PR Roundup: IPR Media Relations Report, Substack Lures More Journalists, Messaging Tips During Election Season

Tweaks in messaging can help brands unite the Divided American political groups in the United States.

This week’s roundup looks at an IPR report on adapting to new media relations strategies, the Substack journalist trend and Kennedy Institute advice on messaging during election season.

IPR and Peppercomm Poll CCOs’ Media Relations Strategies

What Happened: IPR and Peppercomm released a report, titled “Navigating a Changing Media Landscape,” which interviewed CCOs and media relations experts about their CEOs’ perspectives on media relations, combating misinformation and disinformation, measuring media relations and the future of media. The report’s key findings include:

  • Shrinking newsrooms: CCOs are finding it increasingly difficult to secure meaningful media coverage due to journalists being stretched too thin. Opportunities for earned media and in-depth coverage have declined.
  • Personalized outreach to media: Media relations professionals must engage in more personalized, creative and proactive outreach with time-strapped journalists.
  • A rise in paid and sponsored content: In response to fewer earned media opportunities, organizations are investing more heavily in paid and sponsored content.
  • Combatting misinformation: Clickbait and AI-generated media have heightened the need for vigilance in media monitoring. PR pros are turning to strategic planning, rigorous fact-checking and strong relationships with media to combat the issue.
  • New media adaptation is mixed: Some CEOs and Board of Directors are open to new media strategies, but others are resistant.

Communications takeaways: While communications executives may recognize the shifts in media relations strategies noted above, their CEOs and company board members are likely less informed. It falls on CCOs to educate them, according to Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations and co-author of the report.

Communication leaders should educate their CEOs and board members on the evolving media landscape, including shrinking newsrooms, the rise of sensationalized stories driven by clickbait and the growth of non-traditional outlets,” she says. “These changes can impact organizational outreach and reputational goals, requiring PR and communications professionals to be more proactive, personalized and creative in their strategies.”

What McCorkindale found most surprising about the report was the lack of AI adoption. “While many discussed its potential for the future, only a few are taking advantage of the opportunities it offers in media relations,” she says.

McCorkindale recommends that PR and communications professionals do the following:

  • Routinely educate your CEO and Board of Directors on the evolving media landscape, emphasizing a multichannel approach for outreach.
  • Leverage AI for media relations to help with content creation, analytics, listening, media planning and to gain a better understanding of the needs of reporters and publications.
  • Build strong relationships and support local media as shrinking newsrooms have resulted in the loss and reduction of local newspapers and broadcast outlets, which are the most trusted news sources in an increasingly polarized and media-distrustful society.

Substack Lures More Journalism Talent

What Happened: With traditional news outlets demanding more from time-strapped reporters (see item above), some high-profile journalists are leaving traditional media publications to pursue niche media alternatives. One is newsletter platform Substack, which allows full editorial control, a direct relationship with a subscriber audience and monetization tools. Last week, CNN's Parija Kavilanz and The Washington Post's  Taylor Lorenz both announced on LinkedIn they would be leaving their posts to launch their own media platforms, Bagable and User Mag, respectively.

"After two decades in traditional media, I noticed that many great stories—those about innovation and purpose-driven companies—often go untold,” says Parija Kavilanz, Co-Founder and Chief Storyteller at Bagable Media, whose mission is to dive deeper into consumer shopping habits. “I'm building a platform where I have the creative freedom now to choose the stories I want to report and write about."

Communications Takeaways: Substack represents a new crop of niche media platforms that are increasingly attractive to journalists seeking ownership of their content and the freedom to pursue their editorial passions. In light of traditional earned media opportunities dwindling, it provides an additional outlet for PR pros to consider targeting.

Meredith Klein, former Pinterest and Walmart communications executive, urges PR professionals to include Substack publications on their pitch list. “More media are, and will continue, to follow suit,” Klein says. “Pitch Substacks the same way you would pitch a publication. Include Substack authors on your media list, sending them news and offering them interviews.”

Klein also advises PR pros to stay close to reporters dabbling with Substacks on the side, because “this side hustle could be a steppingstone, testing the waters for a future career move. Be an early adopter and subscribe to Substacks, getting a feel for what they cover, how often and the formatanalysis vs. interviews vs. reposting of news, etc.”

Messaging Advice for Organizations During Election Season

What happened: The Edward M. Kennedy Institute, which promotes the role of the Senate in government and preserving democracy, released three tips to help companies communicate their values effectively and appropriately during this election season. Kennedy Institute CEO and former elected official Adam Hinds offered up the following advice:

  • “Frame this and every election as an opportunity to elevate democratic fundamentals. We can all agree that participating in our elections and having a say in the direction of the country is a central part of being American. Focus on the role our democracy can play in mediating conflict and ensure our electoral infrastructure is strong."
  • “American government works better when it works together. We must find ways to cooperate and collaborate with each other on those core issues that matter to all of us… Highlight those issues that match your mission and values and which provide opportunities for common ground.”
  • “Support civics education at every educational level to ensure the preservation of American democracy.”

Communications takeaways: An atmosphere as politically-charged as the present one—and poised to become more so as election season progresses—can make it challenging for organizations to communicate key messages about their mission and values without the risk of stirring up controversy. But engaging less with the public in an effort to avoid any opposition can make establishing, maintaining and protecting reputation more difficult.

Rather than shy away from communicating in this moment, Hinds recommends that PR professionals “help their clients focus on our commonalities rather than our differences. There are ways to link your client's goals and objectives with the principles of bipartisanship and democracy that we all share.”

On when the time is right to comment on an issue tied to the election, “brands should consider commenting... when they are asked and when they see an opportunity to link their mission and values with the national dialogue,” Hinds says. “It doesn't make sense to comment on things that are outside of your focus, but that doesn't mean you should shy away from commenting at all. In fact, by honing in on what we have in common and how that supports a functioning democracy, companies and organizations can help elevate the national dialogue at a time when a little common sense will go a long way."

Kaylee Hultgren is Content Director at PRNEWS.