FLOWLab⁵’s Post

Here's an interesting prediction about the future of public relations and journalism. My hope is that leaders and citizens will recognize the vital importance of journalism to our society, particularly local journalism, and will fund and support a resurgence to its former glory, or make it flourish even more! Post a note in the comments to let me know if you agree or disagree with this prediction.

🚨 Media consultant and former journalist, Hannah Storm, emphasizes that in 2024, prioritizing the safety of #journalists should be the central focus of #newsrooms. "The news industry has been lurching from coverage of one external crisis to another in the past few years. Historic numbers of people displaced by conflict and disaster, the unexpected election of polarising politicians, a global pandemic: each of these has demanded extensive investment by journalism organisations, so too other issues that have exposed inequity on a societal scale." 🔎 In a #Insight piece for PMA, Hannah Storm explores the imperative for #newsrooms to formulate strategies that address both the physical and mental well-being of journalists, acknowledging the diverse and constant challenges faced by newsrooms today. 💭“I worry our industry is facing an existential crisis where we are no longer equipped to deal with the demands of daily news, because there is just too much” Read the full article 👇

It's no secret that journalism is facing an uncertain future. With the U.S. projected to lose one-third of its newspapers by year-end compared to 2005 and 204 U.S. counties without any local newspapers, it's hard not to be concerned. Yet, it's important to remember that journalists bring a unique blend of skepticism and earnestness to any issue. Let's hope they continue to be an essential part of our future. #journalism #media #newspapers #magazines #futureofmedia

Perplexity's Depressing Answer to the question of the state of journalism. "In January 2024, the journalism industry experienced a significant wave of layoffs, with over 500 journalists being laid off from various news outlets. This trend follows a challenging year for the news business, which saw a total of 3,087 digital, broadcast, and print news jobs cut in 2023, the highest annual total since 2020. The layoffs affected both national and local news organizations, including well-known outlets such as NBC News, Time magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and Sports Illustrated. The impact of these layoffs is not only financial but also has implications for the coverage of important events such as the upcoming election, as it may lead to a reduction in robust political coverage. The layoffs have also raised concerns about the diversity of newsroom staff, as many diverse journalists have been affected, potentially hindering the ability of news organizations to engage with diverse audiences. The layoffs have been attributed to various factors, including the ongoing challenges in the journalism industry's business model, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the changing landscape of news consumption. The decline in advertising revenue, the failure of some digital media business models, and the reluctance of technology companies to pay publishers for their content have also contributed to the financial strain on news organizations. The recent layoffs have led to increased tensions between management and unions, with several media companies experiencing strikes and walkouts by their employees. Some companies have also announced plans to sell off certain brands in an effort to alleviate financial pressures. Overall, the wave of layoffs in the journalism industry reflects the ongoing struggle to adapt to changing business models and consumer behavior. The impact of these layoffs goes beyond just numbers, affecting the diversity of news coverage and raising questions about the future of journalism...' https://lnkd.in/d3z2haZF

Some of the things that can happen when journalists think themselves somewhat nobler than other professions: “we become vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by leaders of news organizations who leverage our passion for the mission of journalism as an excuse to underpay, overwork, and keep us chained to our desks — or laptops or mobile phones. It’s better for all of us if newsroom leaders have to compete in the labor market for journalism talent against corporate communications and marketing departments. A seasoned professional journalist can accomplish so much in one day: take on a brand new topic, get up to speed, interview new sources, and turn out an article. We should be compensated well, given the challenge of these tasks.” Is anyone listening ?

📺 What do broadcast journalists want from #pr professionals?? 〰 "Don't shoehorn a story into inboxes just to meet the goals." 〰 "Please pitch us stories that will impact people and offer interviews of everyday people. We don’t want to interview the greatest celebrity on Earth. We want to interview the average Joe." 〰 "Please research where I currently work before you send that pitch. I used to work in financial journalism in NYC, and I also worked in Florida as a local news reporter. When I get a pitch based on previous stories from beats and markets I used to work on, I get a little frustrated that you didn't take the time to see where I work now." The theme in the entire interview that I read? ✨ Relevancy. ✨ Relevancy ensures your pitch is addressed, Relevancy ensures that your relationship with that #journalist is symbiotic, and relevancy ensure that the right ears hear your story. Read more from the insightful Matthew Albasi here: https://lnkd.in/dKarRggQ #publicrelations

