Public relations in 2025: Don’t confuse media for the medium

Where do you stand on the “new media vs traditional media” debate? Have podcasts and influencers replaced the old bulwarks of CNN and The New York Times?

Or is the old guard still relevant in 2025?

We hold that it’s not yet time to write traditional media’s epitaph – and, in fact, that it remains a branding powerhouse. But you also do a disservice to clients by ignoring the power of social media and podcasts.

These differences came to a friendly joust between Proven Media Solutions founder Dustin Siggins and Hudson Davis Communications CEO Blair Huddy. It was their first Thursday Throwdown, and they tackled everything from C-Suite strategy to how consumer sentiment can be understood from comments sections.

Here are some key moments from the discussion:

• Dustin, Blair, and the audience agreed: the best communications strategy includes a mix of old and new media.
• The big disagreements seem to come down to whether it’s more valuable to drive credibility through third-party outlets – especially news outlets – or through owned media like podcasts and social media.
• New media advantages: You control the message, get real-time feedback, and can drive more narrowly into target audiences.
• Old media advantages: Small brands can earn credibility without a big ad budget, local and trade media are still widely trusted, and the Google Roadmap is easier to build.
• Both paths have the opportunity for multiple stakeholder touchpoints:
  • Thought leadership videos can link to social media platforms, blog posts, and direct sale sites.
  • A single op-ed can be syndicated, improve your SEO, and appear on the original outlet’s social media and newsletters.
• Are comments valuable sources of consumer information? Blair argued that sentiment can be gleaned through careful observation and sifting, while Dustin pointed to participation bias and how many “viral” issues don’t impact brand trust or revenue.
• Does brand build reputation and trust – or is a brand built on reputation and trust? Blair argued the former, Dustin the latter.

The most important takeaway in the conversation was the importance of not confusing media (the path to success – news outlets, podcasts, etc.) for the medium (the tools of the trade – social media, SEO, etc.). A communication professional’s most important job is to:

• Fetishize none of the above
• Use them all where they best serve clients
• Adapt and adopt as technologies, markets, and client preferences demand.

Here is what communications professionals who watched the discussion had to say:

• “Communications strategies shouldn’t boil the ocean. Find out where your ICPs live, how they get their information, and what they talk about. Then, incorporate that information into a strategy that penetrates deeply and creates an impact that drives change.” Susan Powell, Marketing Director, Blue Ridge Networks

• “PR pros need to be where their audience is, wherever that may be. Who cares how we label it?” Brandon Watts, Director of Public Relations and Communications at Storyblok

• “We in the industry need to think that media is the strategy and the medium are the tools. It doesn’t matter if it is traditional media or new media, it’s who has more trust with your niche audiences.” Michelle Germano, Executive Producer, Synthetic Pictures

• “My biggest takeaway was that all channels have value. The ‘right’ answer comes down to the message, the audience, and the circumstances.” Samantha Riel, CEO, Balsam&Cedar

• “Trust in traditional media is shifting. The public is increasingly trusting independent creators and citizen journalists like Joe Rogan more than mainstream media, because historically, we trust people “like us”. As independent platforms grow, it will be important to track their credibility and the trust people place in them, particularly if they align themselves with policymakers and politicians.” Joshua R. Mansbach, a healthcare communications strategist and storyteller who has spent time at Edelman and Omnicom.”

• “The conversation was a good reminder that communications strategy is complicated. Navigating it requires understanding client goals, personalities, and resources; a client’s status in the marketplace of ideas; and what media and mediums are most valuable to achieve client goals.” Adam Belmont, Founder, A-B Strategies

• “The debate highlighted the unique strengths of traditional and social media and the importance of being laser-focused on your audience. They also showed us that we can better serve clients, leaders, and stakeholders—and create impact—if we listen and work more closely with other communicators.” Colleen Finnegan, Finnegan + Co., 

• Traditional media outlets are more reliant than ever on outside content to fill gaps, keep advertisers, and show consumers. Providing high-quality content to outlets directly or to their content partners – especially those with significant syndication – creates multiple touchpoints with use of just one channel. Robert Kuykendall, Director of Accounts, Proven Media Solutions