Philip Tate, APR, Fellow PRSA’s Post

Great advice. Listening to the audience is essential for news organizations to earn trust with communities.

Journalists should not be mistaken for experts. I’m not saying a reporter can’t have deep and specific knowledge. Most actually do. Everyone I meet in Journalists Club, for instance, has expertise on their beat. The pitfall comes when journalists position themselves as experts, as if the job title alone means they (we) know what they’re talking about. That changes the gig and misses the mark. Without humility, it’s harder to keep curiosity as the North Star. The best reporters I’ve met are those who are comfortable with how little they know. Any expertise a journalist may glean from reporting should be in service of translating and communicating — not moralizing or grandstanding. Semafor, for one, is great at differentiating between a reporter’s opinion and the facts. It’s helpful and transparent. But this practice isn’t the norm. It’s not unusual for legacy outlets to blend reporting and opinion without clarifying what’s what. And one consequence of putting “spin” on a story is the suspicion of future spin. To that point, Gallup data shows Americans’ trust in media is at record lows. For me, I’d like to believe I have a solid grasp on markets and investing after several years covering Wall Street. But I’d never say I’m a financial expert. I do my best to allow the gaps in my own knowledge to guide my reporting, rather than what I think I already know. I learned this working with great editors Max Adams and Jason Ma at Business Insider. The best stories come from good questions. The best questions spring from blind spots, not certainties. Some things I aim for when I write: → Interrogate all assumptions → Let readers draw their own conclusions → Communicate, rather than dictate → Meet readers where they stand (or, don’t write from the Ivory Tower) It’s not as if the profession comes with some intellectual high ground. If being a journalist meant being an expert, it would blur the meaning of even-handed reporting. And that’s just not the gig.

I’ve read quite a number of debates and lively exchanges recently about marketers ‘borrowing’ (other less euphemistic terms available) from the work of journalists - and then not crediting that work in their own hot-take presentations on what’s happening in the world, and what brands need to do about whatever it is that’s happening. By journalists I mean all types, from those covering politics and business to sport, sustainability, subculture and so on - but across all areas, particularly those producing thought provoking, longer form editorial. And by borrowing I mean wholesale lifting of huge chunks of a person’s thinking and writing - which is rather different than drawing inspiration from a range of sources. Not only is the work being intellectually borrowed, but the majority of those doing that borrowing aren’t even willing to pay a penny for reading it in the first place. It feels to me that marketers have a greater need than ever for these well articulated and thoughtfully crafted outside-of-the-industry perspectives (I honestly don’t think many market research agencies are set up right to be able to match this). Yet trying to earn anything remotely like a living out of journalism is also harder to do than ever. Something’s not right there. A shout out, then, to the talented journalists that the marketing game tends to lean on so heavily for ideas and direction. And some good thoughts on the challenges they face, plus potential solutions, in this piece from Ilana Kaplan.

This is a perfect example of why public servants have an inherent distrust of the media. Stephenie Price was selected after a nationwide search by a top national recruiting firm that yielded 94 applicants. The selection process included input from citizens, city council and staff members. There are so many other headlines that could have accompanied this story that could have been positive and uplifting, or at the very least, neutral, for example: - Price will be appointed Beaufort’s first female police chief; or - Price selected from 94 applicants to be Beaufort’s next chief; or - Price edges tough competition for Beaufort’s top police job; or - Internal candidate selected; Price will be Beaufort’s next Chief. But instead, the Island Packet defaults to a negative spin on a headline to resurrect a tired narrative so they can continue selling clicks. To say I am disappointed is an understatement, but to say I am surprised would be patently false. In my 15 years of public service in the Lowcountry, I have come to accept this type of trash journalism as the norm from this media outlet. The nature of the headline expressing that “Former Bluffton Police chief gets 2nd chance,” to me, implies that she was fired from a previous chief’s position. This is something upon which Robert York, an editor the Island Packet, and I disagree. I know, because we have spoken, and the conversation was not pleasant. The fact that one of their editors fails to see the headline for what it is, or will admit to what it is, should tell one all they need to know about the Island Packet’s bias. My unsolicited advice is that the editorial staff spend less time on clickbait headlines and more time on proofing copy. This particular story, like most, was ridden with misspellings and typos.

