As many of you know, we have a certification for the PESO Model© launched in 2020 with the S.I. Newhouse School for Public Communication at Syracuse University. Though that was five years ago, our industry has evolved quite a bit, and so has the coursework.
We updated the coursework late last year to include the latest advancements in generative AI, emerging social media, earned media shifts, and improved measurement frameworks. I should be taking a break from updating that content. It’s only two months old!
And yet…
Something new happens and I think, “How can we integrate this into the certification?” Every. Single. Time.
Such was the case last week when I read about how Vertical Stories are redefining journalism across platforms. I was already thinking about the rise of AI-curated news feeds and how immersive social experiences are reshaping our information ecosystem, and now I’ve added another dimension to consider.
This evolution is significant for our industry. It applies to the PESO Model Certification©, your everyday work, and how your earned media efforts continue to evolve.
The New Social Media News Landscape
It’s no surprise that journalism, as we once knew it, has transformed dramatically. Every year, there seems to be some big technological leap that no one anticipated, further disrupting traditional media’s scope of reporting the news.
The media landscape has continued consolidating, with AI increasingly central in content creation and curation. However, social media and the evolving ways we consume news are the real drivers of change. In 2025, several key platforms will dominate how information spreads.
Last week, I was getting my hair cut while discussing the latest privacy regulations affecting content creators. My hair stylist, dare I say friend, has built a huge cross-platform following (she just reached her first five million followers across platforms!), and she’s navigating the complex new creator economy regulations—rightfully so. We’ve discussed certain strategies, including using decentralized platforms and community ownership models to future-proof her audience.
Because I have more hair than a sea otter (did you know they have more hair than any other animal?) and it takes 75 years to get a haircut, the conversation eventually turned to other aspects of content creation, including all of the conspiracy theories she has from watching other TikTok videos.
I groaned, but will admit some of it was pretty accurate. I was fascinated by the depth of knowledge she had—far more comprehensive than traditional reporting—and it all came from her work across multiple social platforms.
This is not to say there isn’t misinformation and disinformation there, just like everywhere else, but she had more information about some of her theories than you could ever get traditionally.
Social media continues transforming how news is consumed and produced, who produces it, and the relationship between information providers and their audiences.
Let’s discuss the dominant formats and platforms of 2025 and what you need to know about each in relation to your everyday job.
Social Media News Experiences
What began as livestreaming on platforms like Twitch has evolved into fully immersive news experiences. These platforms now offer multi-dimensional engagement between broadcasters and viewers, providing immersive reporting of events such as global summits, breaking news, and public demonstrations.
The immediate, participatory nature of these experiences allows viewers to engage with events as they unfold, starkly contrasting traditional media’s more curated reporting.
It reminds me a lot of when Twitter started to become a news reporting platform, and you would receive news there first, sometimes a good half an hour or more before the traditional news reported on it.
Because it was all so new and you didn’t know if you could trust what was being “reported” there, you’d go to other news sites to find the information.
I distinctly remember hearing about Michael Jackson’s and Natasha Richardson’s deaths on Twitter, and then watching a plane land in the Hudson River in real time.
It was such a phenomenal way to get your information at the time. Now, it’s more commonplace to get your news via social media and its strangers.
It provides three benefits that appeal to people who go there first to get their news:
- These platforms allow journalists to create interactive broadcasts where viewers can explore different angles, access supporting documentation, and follow multiple narrative threads simultaneously.
- Journalists leverage community knowledge and expertise through moderated contribution systems. This collaborative verification helps ensure accuracy while allowing for diverse perspectives that might not have been initially considered.
- The immersive format builds dedicated knowledge communities around specific topics, creating an engaged audience with deeper understanding than passive consumption allows.
Vertical Stories Format
The short-form vertical video format pioneered by platforms like TikTok has become the standard information delivery mechanism across almost all platforms. This format has democratized news dissemination, enabling quick, engaging updates that appeal particularly to audiences seeking efficient information consumption.
Modern vertical stories incorporate interactive elements, allowing viewers to access deeper layers of information while maintaining the quick-consumption format that made them popular. The cross-platform algorithms promote content based on credibility scores and engagement quality metrics, addressing earlier challenges of misinformation.
The benefits of vertical stories for news consumption include:
- Allows creators to build information layers, with the top layer providing quick updates and deeper layers offering verification, sources, and additional context for interested viewers.
