Our longest issue yet, so buckle up PR peeps 🚗

New newsletters, new paywalls, new reporter moves, new awards, new columns to pitch. How did SO MUCH PR STUFF HAPPEN in the last two weeks?

Given how much is going on, I created a table of contents for my own sanity. Yes, like what you’d find in a chapter book, not our chaotic Substack.

So cozy up after work today and spend your Friday digging in to the latest in actionable PR opps. Just like a good book. <3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Intro

  • This TechCrunch reporter will moderate your panel

  • Axios CEO profile opps

  • Lenny Podcast’s request for guest ideas

• Awards & events - not so fast, you need to subscribe to get these. But there are 8 of ‘em.

• New newsletters

  • A new “people on the move” style newsletter

  • Taylor Lorenz’ latest endeavor

  • FT’s Sifted changes things up

• Pubs are adding paywalls - some aren’t so bad, but there are 3 of ‘em.

• Media moves - I’m not going to count but there are like 15-20

• Final thoughts

  • New study on overused words in press releases

  • A reporter goes deep into why the journo to PR person ratio isn’t sustainable

If you’re scrappy and cheap you can probably do some aggressive Google searches to get some intel from the table of contents, but if not, just subscribe already. We do the work of like 10 PR interns (not asking you to fire your interns but just have them do like, better stuff).

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I recently caught up with TechCrunch's Ivan Mehta. If you've worked with him on a story before, you probably are aware he's based in India (which doesn’t always make for the easiest briefing scheduling - but c’mon - your execs can do an 8 PM briefing). Even though he’s not based in the US, he primarily covers US startups. He mentioned to me that he loves the opportunity to travel so he can meet founders in-person. With that in mind, he’s pretty open to moderating panels at conferences or even participating as the MC (you just need to cover T&E, sweet deal). He'll even work with the company on topics and questions! Great opportunity for any consumer tech and AI companies that want to bring extra cred to their story. If you reach out, mention that you heard about this in On Background so we also get the credit… and also so he knows what you’re talking about.

Up next, we might be late to the game here, but we’re loving how Axios’ “Finish Line” is doing more CEO interviews. You’ll want to save this one for your high profile execs, so check it out before you pitch her. She’s not going to be down for your seed-stage (or probably A, B) AI startup, no offense. Here’s a few we like to show the caliber:

• Vimeo's new CEO lays out AI strategy

• Hims & Hers CEO: Women's health business "will likely" eclipse men's

Meanwhile, Lenny (of the infamous, or maybe just famous, Lenny’s Podcast) is looking for a new format on his podcast. He already has some great suggestions in the comment section of this post so think big before you toss a name in the mix!

One episode suggested in the comments is already out: An interview with the product manager behind Google Labs’ NotebookLM feature - so you can get a sense of what he wants.

And we’re taking it for granted that if you’re in tech you’re familiar with Lenny’s Podcast, but if you aren’t then you’re missing out on his MASSIVE audience of like 800K. Yes, nearly a million. Maybe I’m biased since I was on it (shameless self promotion comes with the territory). But I do believe this is one of the most useful podcasts for going deep on tactical stuff.

As part of their rebrand, TechCrunch said it plans double down on “original reporting and analysis and bringing you stories that no one else is telling you” — hint, hint YOU NEED TO OFFER AN EXCLUSIVE. A new column, “In Brief” will “flag important— and sometimes just fun— stories that we didn’t chase down ourselves.” So it’s a great way to get stuff covered elsewhere in TechCrunch. They also seem to be more focused on lists. Here’s a new one we caught this week on New York’s top VCs under 30, from VC reporter Dominic-Madori Davis.

Awards + Events 🏆

• Digiday's Content Marketing Awards: for companies and campaigns using content to modernize their media and marketing. Last year’s winners showcased work from eBay, HelloFresh, Peacock, and others. There are a number of categories to choose from, new ones this year include the most innovative content Marketer/team, best video campaign, best use of brand, and performance marketing. Apply by early deadline of 12/6 for $499.

• Adweek’s 2024 Agency of the Year: This award honors the advertising agencies setting the industry standard. Seven “agency of the year” awards are up for grabs: U.S., international, breakthrough, multicultural, midsize, and small. Hurry! The deadline is 10/11, and it costs $499 to apply.

• 29th Annual Webby Awards: Honoring the best of the internet since 1997, the Webby Awards accept nominations across eight categories: Websites and Mobile Sites; Video & Film; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps & Software; Social; Podcasts; Creators and AI, Immersive & Games. Eligible work must be live and accessible between October 2023 and February 2025, and past award-winning entries are reconsidered. The early-entry deadline is 10/25, and fees vary by category.