How do you respond when you see your name published? What's your reaction too? Response and reaction are different. Here's how I think and teach to them: A response is thoughtful, using your entire trifecta of head, heart & guts to weigh in. It's the time for us to fully listen - even for a few seconds if truly urgent - on all three. If you've ever thought or said, "My gut was telling me..." in examining a past decision you wish you'd made differently, that's your trifecta. A reaction is an immediate action; we are re-acting to a trigger. Often responses feel whiplash-like or too sudden or even impulsive. Another kind of reaction is one from a deeply embedding place of developed learning (emergency services pros, for example), not having to "think" about trying to help someone in a dire situation. Reactions rarely nurture growth or wise decision making (sans emergencies). We have responses and reactions daily. They're part of navigating the truly singular human experience. In working with the good humans I get to engage with, client partners doing work that matters, having a direct impact on our world, and - most critically - is being accomplished by good humans reminds me: I'm so damn grateful to get to be invited to contribute and support their work. The image below is what sparked this post. Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) is on the front lines of our of America's freedom of speech amendment. "RTDNA is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism. Founded as a grassroots organization in 1946, RTDNA's mission is to promote and protect responsible journalism. RTDNA defends the First Amendment rights of electronic journalists throughout the country, honors outstanding work in the profession through the Edward R. Murrow Awards and provides members with training to encourage ethical standards, newsroom leadership and industry innovation." Vital work, good humans, responding and reacting every single day to help all of us be and stay informed. THANK YOU Christen DeBard and the entire team and membership for your willingness to connect the world. Very excited to get to be your opening #keynote speaker in a matter of weeks AND also have a blast delivering a participation-rich breakthrough session. So, when I see my name published, I get pumped, feel honored & happy, and deeply grateful. Truly. This isn't a humble brag. This is the culmination of being focused on my craft, just at the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) people are, just as so many of my other great client partners. Speaking is the gift of peoples' time and attention. I take that seriously, and have a ball getting to create experiences (not "talks"), offer transformation, hold the space for people to be all-in as a professional paid speaker focused on their craft provides. Is it a thrill? Darn right it is. And the moment it stops being one, I'll show myself to the door.

Interesting research piece from The Conversation US shows that readers typically prefer simple and clear headlines, and are more likely to click on stories that are expressed in an obvious or straightforward way. Increasingly, clarity and simplicity seem to be valuable tools in helping get your message across, especially in a crowded digital space. What do you think – could “simple storytelling” be the new “creative storytelling”?

Every paragraph in this article about headline writing is terrific. Not a word more or less than needs to be said. It's a testament to clear, actionable writing. So read it for the sake of understanding what a great article looks like, but also read it for the takeaways about headline writing for journalists...because the insights are also applicable to the corporate journos[1] among us. In short: Recent research suggests that keeping headlines straightforward can significantly boost reader interaction and comprehension. 1. Simplicity Wins: Headlines with simple, common words and a narrative style receive more clicks. For example, using "job" instead of "occupation" can increase engagement. 2. Reader vs. Journalist Preferences: Typical news readers prefer simple headlines, while journalists do not. (This is often *my* problem.) 3. Engagement and Recall: Simple headlines attract more clicks and improve reader recall and engagement with the article's content. https://lnkd.in/gwMKEsic

After four days at the Online News Association conference, I feel energized by the work of fellow journalists and technologists in the A.I. space. Here's some of my takeaways: — Some of the most interesting work at the intersection of A.I. and journalism is happening in small newsrooms. I was particularly impressed by the work of The Haitian Times in developing custom LLMs with deep knowledge of the Haitian diaspora. — One of the great strengths of A.I. is making information more accessible. A journalist’s job is to uncover new information and present it in an accessible way, which A.I. does well. That includes using it to translate jargon to make it easier for people to understand. — 94% of people want journalists to disclose their use of A.I., according to research by Trusting News. Disclosures should include: information about what the A.I. tool did, how a human was involved, how it meets your ethical and editorial standards, and why it was used (such as how it could benefit the community or improve the journalism). — In a survey of 6,000 people, respondents were very comfortable with journalists using A.I. to check spelling/grammar, transcribe interviews or generate illustrations. They were less comfortable with journalists using A.I. to write an article or create realistic images/videos. — Journalists used to have to learn to code to engage with computers. Now they can do that with natural language. What used to be computer-assisted reporting is now accessible to anyone who can type.

