Across nearly every industry, all eyes are on AI. It’s reshaping the journalism industry, brand marketing, and thus, the lens through which communications professionals approach their jobs.
But there’s a catch.
Despite (or, perhaps, because of) the rise of AI, relationships matter now more than ever. Studies reveal humans are increasingly craving genuine human connection, transparency and authenticity.
And, if anyone has a keen eye for seeing right through an AI-generated pitch, it’s a journalist.
As public relations specialists, we’ve been called to build relationships; it’s literally in our profession’s name! That said, we aren’t just fostering relationships between our clients and their audiences; we’re also building them with our media contacts, the respected and trusted professionals who bring our clients’ stories to life.
Yes, AI is influencing the way professionals are encouraged to write and work, but if there’s one thing we know first-hand, it’s that AI can’t replace human intuition and heart – because at the core of strong relationships are people. Good people.
Below, we’re highlighting the impact of media relationships in the age of AI and reinforcing how PR specialists are adept at forming and maintaining these important relationships in a way that AI simply can’t:
How Public Relations Professionals Drive Media Relationships and Build Trust:
We do our research before we reach out
We don’t just know our reporters’ beats; we know the stories they’ve covered, their interests and passions, and what they’ll need to take a story to their editors. This makes our pitches authentic, relevant and informative.
We uncover the diamonds in the rough
Rather than simply reach out to reporters because a story idea falls under their scope, we identify what’s new, timely, important and exciting. While we always look out for our clients, we do the same for our media contacts by going to them with stories they’ll care about and feel proud to share with their audiences (and higher-ups).
We foster relationships and maintain authenticity in our approach
Communicating with reporters isn’t distilled to a transactional exchange of information. We stay in touch with reporters, engage with their work, celebrate their wins (both professionally and personally) and give them a heads up about exciting things that are on the way and may be of interest. We regularly check in, ask what they’re covering and see if we can be of service. This makes us memorable, reliable and trustworthy.
When Strong Relationships Create Impactful Results (Two Case Studies):
Mattamy Homes
O&G Senior Account Executive Melanie Parncutt shares how she recently secured a wonderful story for Mattamy Homes through a relationship she forged with Forbes reporter Jeffrey Steele.
How did you know this was the right media contact to go to for this particular story?
I researched journalists who had previously covered sustainable real estate, as that was the focus of my pitch. That’s when I came across an article from 2023 that highlighted the emergence of the agrihood-plus-TND movement. The Forbes contributor had already written about this topic, so I just had to show how it was evolving.
What was something specific or different that you knew would make this story stand out?
I focused on the fact that agrihoods aren’t just a concept anymore and pointed out how they’re taking shape (and where). I didn’t just talk about my client, either; I showed how this was part of a bigger trend, highlighting multiple communities across the state doing this right now. That gave it more weight and helped show this was relevant today, not just an idea for the future. It had momentum. That’s what made the pitch stronger.
How (and perhaps when) did you first forge this media relationship and how have you continued to foster it?
I first reached out to this reporter back in March. It took five months of back and forth to get this across the finish line. After a few emails, I was able to hop on a call with him, which helped a lot; I wanted to understand his vision, background and the types of stories that truly interest him. He shared what he finds overdone and what feels fresh or different, so that gave me a clear direction. I drafted quotes for my client’s approval to align their messaging goals with the reporter’s needs, and had my client connect me with a source that would provide additional context and supporting details about other agrihoods to really give the reporter a clear perspective of the trend in action.
From there, I shared quotes, context and research that supported the direction he was already heading in, rather than trying to push something that didn’t fit. He also mentioned what felt unique about this particular community, so I relayed that to my client, and we leaned into it. It took months of staying in touch, sharing pieces of the story over time, and showing how this wasn’t just a one-off project, but part of a larger shift happening now. That kind of trust and my ability to make the reporter’s job easier helped bring this story to life. AI can’t replace that!
Speak to the success of this media placement for your client
This one was especially rewarding as it was the result of establishing something unique about my client and turning it into a creative angle, conducting targeted research to find the right contacts, and putting in the time to bring it to fruition. It didn’t happen overnight! Better yet, even though it started as a trend piece, it ended up focusing more on my client’s community than I expected. That kind of visibility matters, especially with a project like this that’s just starting to welcome its first residents. It was a great result and I’m really proud!
Freedom Tower
O&G Vice President Lesli Franco leveraged her relationship with WLRN (NPR South Florida)’s Ammy Sanchez to secure a deeply moving story on behalf of Freedom Tower. Said Lesli, “Ammy took the time to truly portray the significance of the Freedom Tower. She understood that the iconic tower was not just a historic building, but a symbol of resilience, migration, and memory.”
Our PR pro take?
When it comes to forging meaningful media relationships, and creating impactful stories that drive engagement and results, the proof is in the personalization.