2025 Media Relations Strategy From Muck Rack's Journalism Study

Forbes

20-06-2025

News online in phone. Reading newspaper from website. Digital publication and magazine mockup. Press ... More feed with latest headlines in digital web portal. Reader watching media website in smartphone.
When I previously explored how luxury brands were rethinking their relationship with the press, I referenced what New York Times' Vanessa Friedman had dubbed the 'Beyoncé Strategy' — where brands bypass traditional media to engage directly with their audiences. At the time, this seemed like a strategic shift driven by a desire for speed, control, and narrative ownership. But new data from Muck Rack's 2025 State of Journalism report suggests this pivot reflects a deeper transformation reshaping every aspect of modern media relations strategy.
With insights from more than 1,500 journalists worldwide, the report highlights sweeping changes reshaping how luxury brands should approach media outreach. These shifts explain what today's sophisticated marketers must understand to succeed in this evolving landscape; one where the consumer's passionate pursuit of luxury is highly supported by genuine press relationships.
How Not To Execute A Media Relations Strategy
Just days before the survey's release, a journalist posted on LinkedIn a scathing email he received after interviewing Lyft's CEO. 'Learn a thing or two about a thing 2,' the sender wrote, demanding 'a deep dive on my LinkedIn profile' while dismissing the journalist's reporting as 'drivel.' He also CC'd the editor-in-chief, accusing the publication of offering 'weak leaders and execs' as distractions from 'poor decision making.' The sender questioned Lyft CEO David Risher's credentials, mocked his nonprofit experience, and speculated readers were 'rolling their eyes' at the coverage.
The sender thought positioning himself as more knowledgeable while attacking the journalist's competence, invoking big names (Gates and Bezos got name-dropped), and delivering sweeping indictments about entire industries would earn him kudos – literally, he ended the email by saying 'I welcome comments, critiques and kudos.'
Every journalist has a story of some crackpot who didn't like their article. I was digitally hounded by one who took personal issues with Hermès and demanded I take down my coverage of the brand, or at the very least, include his outlandish, unsubstantiated claims. When I didn't, he bought Meta ads to continue harassing me, even reaching out to my clients to discredit me. Nothing came of his actions, of course, except increased traffic to my article. It turns out Hermès had banned him from their stores. He then launched an ecommerce store selling sandals made with Hermès scarves, in what a legal expert might call copyright infringement.
There's a reason brands rely on PR advisors to guide press communications: they help avoid the kind of self-sabotage that makes the saboteur a perpetual target for negative press coverage after offending the wrong journalist. Elon Musk dismissed his PR team entirely, then proceeded to tank Tesla's stock with midnight Twitter rants and SEC violations – and this was before he entered politics. Kanye West fired multiple PR firms before his antisemitic meltdowns destroyed billion-dollar partnerships with Adidas and Gap. Both cases prove the same point: when smart money meets unchecked ego, the money usually loses.
The Beyoncé Strategy may work for brand-to-audience communication because it's strategically executed by professionals who understand both media dynamics and audience psychology. But speaking directly to journalists without professional guidance is an entirely different game. For CMOs watching these instances unfold, valued PR counsel protects your reputation as much as it manages relationships.
The New Journalism Reality In Planning Media Relations Strategy
LONDONDERRY, NEW HAMPSHIRE - JANUARY 23: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President ... More Donald Trump talks to reporters while visiting the polling site at Londonderry High School on January 23, 2024 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis having dropped out of the race two days earlier, Trump and fellow candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are battling it out in this first-in-the-nation primary. (Photo by)
Ever since Kellyanne Conway redefined 'fake news' as anything her client didn't agree with, a cultural shift has emboldened people to undermine journalists, convinced they know the job better than the professionals doing it. According to Muck Rack's study, one-third of journalists said mis- or disinformation was the most serious threat to their industry, with another 25% pointing to journalism's politicization and polarization.
The survey reveals deeper challenges. While 67% of journalists still find their work meaningful, 47% describe it as exhausting and 33% call it precarious. Most significantly, 62% say their responsibilities have expanded significantly beyond their core reporting roles, with 37% reporting layoffs or buyouts at their organizations in the past year.
This matters for any luxury brand seeking third-party validation from editorial media. Journalists are doing more with less and offering brands a much narrower window to capture their attention. Although 84% disclose that some stories originate from PR pitches, 86% immediately delete pitches irrelevant to their beat. Yet 47% say they're regularly receiving those very kinds of useless pitches at a daily rate of 6-20+ emails. With only 22% regularly responding, gaining journalist interest has become an editorial Hunger Games where just 3% of journalists say they always receive information relevant to their coverage areas.
Rethinking Communication Channels in Your Media Relations Strategy
