3 ways to adapt to the media landscape

Keenan J. Emery is account director at Method Communications. 

There’s been quite a bit of PR hand wringing about the shifting media landscape, and while it’s true that smaller Substacks, newsletters and LinkedIn are quality options with increasing credibility, I believe it’s more of a changing of the guard than a cataclysmic shift. We’ve seen media heavyweights like Alex Konrad (formerly at Forbes) and Ron Miller (formerly at TechCrunch) leave traditional outlets to do their own thing, but other players are already rising to a similar status as their predecessors. Look no further than Rashi Shrivastava at Forbes whose quality coverage and newsletter “The Prompt” have established her as one of the leading AI journalists.

With that said, there have been big changes in the broader media industry that PR pros need to pay attention to, or risk the wrath of reporters. Here are three ways to adapt to the current media landscape.

Say goodbye to the 24-hour followup rule

I’ve always believed that the follow-up to an email pitch is more important than the original message because it forces you to concisely recap what you offered a reporter in about 90% less words.

It’s common for PR people to follow-up with journalists a day after sending a pitch. While this may vary based on the urgency of your message, reporters are typically okay with you following-up 24-48 hours later. But that’s changing.

At a recent media dinner with several well-known journalists at high profile publications, their message was clear – bandwidth is extremely limited at the moment with nearly every journalist working the longest hours they ever have. The majority said it takes them two to three days to get caught up on pitches due to understaffed newsrooms. 

That’s why we need to change our approach and give reporters some grace by following up several days later. In reality, it’s on us to be thoughtful in how we plan campaigns and pitching initiatives so WE build in the time for follow-ups without ever getting into “desperation PR mode”. No reporter likes being emailed, called and hit up via DMs because a PR team didn’t plan well enough in advance. 

And remember, if you really want media coverage, say and do interesting things.

The embargo sweet spot

Journalist Jon Schwartz made some waves on LinkedIn a month ago when he challenged a PR commandment – that you need at least a week to pitch something under embargo. According to Jon: “If I get embargoed survey results that are a week away, I am unlikely to write on the topic. The current daily news cycle in tech is so frenetic, I don’t have the bandwidth to sit on news for days.” In fact, in another comment he said his sweet spot for embargoed news is two to three days in advance. 

Sam Sabin from Axios echoed this with a similar sentiment, asking PR teams not to pitch her too early for meetings ahead of the annual security event, RSA.

And while Schwartz and Sabin don’t speak for all reporters, there are several valuable lessons here. First, do your research before you pitch a reporter (I shouldn’t have to say this!), and second, rethink your approach to embargoed outreach. Maybe offering an exclusive to one particular reporter is better than offering it broadly to several. Take the time to consider if it is in your best interest to start media outreach around an announcement three weeks early. 

Don’t be a stickler

I think it’s about time we retire the term“news cycle.” There is nothing cyclical about it – it’s a series of fires everyday that the media have to cover. From tariffs to natural disasters to new AI models every hour, reporters are understandably overwhelmed. 

As a result, I’ve had multiple opportunities with media that had to be moved or changed due to breaking news pulling them in a different direction.

Adaptability is everything. If you have a “moveable” announcement or story, and a reporter requests more time to write, do all you can to accommodate them. And plan for the possibility that things will be moved, because in today’s news landscape, it’s not an “if”– it’s a “when.” 

The takeaway? PR is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Every reporter has different beats and preferences, but today’s constant is the relentless pace of news. It’s our job as PR professionals to adapt to the realities facing reporters and adjust our tactics over time. Be thoughtful and kind in how you engage with reporters– I promise they will notice, remember, and ultimately reward you for it.