The Atlantic is doubling down on live journalism.
This week marks the first time the publisher has held its flagship event, The Atlantic Festival, in New York. The 167-year-old magazine is on pace to deliver its largest revenue haul since rebranding the flagship event in 2018, according to publisher Alice McKown.
Year-over-year festival revenue grew 36% compared to 2024, with nearly 2,000 in-person attendees and more than 10,000 virtual tickets claimed, although the publisher declined to provide financial specifics. Single day passes cost $475, two-day passes are $800, and virtual attendance is free.
Events now comprise 25% of The Atlantic’s commercial revenue, with 60% of that coming from the Atlantic Festival. The event has become a central pillar of the company’s growth strategy heading into 2026 and 2027, according to McKown.
The growth reflects the broader media industry’s embrace of live events, which have become one of the few durable bright spots amid wider industry contractions.
