The security industry's media landscape has shifted more in the last 24 months than in the preceding decade. Buying committees have exploded. AI is reshaping every product narrative. The channels where decisions actually get made look almost nothing like they did in 2022. This report is the map.
— The Tier 1 outlets that move buyers. A field guide to the eight publications that matter, who actually reads them, and what they will and won't publish in 2026.
— Where security buyers spend their attention now. Peer referrals, LinkedIn, podcasts, analyst coverage — ranked by influence during active vendor evaluation.
— The 2026 event quadrant. ISC West, GSX, ESX, ISC East, PSA TEC and others plotted on marketing value vs. sales value. Only two events deliver on both.
— What earned media looks like in the AI era. The three pitches landing in 2026, the three pitches that aren't, and why the "AI-powered" narrative window has closed.
"Market to the reality of operating security, not the fantasy of buying security. The demo is not the hard part. The hard part is adoption, sustainment, accountability, and performance when something is actually happening."
— Andrew Gregg, Senior Security Leader, Sony Pictures Entertainment