If the election can teach us anything, it’s that mainstream media is losing its hold on the public. We’ve known this for at least a year, especially in light of all the media outlets shuttering or laying off in droves, combined with post-truth America, but the election shined a massive spotlight on it.
Kamala Harris appeared on 60 Minutes and The View and didn’t connect with as many young women as she did through the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. Donald Trump reached 33 million viewers through the Joe Rogan podcast—and he didn’t even bother with 60 Minutes.
At least 135 million Americans tune into podcasts every week. TikTok, Substack, Twitch, and Instagram play a major role in how information is distributed. And we’ve already seen companies completely bypass mainstream media during fashion shows, movie premiers, crisis communications, and more.
Earlier this year, Axios demonstrated at least 12 media bubbles—from podcasts and social media to private communities and newsletters. Guess what was not on that list?
If you’re still crafting your communications program based on yesterday’s playbook of traditional media (and that counts the trades, too), you’re already behind.
The World…It Is a Changin’!
The numbers tell a sobering story. In January 2024 alone, more than 500 news workers lost their jobs across major outlets like NBC News, Sports Illustrated, and the Los Angeles Times. The traditional media landscape isn’t just changing—it’s crumbling. Tech giants have commandeered advertising revenues, leaving established publications scrambling for survival behind paywalls that further distance them from their audiences.
Yet amid this upheaval, new channels are thriving in ways that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
A single Joe Rogan podcast episode reaches 33 million viewers, surpassing multiple prime-time cable news appearances combined. “Call Her Daddy” is the second largest behind Rogan’s podcast. And with more than 135 million people tuning into podcasts weekly, an entirely new ecosystem of influence and engagement exists.
The message couldn’t be clearer: the gatekeepers have lost their keys, and the walls they once guarded have crumbled.
Understanding the New Earned Media
Earlier this year, we explored how the PESO Model© has evolved in response to changing media dynamics. The traditional boundaries between the media types are dissolving faster than ever, creating a new landscape where influence flows through channels we might never have considered legitimate just a few years ago.
Today’s media ecosystem consists of distinct bubbles with influencers, channels, and audience expectations. The key to success isn’t trying to reach all of them—it’s identifying which bubbles matter for your objectives and mastering those specific environments.
Take the podcast revolution, for instance. Podcasts aren’t just another channel—they’ve become a primary source of long-form content consumption. They offer something traditional media cannot: authentic, unfiltered conversations that resonate deeply with specific audiences. When Joe Rogan interviews a guest, listeners often stick around for three hours or more, engaging with ideas and discussions in ways impossible with traditional media.
Simultaneously, we’re witnessing a newsletter renaissance that’s redefining industry expertise. As journalists leave traditional outlets, many build substantial followings on platforms like Substack. These newsletters often carry more weight with specific professional communities than traditional publications ever did. They’re not just delivering news but fostering communities around shared interests and expertise.
The rise of micro-influencers represents another fundamental shift in how information spreads. The old metrics of reach have given way to the power of relevance. A micro-influencer speaking directly to your target audience can deliver better results than a national outlet, reaching millions of irrelevant viewers. This shift requires us to rethink how we measure success and value in earned media.
Securing Executive Buy-In
Every communications professional has faced this moment: Your executive asks why they should spend time with an outlet they’ve never heard of instead of pursuing that elusive Wall Street Journal interview. It doesn’t matter if your audience reads the Journal or the NY Times; they still want it.
It’s time to flip this conversation on its head.
While Bussin’ with the Boys, Impaulsive, Call Her Daddy, or Club Shay Shay may not be targets for your subject matter experts or organization, these are the channels where the presidential candidates chose to appear. Not out of desperation but because they understood modern influence. They went where their target audiences spend time.
The key to securing executive buy-in is helping them understand that influence has changed. Traditional media credentials no longer guarantee audience attention or trust. Instead, it’s time to focus on platforms and personalities that have built genuine connections with specific audiences.
This requires a shift in how we think about media strategy. Rather than chasing broad reach, we need to focus on relevant reach. Instead of measuring success by outlet prestige, we should measure it by audience engagement and action. This means developing new metrics and success criteria that reflect the reality of modern media consumption.
The New Earned Media Strategy
The new earned media landscape demands a fundamentally different approach. First, we need to understand our audiences demographically and behaviorally. Where do they spend their time? Who do they trust? What content formats resonate with them?
This understanding needs to go deeper than surface-level data. It requires real insight into the communities and conversations that matter.
Channel selection becomes more nuanced in this environment. Rather than simply targeting the biggest names in media, we need to identify the voices and platforms that truly influence our specific audiences. This might mean prioritizing an industry-specific newsletter over a national newspaper or choosing a focused podcast over a broadcast TV appearance.
Content adaptation is crucial in this new landscape. Different platforms require different approaches, and success often depends on understanding and respecting these differences. A message that works in a traditional media interview might fall flat on a podcast, where authenticity and conversation trump polished messaging.