🚨In 2024, the safety of #journalists must be at the heart of newsroom thinking, writes media consultant and former journalist, Hannah Storm. "The news industry has been lurching from coverage of one external crisis to another in the past few years. Historic numbers of people displaced by conflict and disaster, the unexpected election of polarising politicians, a global pandemic: each of these has demanded extensive investment by journalism organisations, so too other issues that have exposed inequity on a societal scale." In an #Insight for PMA, Storm discusses the need for #newsrooms to develop strategies that consider the physical and mental safety of journalists, given the constant and diverse challenges newsrooms are facing. 💭“I worry our industry is facing an existential crisis where we are no longer equipped to deal with the demands of daily news, because there is just too much.” Continue reading 👇

🚨For 2024, the safety of #journalists must be at the heart of newsroom thinking, writes media consultant and former journalist, Hannah Storm. "The news industry has been lurching from coverage of one external crisis to another in the past few years. Historic numbers of people displaced by conflict and disaster, the unexpected election of polarising politicians, a global pandemic: each of these has demanded extensive investment by journalism organisations, so too other issues that have exposed inequity on a societal scale." In an #Insight for PMA, Hannah Storm discusses the need for #newsrooms to develop strategies that consider the physical and mental safety of journalists, given the constant and diverse challenges that newsrooms are facing today. 💭“I worry our industry is facing an existential crisis where we are no longer equipped to deal with the demands of daily news, because there is just too much.” Continue reading 👇 https://lnkd.in/efBYYNcE

This article highlights the challenges reporters face when seeking comments from companies and public figures. The phrase “did not respond to a request for comment” is becoming increasingly common in journalism. This trend raises questions about the impact on journalistic integrity and the changing landscape of media communications. https://lnkd.in/e33AuQRy

Do journalists really want to hear from you? As has been the trend for years now, the number of working journalists continues to dwindle, primarily due to layoffs, outlet closures and consolidation, leaving those still in the field with longer hours and much tighter work schedules. In fact, most journalists today work between 41-50 hours, including at least one or two days after hours or on weekends, according to the recent 2024 State of Journalism survey*. While their work schedules may not be of prime importance to you, it should be…if you’re trying to get their attention with a story idea.  And do you know if these journalists even want to hear from you? As long as you’re a PR pro, maybe. Some 70 percent of journalists surveyed ranked PR pros as either important or very important to the success of their jobs, while 29 percent said they are either slightly or not at all important. And frankly, don’t get too puffed up about that 70 percent…because nearly half said they seldom or never respond to PR pitches, while just 18 percent usually respond and 8 percent always do. One possible reason for the relatively low response rate could be that the majority of those surveyed said they get up to 25 pitches per week, while another 23 percent said they get up to 50 per week. There’s simply not enough time in even an extended workweek to reply. Or, perhaps they don’t feel the need. After all, the journalists tell us that nearly 75 percent of the pitches they receive are not pertinent to their coverage area.  So, do you know the reporter(s) who cover your industry or subject matter? And what exactly should your pitch consist of? And is your “news” even pitch-worthy? If so, when and through what means are the best to reach these journalists? A lot more questions than answers here. If you’re unsure of the answers to any of these questions, or more, it’s likely time to call in a PR pro. After all, 70 percent of journalists said they do want to hear from us. Before you venture into the unknown, or worse, turn off one of the few journalists covering your industry, get an expert involved. Rountree Group has an experienced PR team who can develop and implement a successful plan of action that will drive results. Connect with us here for info. *Of the 1,106 journalists surveyed for this year’s State of Journalism, the majority work primarily in the United States, with the remainder worldwide. The majority work full time in the journalism industry, half serving as freelancers. Some 33 percent work locally or regionally, with 30 percent nationally and 29 percent internationally. And 40 percent work with digital publications, 31 percent with newspapers and the remainder work with magazines, broadcast television, trade publications, radio, non-profits, podcasts, etc. An experienced group, nearly 30 percent surveyed said they’ve been a journalist for more than 21 years and another 24 percent for 10 to 20 years. Some 58 percent are reporters or editors.