driven automation, cloud-native infrastructure and next-generation