An Industry Divided on Data
Storytelling has always been at the heart of journalism, but data has now become an essential ingredient. The majority of journalists are relying on data to measure success and to shape their editorial strategy. For nearly 2 in 5 journalists, data will play an even larger role in how they approach their work this year. At the same time, many journalists struggle with the pressure to prioritise stories that are “popular” in terms of engagement and views; as one respondent noted, “So much of journalism has become about ‘clicks’ and ‘shares’ and those often seem to take precedence over keeping the public informed.”
The Secret to Winning Journalists Over Comes Down to One Thing
A consistent theme throughout the survey results was the need for relevant content from the public relations professionals who reach out to them. When asked to describe the “perfect” PR pitch, relevance was by far the most cited factor – but it was only one element of many ways for public relations professionals to stand out.
Media Outreach is Not One-Size-Fits-All Globally
This year, we looked at how journalists around the world differ when it comes to the challenges they face, the way they work, and what they want from media relations teams. The variations in how journalists across North America, EMEA, and APAC countries perceive their biggest challenges, approach social media, utilise PR content, and define success should be key considerations for PR teams working with international clients.
The Impact of Independent Journalism
As more journalists build their brands outside of traditional media outlets, we were curious to see how independent and freelance journalists’ perspectives differed from those who were full-time staffers. There are notable differences in how journalists in each camp perceive industry challenges, define success, and prioritise content – all of which can influence what they want and need from their PR partners.
Journalists Have Mixed Feelings on AI
The explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini (previously Bard) last year left many in the media grappling with its many implications and possible dangers. One in four survey respondents cited AI as one of their biggest challenges as a journalist, but nearly half are leveraging AI in various ways and at various levels – from brainstorming story ideas to helping with research.
Content Is King, and Multimedia Is the Heir Apparent
The number one social media platform journalists plan to have more presence on in the coming year is Instagram (and YouTube and TikTok aren’t far behind), which aligns with the finding that multimedia is among the types of content journalists want the most from PR professionals – and that the right multimedia can be the key to securing coveted earned media coverage.
Changing Audience Behaviors Present New Challenges
While journalists cited “maintaining credibility as a trusted news source” as the top industry challenge of the last year (for the second year in a row), “adapting to changing audience behaviors around media consumption” was right on its heels. “Competing with social media influencers and digital content creators for audience attention” made its way into the top five (following “lack of staffing and resources” and “declining revenue”). These emerging challenges indicate that journalists are struggling to keep up with changes in the way audiences get their news and information.
An Industry Divided on Data
Storytelling has always been at the heart of journalism, but data has now become an essential ingredient. The majority of journalists are relying on data to measure success and to shape their editorial strategy. For nearly 2 in 5 journalists, data will play an even larger role in how they approach their work this year. At the same time, many journalists struggle with the pressure to prioritise stories that are “popular” in terms of engagement and views; as one respondent noted, “So much of journalism has become about ‘clicks’ and ‘shares’ and those often seem to take precedence over keeping the public informed.”
The Secret to Winning Journalists Over Comes Down to One Thing
A consistent theme throughout the survey results was the need for relevant content from the public relations professionals who reach out to them. When asked to describe the “perfect” PR pitch, relevance was by far the most cited factor – but it was only one element of many ways for public relations professionals to stand out.
Media Outreach is Not One-Size-Fits-All Globally
This year, we looked at how journalists around the world differ when it comes to the challenges they face, the way they work, and what they want from media relations teams. The variations in how journalists across North America, EMEA, and APAC countries perceive their biggest challenges, approach social media, utilise PR content, and define success should be key considerations for PR teams working with international clients.
The Impact of Independent Journalism
As more journalists build their brands outside of traditional media outlets, we were curious to see how independent and freelance journalists’ perspectives differed from those who were full-time staffers. There are notable differences in how journalists in each camp perceive industry challenges, define success, and prioritise content – all of which can influence what they want and need from their PR partners.
Journalists Have Mixed Feelings on AI
The explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini (previously Bard) last year left many in the media grappling with its many implications and possible dangers. One in four survey respondents cited AI as one of their biggest challenges as a journalist, but nearly half are leveraging AI in various ways and at various levels – from brainstorming story ideas to helping with research.
Content Is King, and Multimedia Is the Heir Apparent
The number one social media platform journalists plan to have more presence on in the coming year is Instagram (and YouTube and TikTok aren’t far behind), which aligns with the finding that multimedia is among the types of content journalists want the most from PR professionals – and that the right multimedia can be the key to securing coveted earned media coverage.
Changing Audience Behaviors Present New Challenges
While journalists cited “maintaining credibility as a trusted news source” as the top industry challenge of the last year (for the second year in a row), “adapting to changing audience behaviors around media consumption” was right on its heels. “Competing with social media influencers and digital content creators for audience attention” made its way into the top five (following “lack of staffing and resources” and “declining revenue”). These emerging challenges indicate that journalists are struggling to keep up with changes in the way audiences get their news and information.
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