- Visible verification markers and source rating systems, which help viewers assess information reliability at a glance while consuming rapid updates.
- Using expanding formats that provide depth when viewers signal interest, maintaining the efficiency of short-form while offering thoroughness when desired.
AI-Assisted Journalism Platforms
What began as an extension of traditional platforms has evolved into sophisticated AI-assisted journalism environments. These systems support journalistic work with advanced fact-checking, source verification, and content optimization while maintaining human editorial oversight.
These platforms compete with traditional outlets by offering personalized information streams while implementing safeguards against filter bubbles through intentional diversity injections. They leverage vast knowledge networks while making the verification process transparent to users.
With these platforms, news consumption offers:
- Content tailored to individual interests while intentionally including verified diverse perspectives, addressing the echo chamber concerns of earlier algorithms.
- Credibility assessments without interrupting consumption flow.
- Builds interconnected knowledge graphs that help viewers understand the broader implications and relationships between seemingly separate events.
Pitching the Social Media News Anchor
OK, now that we know all of this and have probably experienced it, if not been created for it, we have to figure out how to incorporate it into our modern earned media plans.
Understand the New Ecosystem
Spend time understanding the new ecosystem, how information flows across platforms, how verification systems work, and how modern creators build and maintain credibility.
As we’ve discussed, each platform and format has unique characteristics and audiences. Understanding how immersive experiences differ from vertical stories is crucial for effective pitching.
If you are to pitch successfully in 2025, your content must respect both the format and the audience’s expectations for verification and transparency.
Build Collaborative Relationships
I feel like this one is a “no, duh” moment, but building relationships is crucial. You wouldn’t pitch traditional media without building a relationship first; the same goes for modern media creators.
Understanding their individual interests, content standards, and how they engage with their audience can help tailor pitches that are more likely to be accepted.
The most successful pitches often involve collaborative content creation rather than simply providing information.
Verification and Transparency
One challenge you’ll face in this landscape is navigating the enhanced verification systems that most platforms now employ.
As you traverse those waters, you’ll need to ensure your pitches include verification markers, source documentation, and transparent disclosure that aligns with platform requirements. Gone are the days of simple pitches; modern pitches require supporting evidence and transparency about the product or story that can withstand audience scrutiny.
Offering Multi-Layered Value
The good news is you can create targeted content packages that provide value at multiple engagement levels. This could mean exclusive access, in-depth background materials, or interactive elements that help creators provide value to their followers.
If you can provide experiences and information that help them build credibility while engaging their audience, you will have a winner every time.
Media Ethics in 2025
I mentioned above that one challenge in pitching modern media creators is navigating verification systems—and that goes along with ethical considerations for both you and the person reporting the news.
One of the most significant ethical developments has been the establishment of cross-platform credibility metrics. While challenges remain, most platforms now incorporate transparency around source verification, making it easier for audiences to assess information reliability.
The decentralized nature of modern media means that traditional journalistic oversight has been replaced by community verification systems and AI-assisted fact-checking, creating new standards for information reliability.
Brand reputation becomes even more important as you pitch stories to these new journalists, as your brand’s credibility score affects how platforms treat your information.
Algorithm Accountability
Unlike the earlier days of social media, where algorithms were opaque black boxes, today’s platforms provide more transparency about content prioritization.
While algorithms still personalize content, they now include intentional viewpoint diversity and credibility prioritization. The increased transparency about how these algorithms work and their vulnerability to manipulation are positive developments in the media landscape.
Again, this is a brand reputation play. Weigh all of your pros and cons as you pitch stories, understanding that your brand’s credibility history will impact how your information is treated.
The Evolution of Public Discourse
Lastly, public discourse has significantly evolved. While emotional engagement remains important, the most successful creators balance engagement with accuracy and nuance.
The information landscape has developed more sophisticated ways to address complexity without overwhelming audiences, using layered information approaches that allow consumers to choose their depth of engagement.
While challenges remain, we can continue improving the information ecosystem by ensuring the stories we pitch are factual, trustworthy, authentic, and credible.
The Modern Social Media Landscape
If we can count on one thing in our roles, it’s constant change. This isn’t the same social media or earned media as five years ago. We have exciting opportunities ahead of us, while facing the ever-evolving challenge of protecting brand credibility.
Understanding and adapting to today’s social media is crucial for effective engagement. The future of media will depend on our ability to balance the demands of engagement, accuracy, transparency, and integrity in an increasingly sophisticated landscape.
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