• Business Insider’s Rising Stars of VC: BI is seeking nominations for its annual list of the best up-and-coming VCs in the US.  Come prepared with your nominee’s greatest achievement in 2024. Deadline is 10/26 and the submission form is here.

• Forbes’ Best in State CPAs: Nominations are open for the inaugural list of the most exceptional, practicing CPAs in America— the elite of the accounting profession. Special recognition is given to CPAs who have “made their mark by dedicating themselves to serving the public interest.” Filed any taxes pro bono? Deadline is 10/31, and you can apply here.

• CNBC’s 2025 Changemakers: Now in its second year, this annual list recognizes female leaders who have accomplished a “meaningful achievement” in 2024. Eligible women are leaders at enterprises (including philanthropies) with at least $25M in annual revenue from the past few years, or an enterprise value of $100M for private companies and $250M for public companies. Deadline to nominate is 11/11, and it’s free.

• AI DevWorld (2/11-2/13, Santa Clara): Co-located with DeveloperWeek and ProductWorld, AI DevWorld covers chatbots, machine learning, open source AI libraries, AI for the enterprise, and deep AI / neural networks. This conference’s audience is software engineers and data scientists looking for an intro to AI, and AI dev professionals interested in the newest AI tech. The speaker proposal deadline is open now through 10/18.

That new new in newsletters 📜

Anyone else asked to regularly pull together People one the Move lists and find it sole crushing when only like SVBJ is left? Well good news! Turpentine (the business podcast network behind some of our favs) has a new publication, Free Agency. It’s a revival of the old reliable, 'People on the Move,’ columns of media’s yesteryears. Each issue features the following sections:

• Free agents - for job-hunters to promote themselves

• Just started - for entrepreneurs starting their own projects

• Just left - for noteworthy departures

• Just joined - for new hires

• People hiring - self-explanatory

• People to watch - for professionals hitting noteworthy milestones will be a contributor-led publication with articles on company building, market maps and lists and luminaries in tech.

Sifted’s weekly VC newsletter Up Round has a new writer in reporter Anne Sraders. Each issue covers investment trends, new funds and people moves in Europe’s VC world.

Following drama over her private social media posts in August, Taylor Lorenz officially left the Washington Post to write a newsletter on how people are “actually using technology.” She’ll continue covering internet culture, weird online phenomena, under-the-radar-trends, content creators, platform developments, policy initiatives, and “the powerful forces that shape our online world.” Give us feedback if you have success pitching, cause we haven’t tried yet!

Rest assured, her weekly tech and online culture news podcast Power User on Vox Media Network isn’t going anywhere.Bloomberg’s Five Things newsletter is no more. Its former writer Joe Weisenthal is launching a newsletter to accompany their Odd Lots podcast! Has anyone ever landed a finance or fintech client on that one? That’s on my PR bucket list (Ok, not a real thing - but I like to imagine a world where I am that organized and make lists).

Trend Alert: New Publications Adding Paywalls 💸

CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter reports that digital access to the popular news website is now $3.99 a month for some users (we think that means “power readers”) so honestly, we can probably still consider it a non-paywalled pub for now.

And Semafor’s media reporter Max Tani adds Reuters now has a $1 weekly digital subscription as well. For the record, that’s less than a latte.

Finally, New York Times is also putting up a paywall for past episodes of its most popular podcasts — like The Daily, The Ezra Klein Show, Hard Fork and Modern Love. Only the most recent episodes of each show will be free of charge to listen to.

Media Moves 🕺🏼

Final Thoughts

I’m not a fan of press releases. I’m not a fan of any terms that sound PR-y. Thrilled. Groundbreaking. Revolutionary. Innovative. None of it. This new piece in Adweek explains why. These terms are so used they’ve become not only cringe, but also, just not believable. Not that many things can be revolutionary or we’d be dealing with a new revolution on a daily basis.

Send this Adweek article next time you’re fighting to not use such boring throw-away terms.

Got a client attending HumanX in March? Don’t count on coverage from The Verge! At least, not from Kylie.

We caught VC/startups newsletter writer Eric Newcomer’s tweet this week about the imbalance between PR folks and journalists — and his subsequent podcast episode “PRification of the media world.” The TLDR:

• “Companies that raise $100M, they probably should hire a PR person to get some attention. But there’s just not the media apparatus to meet them on the other side or to be interested in what they’re doing.”

• There are more pitches on funding rounds than she can possibly cover. There’s not one simple solution to the problem, but Eric thinks funding more techno-optimist media like his newsletter, Packy McCormick’s Not Boring and Turpentine Network couldn’t hurt.

Any more thoughts on the imbalance between reporters and PR folks? Tweet us your thoughts @eagerber and @tanyahayre.