Ep2: How to write the perfect press release As a continuation of my previous post, let’s take a look at how to write press release Press releases should not be written primarily to rank on Google or to build backlinks. Press releases are actually written to journalists in the hopes that they will cover your story in an article. You can get powerful backlinks and also better rankings and search engine visibility when you use press releases, but that is not the main goal. The earlier you know this, the better you will become at writing a press release that will be picked up by niche, relevant journalists. 1. When you are writing a press release you should not write in a first person pronoun [using words like I, we, you, are not allowed in press releases]. Your press release must be written in a third person pronoun to even be accepted by any distribution company. 2. A press release has to be concise and straight to the point. Journalists are always busy and they do not want an essay of you writing fluff. A typical press release should be 400 – 600 words long except in special cases where a company has to include some company data but, try your best to make your press release concise. 3. Journalists work with facts which every fact included in a press release must be accurate. You must have verified every fact that is within the press release. 4. Press releases are not meant to be promotional. Writing a promotional press release is the fastest way to get unseen by journalists. Keep this in mind you are not writing to a direct audience you are actually writing to a journalist who serves as a gatekeeper to their audience. What you want is for journalists to share your press release to their audience. Writing promotional content is a turnoff and is the fastest way to have an unsuccessful campaign. 5. Do not use exaggerations. Press releases are meant to be simple. You should not be exaggerating; like calling your company the best or something similar. You can’t also put down a brand and then elevate your brand in a press release. You can actually talk about what your brand is doing and others are not doing in the same industry, it will work just fine. Don’t forget to keep it simple. Don’t forget, the focal point of press releases is to get Journalist to find your content as news-worthy. Journalists have one common problem; they are always in need of something to talk about or even publish. Your content can be what they would talk or write about. #pressrelease #digitalmarketing

I really like reading all the trend reports and expert predictions this time of year. Some are duh, some are meh, some are WOW! The latter really get your 🤔 going and the contributions collected by Nieman Journalism Lab in their "Predictions for Journalism, 2025." list are all in the WOW level. WOW is not attained on the agreeing or disagreeing level. It is attained by sending your #criticalthinking into action! Here are a few that most stood out to me. While they are focused on journalism, they all, IMO, apply as much and in some cases more, to all #StrategicCommunication. 👏 to all below and in the full list! “We’ve overindexed on problem articulation, to the point of problem admiring. The risk is that we are analyzing ourselves into inaction and irrelevance.” - Meredith Artley “For too long, science journalism has been treated as something distinct, something extra — the domain of specialists writing for audiences who are already deeply interested in and informed about science. This is bad.” - Siri Carpenter “For news organizations looking to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, exploring these platforms isn’t just about finding new distribution channels – it’s about building the foundation for future AI-powered news experiences.” - Ethan Toven-Lindsey “We must rise to this challenge with Kendrick-like precision: thoughtful, impactful, and unapologetic. Writing — our craft’s core — must be sharper, richer, and distinctive.” - Delano Massey “Journalists can fall into a trap of parroting the language provided by officials, whether that’s law enforcement, the courts, politicians, academics, or subject-matter experts.” - Doris Truong “In a world where GenAI presents itself as the solution, we will return to the social sciences, Humanities, and even old-style journalism.” - Daniel Trielli “The key is inviting everyone who touches a story from beginning to end to be a part of the conversation.” - Kendall Trammell “The standalone Audience team/department/function, as we know it, is dead.” - Ryan Y. Kellett https://lnkd.in/eFm_yeCM