Pitching Smarter: Storytelling in the age of new media

Ask any communications professional: the only constant in the media landscape is that there is no constant. But as my colleague Kenneth Craig shared in a blog post last year, “This evolution isn't just a trend. It's a transformation that demands our attention and adaptation.” 

The new media landscape didn’t materialize overnight. Today, the most important questions are: how did we get here, and where can PR and comms pros go next? 

How We Got Here

Changes to the media landscape are nothing new. For years, we’ve seen think pieces on the death of print media and traditional news cycles as social media became king. But this isn’t a fad—these mediums are here to stay.

Here’s what makes these new channels so critical: 

1. Speed: These new mediums move a lot faster than traditional media, meaning audiences can easily stay on top of changing news cycles and take in the latest updates in real-time.  We’ve even seen traditional media introduce their own platforms – from newsletters to podcasts and robust social platforms – to compete.  

2. Accessibility: As much as we may hate to admit it, reading multiple articles to get the download on the day’s news can take up valuable time that could be spent reacting to the news. Newsletters, podcasts, and social posts condense the most important information into one spot, making it easier to digest.

3. Engagement: People are increasingly gathering news from social media and other sources outside of traditional media. By putting news on the platforms where readers are more likely to see it, audience engagement naturally increases. 

The Key Players

Newsletters are a major player in the new media landscape. Top-tier outlets are shifting priorities and many have had to cut their newsroom staff significantly, leaving journalists to find alternative methods to report the latest without leaning on lengthy full-length features.  

Many of them have started their own newsletters and blogs to stick to their beat and continue to build trust in their industry. It also helps that email is still a primary platform for reaching readers. Statista found that, by 2027, there will be an estimated 4.89 billion email users worldwide (over half of the world’s current population). Why not bring the biggest stories right to their doorstep?

Think of your favorite newsletters. They’re usually very specific and address niche interests that you can’t get anywhere else (a personal favorite of mine is Don’t Rock the Inbox—a country music newsletter that focuses on the artists that “push the genre forward and outward”). This makes readers highly engaged and excited about newsletters as soon as they hit the inbox.

Readers are drawn to newsletters that are highly curated and easily digestible. The best newsletters are both personalized and credible, especially when written by experts who are passionate about their beat. 

LinkedIn, similarly, provides a platform for anyone to contribute to the conversation. Engagement is high, the barrier to entry is virtually nonexistent, and the rewards are strong. According to the Pew Research Center in November, roughly 1 in 5 Americans – and a much higher share of adults under 30 (37%) – say they regularly get news from influencers on social media. These social platforms such as LinkedIn allow brands to create touchpoints with consumers on the sites where they’re already spending their time and attention. A considerable and engaged following on LinkedIn can sometimes show more marketing results than a press release, when done correctly. 

Podcasts are certainly nothing new on the media scene, but their value is also not to be ignored. In the last 3 days (as I write this), 96,201 new podcast episodes have been published, according to Podcast Index. The field may be full of experts, but there’s always room for more conversations as long as you add value. Podcasts provide the time and space that experts can really let their stories and personalities shine. Especially when diving into technical content, podcast interviews increase accessibility and cultivate authenticity by letting experts get into in-depth topics while remaining conversational. As an added bonus, podcasts usually carry with them a loyal audience of listeners who tune into episodes on a regular basis, ensuring higher engagement. 

Where PR is Going

Given new media is here to stay, our practices are changing too making media relations just as critical (if not more so) to navigate these new opportunities. The stories aren’t changing, but the way we tell them has already started to evolve. 

Here’s how brands can make the most of media relations in today’s landscape:

• Become a Pitch Artist: Cision’s 2024 State of the Media Report found that 55% of journalists are more likely to consider a pitch that features multimedia elements (think graphs or diagrams), and 8 in 10 used those multimedia elements in their stories.

• Cast a Wide Net: When building out media lists, think beyond the traditional journalist friendlies you’ve pitched in the past. They’re still great resources, but expand your search to include experts with a wide LinkedIn following, charismatic podcast hosts, or trusted newsletters in the space to pitch stories.

• Skip the Press Release: Look beyond traditional methods to share news and announcements instead of sharing long transcripts of press releases. Maybe share the same content in a podcast or a Q&A with a key industry influencer. Getting creative shows how exciting your news can really be. 

• Engage, Engage, Engage: When building relationships with new media players, be everywhere. Comment on LinkedIn posts, repost their content with your thoughts, and show that you truly value their expertise. 

• But Don’t Get Too Clingy: Know when to back off. Cision’s State of the Media Report also found that journalists have zero tolerance for irrelevant follow-ups, and only 2% want to receive pitches via social media. Relationships take trust, and respecting journalists’ boundaries scores a lot more points in the long run than a passing media mention.

Conclusion

Just because the media landscape is changing doesn’t mean that media relations is out the window. Creator-driven platforms such as LinkedIn, newsletters, and podcasts are the next frontier of communications, offering new ways to get in touch with audiences and tell stories in innovative ways. The conversation is already happening on these platforms, so it’s time to show up, stay plugged-in, and be ready to pivot.