In today’s information age, the role of media is paramount in shaping public opinion and guiding the collective consciousness. However, beneath the surface lies a network of covert operations and hidden agendas that manipulate the news we consume. This article delves deep into the mechanisms through which media outlets covertly influence narratives and control the flow of information. The Hidden Hand: Media Manipulation Tactics https://lnkd.in/eQjQywmE

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I see where you're coming from, and I agree with your perspective. However, the rise of owned channels has given brands and businesses more control over their narratives, allowing them to bypass traditional #media #gatekeepers and speak directly to their target #audiences. This shift meant that companies can now deliver their messages on their terms, whether or not they captured the attention of #journalists. In many cases, businesses no longer depend on press coverage to get their stories out—they're becoming the masters of their own stories; thanks to the dominance of Meta - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (X - I still will call it Twitter, to be honest), and Google as primary distributors of news content. What’s even more interesting, (at least in the East African Market) is the reversal in dynamics: journalists are increasingly looking to brand websites, social media, and other owned platforms to find #business stories. This shows how much control has shifted into the hands of businesses, and why traditional press releases often feel secondary or supplementary. Unless a story holds significant public interest—where media reach can amplify the message—businesses no longer break back to gain #visibility. So let me say this; the press release model has turned into one small part of many broader, multi-channel communications strategies. But innovative media still rules ( I will tell you why), and when it collapses, we will know. Brandcom Consulting Limited.

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🚨 For the first time since 1977, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association have walked out, and with them, nearly half of U.S. imports could be at a standstill. 🚨 Businesses across the country are bracing for significant disruptions that could have ripple effects on their supply chains just as we head into the busiest retail season of the year. Ben H., co-CEO of Katana Cloud Inventory, warns that businesses need to act now (or better yet, weeks and months ago) to mitigate the impact of this strike. The "strike could have major effects on business owners’ supply chains, especially for small and medium-sized business owners who are preparing for their busiest quarter of the year,” he told Inc. Magazine. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that disruption is inevitable, but those who plan ahead come out stronger. I’ve also learned that the strongest companies—and clients—I partner with have made supply chain security and resilience a pillar of successful business. Link to story in comments. 👇

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The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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Check out one of my popular FWA blog posts, Crafting a Sell Sheet for your book to take to book stores, libraries, etc. You can do it quickly and easily for free in Canva!

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PLACING OP-EDS IS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT. HERE'S WHY: The landscape is shrinking. According to Axios, outlets like CNN and Gannett are cutting back their opinion pages. Moreover, business and trade outlets are declining AI-assisted content. Thought leaders are increasingly publishing their opinions on social media, not traditional media. But publishing you opinion in traditional media adds cachet to your message and guarantees a wide audience. And there are still 1,100 US-based outlets publishing outside content. MY OPINION: If you have something to say, consider which audience you want to reach, and choose the appropriate outlet. Don’t rule out traditional media OR social media. To maximize impact, write a compelling and timely piece. Consider collaborating with a professional writer.

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“Did not respond to a request for comment.” Seems there’s a growing trend of companies and sources simply 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 requests from the media to respond to a journalist’s questions. But – is it wise? In a piece from the Columbia Journalism Review (link below), Paul Farhi cites a It cites a fivefold increase in this trend over the past 10 years. The article delves into why it’s in a company’s best interests to respond to a journalist’s questions. Reasons include: ✅ It allows a source to share their side of the story. “It’s the job of spokespeople to tell the best story about the companies they represent,” says Oliver Darcy of CNN. ✅ Sources can dispute facts before publication and, in some cases, steer a reporter away from publishing it (“Reporters don’t want to publish something that’s not true”). ✅ Working with a reporter can help you build trust and a relationship that brings benefits over time. It's important to remember that building and maintaining a business's reputation is, after all, a long game. ✅ If a company says nothing, it may appear as though it’s confirming a story is correct – and staying quiet or ghosting reporters could lead to even more scrutiny. Often, the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 way to approach a reporter’s request for comment is to fail to respond. While it may be uncomfortable to answer questions, imagine how unsettling it'll be if the story runs 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 the company's point of view represented? ✅ It takes A LOT to get a correction made if the story runs with an error and the company tries to correct it after the fact. Speaking from experience, I can say it’s a 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 more straightforward path to respond to the original request than to try to correct it later. 👉 On that note, be sure to have a media contact listed on your company’s site. The contact should monitor and respond to messages daily. Reporters are often on deadline and need a prompt response to their questions. Side note: I appreciate this story’s use of the terms “earned” and “owned” media, which we don’t see used often enough (although ads, which are also mentioned, fall under "paid" media). #B2BPR #publicrelations #earnedmedia #PRTips

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Every paragraph in this article about headline writing is terrific. Not a word more or less than needs to be said. It's a testament to clear, actionable writing. So read it for the sake of understanding what a great article looks like, but also read it for the takeaways about headline writing for journalists...because the insights are also applicable to the corporate journos[1] among us. In short: Recent research suggests that keeping headlines straightforward can significantly boost reader interaction and comprehension. 1. Simplicity Wins: Headlines with simple, common words and a narrative style receive more clicks. For example, using "job" instead of "occupation" can increase engagement. 2. Reader vs. Journalist Preferences: Typical news readers prefer simple headlines, while journalists do not. (This is often *my* problem.) 3. Engagement and Recall: Simple headlines attract more clicks and improve reader recall and engagement with the article's content. https://lnkd.in/gwMKEsic