This photo illustration shows the social media platform X (former Twitter) app on a smartphone in ... More Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on September 18, 2024. Brazilian X users reported their surprise after being able to access the platform, suspended in Latin America's largest country by a decision of the supreme court, which is investigating an apparent technical 'instability'. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Safety and reputational concerns are also reshaping how journalists engage online. Over half report these issues impact how they use social media professionally, with 35% ending their presence on X entirely. Once a journalist's town square, X is now considered the least dependable platform, with 72% of journalists not trusting it to treat their content fairly. Just 21% regard X as their most valuable platform, down from 36% last year.
49% of journalists are now spending more time on LinkedIn, with 60% rating it as trustworthy. Instagram and Bluesky are also on the rise, forcing a reassessment of how brands track and connect with press. For brands who've built sophisticated Twitter strategies over the past decade, this migration confirms the centralized 'town square' approach no longer exists.
As journalists scatter across platforms, brands must meet them where they are without losing sight of their own audience alignment. That means mapping journalist activity against brand-relevant topics, shifting resources away from static strategies, and experimenting with new storytelling formats native to each channel. Resist the urge to copy-paste old Twitter tactics onto new spaces, and instead engage thoughtfully with journalists' posts, amplify their work when relevant, and offer meaningful insight without an immediate ask.
The smartest luxury brands diversify their media engagement across multiple platforms while developing platform-specific approaches. Create LinkedIn content showcasing thought leadership and industry expertise, use Instagram to share behind-the-scenes brand storytelling for journalists to reference, and establish early presence on emerging platforms before they become oversaturated.
Independent Journalism Creates New Media Relations Strategy
Candid portrait of African-American entrepreneur interviewed on a radio podcast.
In reflecting new dynamics and opportunities, the report notes 34% of journalists now publish work independently, with 61% of them monetizing those efforts. This opens new avenues for brand storytelling, particularly for companies willing to develop more intimate relationships with writers who control their own editorial calendars. They may be more receptive to longer-term content partnerships, exclusive access arrangements, or collaborative storytelling approaches traditional newsroom ethics might prohibit.
These independents must still maintain editorial independence and credibility with their audiences, however. PR 101 teaches journalists are never your friend but can be allies when your missions are aligned. The most successful luxury brands support independent journalism through value-added partnerships, recognizing authenticity and editorial integrity is why the journalist has an audience in the first place.
Media Relations Strategy Implications for Luxury Marketers
BASEL, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 21: Swizz Beatz (R) attends the Zenith press conference at the Baselworld ... More luxury watch trade fair 2018 on March 21, 2018 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo byfor Zenith)
With journalists facing increased job insecurity, brands investing in long-term relationship building see better results. The best journalists always land on their feet, leaving one publication for another and carrying the weight of prior relationships into their next opportunity.
Brands thriving in this new environment share a few key traits:
Precision Targeting: They prioritize sending pitches only to journalists whose work aligns with their message, using the journalists' own published work as a guide.
Platform Agility: They adapt to where journalists are actually spending time, diversifying outreach across platforms instead of clinging to legacy channels, just in case their most populous platform should disappear.
Value-First Approach: They save journalists time by offering clear relevance, expert access, helpful assets and simply well-organized information.
Final Takeaways For A Modern Media Relations Strategy
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 01: (Editorial Use Only) Beyoncé performs onstage during the ... More "RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR" at SoFi Stadium on September 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)
While the Beyoncé Strategy may work in brand-to-consumer storytelling, if you want to bypass a PR advisor to speak directly to journalists, understand they're navigating limited resources, shrinking job security, and constant digital hostility. Follow these final takeaways to enlist the power of the pen in getting your message delivered to the right audience:
Respect Journalistic Expertise
The strongest media relationships recognize journalists operate under tight deadlines, editorial standards, and professional judgment. Lecturing them about their job only signals you don't understand theirs. Courtesy and respect have become strategic advantages in the face of mounting press hostility.
Prioritize Relevance Over Reach
With nearly half of journalists citing irrelevant pitches as their biggest frustration, success depends on a precise and relevant message. Review a journalist's recent work before reaching out. If your story doesn't align with their historical coverage, don't pitch it.
Support, Don't Strain
As 62% of journalists take on expanded roles amid industry layoffs, your job is to make theirs easier. Provide clear, concise materials. If you arrange an interview, send the transcript afterward. A small action like this builds goodwill and increases your coverage chances.
Adapt to Platform Shifts
With many journalists fleeing X for new platforms like Bluesky, your media engagement strategy should follow suit. But don't treat social media as a shortcut. Engage thoughtfully with a journalist's content long before you need something. Relationship-building starts with respect, not requests.
Approach the press without understanding the pressures they face, and don't be surprised when your media relations strategy falls flat, or worse, becomes a case study on what not to do. In a journalistic landscape where credibility is currency and time is scarce, empathy and preparation are what separate successful coverage from your message being ignored.