Here at Ellipses, we understand that PR is a rapidly evolving industry, which is why we take an integrative approach to yield powerful results for our clients. In this changing media landscape, it’s important for communications professionals to keep up with the trends and issues shaping our industry. Cision’s 2019 State of the Media Report addressed some of the most pressing issues the media is facing, and we’ve summarized the key takeaways.
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Data
Cision reports that media publications are placing a greater emphasis on engagement metrics. In turn, journalists are heavily relying on data to understand their audience and create more engaging content. PR pros should be mindful of this and leverage data in their pitching strategy.
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Social Media
Social networks and fake news are some of the top challenges journalists are facing today. Cision reports that more journalists now believe social networks bypassing traditional media is the biggest challenge facing journalism when compared to the results of the 2018 survey. More journalists now also believe social media algorithms will be the technology with the biggest impact on their work this year.
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Press Releases & Pitches
According to Cision, one of the most common themes in this year’s survey is that pitches need to be more relevant. Journalists report that less than a quarter of the pitches they receive are relevant. It is important for PR professionals to do their research and understand the target audience of the journalist they’re contacting.
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Distrust in the media
Reporting the truth is more important than ever. When Cision asked journalists if the public lost or gained trust in the media over the last year, 63% feel the public lost trust. While this is still high, it’s the lowest it’s been in years.
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Lack of resources
It’s been a tumultuous year for journalism. Facing a lack of resources, journalists are overwhelmed and overworked. Cision reports that more than one-third of journalists globally publish more than seven articles a week.
Our team’s biggest takeaway from this report was the importance of accuracy and relevance.
As PR professionals, our greatest asset is the relationships we have with members of the media. Their trust in us to provide them with accurate and relevant content is of paramount importance. Members of the media are relying on public relations now more than ever.
Cision reports that in 2019, 27% of journalists said their relationships with PR professionals had gotten more valuable.
It is up to the PR professional to cultivate valuable relationships by delivering engaging content and being mindful when pitching.
We know that journalists are making data-driven decisions when it comes to content, so it is important to do your homework and understand a journalist’s audience when sending pitches and announcements. By being a partner to journalists, we can ensure we deliver the best results for our clients. It is essential to our success that we not only represent the best clients, but that we are the best to work with, and that starts with our relationship with the media.