Why Publishers Must Block, Build, and Partner in the AI Era with Mary Liz McCurdy

On this episode of The Community Exchange Podcast, we welcome Mary Liz McCurdy, SVP, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at The Atlantic.

In our discussion, MSG and Mary Liz discuss:

— From the Stanford Daily to Google to The Atlantic — a career built around saving journalism
— Turning The Atlantic into a subscription-first business based on loyalty and community
— How The Atlantic maps threats and opportunities across the entire content supply chain
— The four C’s every publisher needs in any AI deal: consent, credit, compensation, and control
— Why blocking bots by default is non-negotiable, and how to build a smart allow list
— Partnering with startups to fight misinformation, deepfakes, and AI slop
— What tech culture gets right that media companies still haven’t figured out
— Why betting on early-stage startups is The Atlantic’s big hairy audacious goal

And more.

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Guest

Mary Liz McCurdy

SVP, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, The Atlantic

Mary Liz McCurdy is currently leading AI licensing, strategic partnerships, and corporate development for The Atlantic. She is focused on investing, co-building, and structuring partnerships with next-gen tech companies that shape the future of the sustainable news economy. Prior to joining The Atlantic, McCurdy spent more than a decade at Google. Most recently the global head of platform partnerships at Google Play, where she led corporate partner strategy among the top tech platforms, and prior to that, led emerging & strategic publisher monetization and growth. Mary Liz is the former Chair of The Stanford Daily News organization, and a tenured Business chair. She is a former Stanford cross country & track athlete, mother of two and community organizer. You can find her surfing or paddleboarding in her hometown in Half Moon Bay, CA.

Host

Matthew Scott Goldstein (MSG)

Independent Analyst / Advisor / Consultant