✅ Five media relations strategies for 2025 based on insight from Reuters and The Financial Times
Corporate communications, public relations, media and management insight
FT Strategies has combined its data sources with the recent Journalism and Technology Trends and Prediction 2025 report from the Reuters Institute Study and called out five issues for the future of new media.
We've pulled out insight for public relations practice, specifically media relations. There's almost certainly nothing here that you don't know already, but it's a helpful consolidation.
1. Journalism embattled but unbowed
With news organisations facing financial pressures and reduced profit margins (5% versus industry-standard 10%+), public relations practitioners should focus on delivering higher-value, ready-to-use content that reduces newsroom resource burden.
2. Disruption of search poses an existential challenge
While search drives 40% of news traffic, the rise of AI and changing discovery patterns means public relations teams need a multi-channel distribution strategy rather than relying solely on SEO and traditional news pickup.
3. Wider platform uncertainties create new dilemmas
With traditional social media platforms declining in effectiveness (Facebook -21%, Twitter -34%), public relations strategies need to adapt to emerging channels and focus more on direct audience relationships.
4. Driving business growth through product innovation
As news organisations experiment with new revenue streams and formats, public relations practitioners should package their stories to align with these new products and platforms.
5. Managing and retaining talent in the newsroom
With newsrooms struggling to retain technical talent but maintaining editorial strength (81% confident in editorial retention), public relations teams should provide compelling narratives and technically optimised content packages.
Have a great week ahead.
Industry
🤝 INDUSTRY INFLUENCE: The PRCA has joined the CBI to shape business and government discussions around issues including AI, skills development and ESG practices. This strategic partnership will allow the public affairs and public relations industry to influence economics and policy, addressing issues such as the economy and the unintended consequences of the Employment Rights Bill. Source: PRCA.
🏛 JOBS FOR PEERS: The decision by public affairs firm Stonehaven to appoint serving peer Baroness Charlotte Vere as a partner sparked criticism by practitioners and industry bodies, who said the move undermined public trust. The issue highlights tension around the role of politicians in lobbying firms and calls for stricter regulation of peers' second jobs. Stonehaven has subsequently stood Baroness Vere down. Source PRWeek.
📊 TALENT TRENDS: The UK PR job market shows mixed signals in February with almost 90 openings across the top 50 UK agencies. Despite economic headwinds and legislative uncertainty affecting overall recruitment, the emergence of specialist AI positions at leading agencies like Brunswick and Edelman signals a shift in skill requirements for the industry. Source: Jobs in PR.
Management
🔍 DATA EVOLUTION: The communications function is uniquely positioned to deliver real-time business intelligence by leveraging its comprehensive view of stakeholder relationships and data sources across media, employees, customers, and competitors. This strategic opportunity enables practitioners to enhance their advisory role by providing management with always-on insights derived from diverse data sources. Source: Wadds Inc.
📊 DATA COLLECTION CRISIS: Since the pandemic, the UK's Labour Force Survey has experienced a sharp decline in response rates, dropping from 40% to 13%. It jeopardises the reliability of national employment statistics. It highlights the need for practitioners to support organisations in modifying their data collection strategies and messaging to tackle challenges such as digital doorbell screening and the growing reluctance of the public to participate in surveys. Source: The Times.
🔒 SAFETY DEBATE: Britain's counterterrorism chief has sparked controversy by advocating a ban on under-16s using social media, comparing its harmful effects to smoking-related cancer risks. This is an opportunity for practitioners to engage in the public debate around digital safety. Opponents highlight the need for more nuanced educational approaches and improved platform safety measures rather than outright bans. Source: The Times.
Media
🌟 POSITIVE OPPORTUNITY: The BBC's shift towards optimistic journalism, exemplified by initiatives such as BBC Radio 3 Unwind and community journalism, demonstrates a growing appetite within the media for uplifting stories during challenging times. This presents a significant opportunity for practitioners to propose positive, solution-focused stories to media outlets seeking to balance their coverage. Source: Alan Morrison.
🎯 AUDIENCE EVOLUTION: Reach plc is launching a series of standalone digital brands targeting 'superfan' communities, starting with All Out Rugby League and expanding into gaming and fighting content later this spring. The pivot towards niche but passionate audiences presents news opportunities for practitioners to develop targeted content partnerships and reach highly engaged communities through specialist platforms. Source: Hold The Front Page.
Social media and technology
📈 REVENUE SURGE: Google's parent company, Alphabet, reported exceptional Q4 2024 performance, with ad revenue reaching £72.46 billion. This is a 10.6% year-over-year increase and sets consecutive quarterly records despite market challenges. This continued growth trajectory, driven by AI innovations like Circle to Search and AI Overviews, shows that users are adapting to new ways of engaging with search and that practitioners must follow suit and adapt SEO strategies. Source: Alphabet.
📱 PINTEREST PEAKS: Do you remember Pinterest? It achieved a record-breaking performance in Q4 2024, reaching 553 million monthly active users and generating £1.2 billion in revenue, showcasing robust growth in European markets. This success, driven by users with shopping intent and enhanced search capabilities, highlights opportunities to leverage Pinterest's expanding platform for product discovery and targeted advertising campaigns. Source: Pinterest.
📊 ENGAGEMENT SHIFTS: The 2025 social media landscape shows TikTok maintaining dominance with a 2.50% engagement rate while Instagram's rate dropped to 0.50%, highlighting the evolving dynamics of social platform effectiveness. This data, analysed from 125 million social media posts, provides useful insights for platform selection and content strategy. TikTok excels in organic reach, while Instagram and Facebook require more strategic paid approaches. Source: Social Insider.
Events
🤝 MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS: I’m looking forward to leading a CIPR Scotland discussion on the alignment of management and public relations from 1pm to 2pm on 20 February 2025. I'm halfway through my PhD research, and this will be a welcome opportunity to share my research and arguments and get feedback from the community as I start my fieldwork. The free event is open to members and non-members. Source: CIPR Scotland.
Thank you to Tricia Fox, Catherine Frankpitt, Alan Morrison, Natalie Orringe, Paul Stollery and Sarah Waddington CBE, and everyone who shares and debates the stories in the newsletter via our Facebook and LinkedIn communities.
Sarah Waddington CBE is a director, Wadds Inc. and interim CEO, PRCA.