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Join me July 11 at 3:30 EST for this Notified webinar, where I'll share advice and tips on effectively pitching your press releases to journalists. Hope to see you there, along with the 800+ people already registered - the link to sign up is in the comments. We'll cover: ➡️ What a press release is - and isn't - for 👍 ➡️ What to include in a well-written release 📝 ➡️ The best methods to pitch your news to journalists 🗣 ➡️ Other ways you can repurpose your release ♻️ #publicrelations #mediarelations #PRtips

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You might see some promotional publicity in the media for a new book purportedly about public relations from what its publisher claims is a 'top operative.' Consistent with the historic tension between hacks vs. flacks, some journos will jump at the chance to platform someone especially if it provides an opportunity to position lying and manipulation as the essence of PR. Bad boys and 'high stakes' take-the-money firms might steal a few sensational headlines, but they are actually at the fringes and on the bottom of an industry where most practitioners around the world counsel candor and transparency in the public domain for clients with worthy points of view. #publicrelations #PR #ethics #propaganda https://a.co/d/0dP8eAG8 https://lnkd.in/eucAfEDU https://lnkd.in/ek2wk3Pg

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Nothing beats an "in-person" meeting with an industry analyst or consultant. Relationships are the meat and potatoes of boosting your value as a company. I always to try to line them up with my key spokespeople or even myself at conferences, trade shows, events, analyst days, or when traveling to their local city. And listen to their ideas, vision and thoughts NOT just your agenda. #analystrelations #relationships #analysts #consultants #tradeshows #events #conferences #strategy #marketing

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A client's spokesperson recently used ChatGPT to help them write responses to a reporter's questions. Here's why that's a no-go (and why I asked them to re-write before I sent it!). ➡ Reporters are REALLY good at Googling and doing online research. They *literally* do this professionally. They don't really need generic quotes from you about information that's already publicly available online (and if it's in a public LLM, likely years old). Plus, in many cases, using AI-generated content violates their editorial or ethical guidelines. If you're stumped at how to respond to a reporter's questions, here are some great ideas for what you might bring to the table that AI cannot: 🌟 Anecdotes/stories that reflect your personal experience with the topic/subject of the interview. 🌟 Unique insights about what's happening behind the scenes - what don't people know or understand about how your industry works? What aren't people paying attention to right now that's going to be huge? 🌟 Stories or examples about your customers - how does this topic impact them? What have you heard from them? 🌟 Advice on who else they should connect with or other potential sources of information that you are aware of as an industry insider. Offering value that goes beyond promoting yourself is a great way to build a strong relationship! I don't believe this spokesperson intended to "cheat" on their media interview - they simply thought they were being more efficient. But just to be safe... I now always use a tool that checks for AI-generated content before I send quotes to a reporter 😁 #PR #journalism #publicrelations #mediarelations

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68% of journalists say the press release is still one of the most useful types of content for building earned media coverage and brand equity. But first, you need a news angle. Read when to use and when not in the new 2024 report from Cision. #publicrelations #pressrelease #earnedmedia

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How people consume information (and where they find it) continues to be a fragmented and splintered landscape. Understanding and tracking these changes and audiences is important for every industry, not just elections. https://lnkd.in/gsHHENXm

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This article from Columbia Journalism Review is fascinating, and an argument for the importance of a reputation management communication plan. There are volumes authored by PR pros advising against ignoring reporters inquiries, yet this article documents how frequently it happens. Throughout my career, I can count on one hand the number of times I have made a calculated decision not to respond to a media request, and 99.9% of the time it was after multiple engagements with a reporter who repeatedly misrepresented or distorted information (even if not intentionally). I suspect, more often than not, reporters get ghosted because the brand is caught off guard. They haven't planned how they will respond in a reputation crisis. Or haven't socialized the planned response with stakeholders. If the PR team is haggling with executives and lawyers on what to say or how to say it when the reporters' questions start rolling in, the opportunity to frame the narrative is quickly lost. Thanks for sharing the article Jennifer Johnson Avril! https://lnkd.in/gYmTA9CW

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More and more, I'm seeing journalists post on LinkedIn with advice for PR professionals. I think this is great. It's a way for editors and reporters to vent their thoughts about how they're getting pitched without sending a mean email to a PR who sends them a bad pitch on a stressful day. As an editor, I was often frustrated with the quality of pitches I received. So I complained to my colleagues. Journalists love to do this. But it wasn't really a productive thing. I wish LinkedIn had been a more robust professional network at the time. This is much better. And while it's obvious that Shaun was a bit frustrated, it's good that he asked kindly. It's even better that he gave a specific example of what is not helpful. I also thought it was funny that this was about cybersecurity, because that was always the example I gave when explaining how so many pitches I got sounded the same. "Cybersecurity is a huge problem for the world; here's how our company is helping solve it." Now they're just throwing in AI.

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Today is World Press Freedom Day and there is a lot of attention on imprisoned US reporters Austin Tice and Evan Gershkovich. Print reporters who are largely unknown to the general public and who are behind bars in Syria and Russia seem very abstract to most people. They may only vaguely know the circumstances or the latest. But both those men were just reporting news and are being unlawfully detained. A free and functioning press is one of the pillars of a functioning democracy. We lose the press and democracy will get glitchy... Three things you can do right now: 1. Read about their case and inform yourself. 2. Post about their case on social media and write your member of Congress. 3. Subscribe to a reputable source of news. Pay for it if you need to and remember that if you want quality you usually have to pay for it.

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