The Inner Circle Round Up: Media News You Can Use January 2021
With a new year, comes new opportunities for communications professionals. If part of your new year’s resolution is to improve your media relations outreach, make sure you check out our monthly edition here of The Inner Circle Round Up.
A refresher for anyone new to the #RoundUp - our team is always expanding our sources of news and information, looking for platforms highlighting stories that perhaps traditional outlets may not be covering, and as a result, identifying new potential media opportunities where we may be able to place our clients. Follow us on social media at @ScottCircle and keep us posted with any news you think we could use!
+++
NBC’s streaming platform Peacock is launching The Overview with Gadi Schwartz, a millennial-friendly news show that will tackle the news of the day with sharp graphics and conversational explanations. Topics the show expects to cover include climate change, the future of elections, the movement to defund the police and more.
The Inner Circle Take: As Peacock’s SVP of topical programming and development Jen Brown put it, the platform is hoping to “drive peer-to-peer conversations through Gadi’s thoughtful reporting on issues important to this generation of streaming news consumers.” As more audiences “cut the cord” and rely on streaming services like Peacock to get their news, this is a great opportunity to get in front of a millennial audience if you can present your expert and information in a way that is easily digestible to them.
New Platform Empowers Black Audience
According to URL Media co-founder Sara Lomax-Reese, “We must prioritize and support Black-owned media that have been doing this work for decades… radical change is required. Continuing to pour money and resources into large white-owned/led media companies that target Black consumers but don’t empower them is unacceptable. Standing for “Uplift, Respect and Love,” this new media platform is focused on Black and Brown communities. They will feature content from a diverse mix of various media partners.
The Inner Circle Take: Authentic storytelling matters more and more these days, and allowing those who have first-hand experience to share and report on the issues impacting them most provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on voices and outlets that may not usually be heard.
Forbes is providing writers with large followings a new platform (currently internally referenced as “Journalist Entrepreneurs”) where they can launch their own paid newsletters. According to Axios, “The idea is to create a platform that offers writers all of the marketing, editorial and salary benefits of being a part of Forbes' newsroom, but gives them enough editorial independence to ensure that their audiences follow them over to Forbes.” Verticals covered will include consumer teech, entertainment, luxury travel and more.
The Inner Circle Take: As a PR pro, if your client is in a specific industry, you’re likely already closely following the work of the reporters who cover the topic. Newsletters are a great way to hear directly from the source about the specific issue at hand, and get your potential expert or story to an already invested audience.
Veteran Broadcaster Joins WGN America
You may recognize Ashleigh Banfield from her work on CNN, HLN, MSNBC, or other television networks, but the veteran broadcaster is now joining WGN America for a new nightly talk show. According to Variety, “Billed as a new take on the style of program that Larry King hosted… the interview-driven show will focus on newsmakers and issues but also celebrities and human interest stories.”
The Inner Circle Take: Banfield herself has said, “It’s going to be a very booking-driven show.” As the other news networks focus on constant breaking news and a rotation of regular contributors, this is another great new opportunity to get your subject-matter expert in the door and reach a national audience.