The Inner Circle Round Up: Media News You Can Use August 2019
Welcome to the August edition of the Inner Circle Round Up! Even though summer is winding down, there are PR opportunities to keep us busy. From more podcasts to human news aggregation on Facebook, we hope these opportunities can be helpful in your day-to-day PR activities.
Follow us on Twitter and share any opportunities you came across this month at @ScottCircle.
Rolling Stone: New Political Podcast
Rolling Stone is debuting its first political podcast penned “Useful Idiots.” The podcast will take a humorous approach to political commentary in weekly episodes. The show will cover the news of the week, the 2020 campaign, and news not covered by national media. Along with ruthless takes on political figures in the news, the podcast will also share debate night drinking games and other fun tasks to keep their audience on their toes. The show will be hosted by senior writer Matt Taibbi and journalist Katie Halper. So far, their guests included 2020 Candidate Tulsi Gabbard and cartoonist Eli Valley.
The Inner Circle Take: Another political podcast, but this one takes a different approach to breaking down the political news of the week. While the show is still in its infancy, so far they’ve featured a range of guests, and this could be an opportunity to pitch your political expert. This can also demonstrate the shift audiences want in their news coverage-- a more frank, humorous approach to politic, which as PR professionals, is something we need to be ready to adapt to.
Mom.Com: A New Platform For “All Things Mom”
Mom.com hopes to be the one stop shop for a wide range of parenting perspectives for moms on the go. Featuring first person narratives and commissioned articles to answer the questions of modern moms, ranging from “conception through college.” They also plan to source content from their other brands LittleThings, CafeMom, Revelist and MamasLatinas.
The Inner Circle Take: If you work with an issue pertaining to maternal health, family care or a related topic in the realm of motherhood and parenting-- and need to reach this audience, this outlet could be one to consider in your outreach activities.
Facebook: New Aggregated “News Tab”
Facebook plans to launch a “News Tab” on their platform, hiring experienced journalists to compile and curate the stories they feature. While most stories will be aggregated using an algorithm, the team of reporters will personally select stories for the “Top News” section. According to Facebook, this will be a different product than now defunct “Trending Topics.” The new feature plans to be rolled out next year.
The Inner Circle Take: Though Facebook has a rocky relationship with news publishers, this step could improve the way they interact and how Facebook users receive news. It could also be a PR opportunity to push the stories you’ve secured to be considered for the “Top News” section. While many news aggregation services are based on algorithms, the human aspect of the “Top News” section could allow some more flexibility.
New to the DMV
As D.C. insiders, we’re always happy to see more local media opportunities!
Summerhouse: Digital Magazine focused on DC Underground Culture
Summerhouse, a new digital magazine, will focus on DC’s DIY and underground culture. The magazine, started by local DCist contributor Michelle Delagado hopes to stray away from traditional and focus on “concert series hosted in a living room” as opposed to an “orchestral performance at the Kennedy Center.” The magazine will release content in batches (unlike a traditional news website) and share stories about the people in DC creating the culture. If funded, the first issue will be released in October.
The Inner Circle Take: If you work in the DC market and have an event or client who takes a less traditional approach to DC culture, Summerhouse could be a great opportunity to pitch them and share their story--especially if you need a longer lead time.