The Art of Execution
Success in the new media landscape requires skills and resources different from those of traditional media relations. Building relationships with new types of influencers requires understanding their unique perspectives and priorities. These aren’t traditional journalists; they’re content creators, community builders, and conversation starters.
As someone who is pitched multiple times a day, I can tell you from firsthand experience that pitching me the same way as a journalist does not work. But a comms pro rarely takes the time to understand who our audience is or what kinds of content we create. When they do, they almost always get a response and a placement. The rest of them? I delete in bulk every day.
Content creation needs to be more flexible and authentic. The days of the single, polished press release are over. Instead, we need to create content that can be adapted and transformed for different platforms while maintaining its core message and authenticity. No challenge there, right?
Measuring What Matters
The traditional metrics of earned media success—advertising equivalencies and media impressions, even number of placements and share of voice—are quaint in today’s landscape. Today’s earned media requires us to think differently about measurement. We need to understand how many people we reached, how deeply we connected with them, and what actions they took as a result.
Engagement has become the new currency of media success. When a podcast listener spends three hours with your executive, they’re not just consuming content but building a relationship with your brand. The interviewee becomes someone we trust on a completely different level.
When newsletter subscribers forward your story to their colleagues, they’re not just sharing information, they’re endorsing your expertise. These deeper connections often translate into more meaningful business outcomes than traditional media placements ever could.
Although traditional political pundits questioned Kamala Harris’s choice to appear on “Call Her Daddy,” her campaign understood something crucial: reaching young women through their preferred channel would be more effective than trying to pull them toward traditional media outlets. The lengthy, conversational format allowed for deeper discussion of issues like reproductive rights and housing costs, connecting with listeners in ways that a traditional news interview never could.
The Tech Giants’ Influence
We can’t discuss the transformation of earned media without acknowledging the role of tech giants in reshaping the landscape. As traditional media outlets struggle with declining advertising revenues, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn have become powerful channels for information dissemination. These platforms are complete ecosystems with their own rules, influencers, and audience expectations.
The challenge for communications professionals lies in understanding how to navigate these ecosystems effectively. Each platform has its own language, style, and measures of success. What works on LinkedIn might fail spectacularly on TikTok, and vice versa. Success requires platform-specific strategies that respect these differences while maintaining message consistency.
The Rise of Authentic Voices
Perhaps the most significant shift in the new media landscape is the premium placed on authenticity. Today’s audiences, particularly younger generations, have finely tuned authenticity detectors. They can spot manufactured messaging from a mile away, and they’re quick to dismiss content that feels inauthentic or overly polished.
This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for communications professionals. The challenge lies in helping executives and spokespeople adapt to a more conversational, authentic communication style. The opportunity comes from the deeper connections we can build when we get it right.
Think about why Joe Rogan’s podcast has become such a powerful platform. It’s not because of sophisticated production values or hard-hitting journalism. Rogan creates an environment where guests can speak candidly and at length, allowing audiences to feel part of an authentic conversation rather than watching a performance.
The Future of Earned Media
The transformation we’re witnessing isn’t temporary—it’s the new normal. Traditional media will continue to evolve, and new channels will emerge. Your success depends on building flexible frameworks that can adapt to these changes.
What’s more, artificial intelligence is beginning to influence how content is created and distributed. Virtual and augmented reality experiences open new possibilities for storytelling and audience engagement. Blockchain technology might soon revolutionize how we verify and distribute information. Community-owned media platforms are emerging as alternatives to traditional outlets and tech giants.
But amid all this technological change, the fundamental principles of effective communication remain constant: know your audience, tell compelling stories, and build genuine connections. The tools and channels may change, but these core tenets endure.
Creating Your Path Forward
The transition from traditional earned media isn’t a tragedy, but rather an opportunity. By embracing these changes and adapting our approaches, we can create more effective, more authentic, and more valuable communications programs.
Start by auditing your current earned media strategy. Which channels are truly reaching your target audiences? Where are you spending time and resources without seeing meaningful results? Be honest about what’s working and what isn’t.
Next, invest time in understanding the new landscape. Follow influential voices in your industry across different platforms. Pay attention to where and how conversations are happening. Look for opportunities to participate authentically in these discussions.
Then, begin experimenting with new channels and approaches. Start small if you need to, but start somewhere. The landscape is changing too quickly to wait for perfect conditions or complete certainty.
Most importantly, bring your executives and subject matter experts on this journey. Help them understand that while the channels may be unfamiliar, the core objective remains: connecting with audiences who matter to your business.
The Earned Media Path Ahead
The future of earned media lies in authentic, targeted conversations, not polished sound bites. Success will come to those who understand this shift and adapt their strategies accordingly. The question isn’t whether to adapt—it’s how quickly you can transform your approach to match the new reality.
Your audiences are already there, engaging in conversations that matter to them, through channels they trust. The only question is: are you ready to meet them where they are?
The transformation of earned media presents us with a choice. We can cling to familiar tactics and watch our influence fade or embrace new opportunities to connect with our audience. The path forward is clear…even if it does lead us into unfamiliar (and somewhat scary) territory.
