Something significant is happening in communications.
PR is enjoying renewed strategic relevance. Strong storytelling, editorial judgement and credible third-party coverage are being recognised as real commercial assets again, with earned media playing an outsized role in how brands surface in AI-driven discovery.
Yet at the same time, many of the media outlets that make earned coverage possible are under significant economic pressure, particularly in the technology sector. Editorial teams are leaner. Budgets are tighter. The margin for in-depth reporting continues to narrow.
Those two realities sit uncomfortably alongside each other.
Twenty-five years on, the landscape looks very different
When Einsteinz launched 25 years ago, PR was largely an earned discipline. The model was straightforward: build a strong story, pitch the right journalist, secure coverage. Measurement was less sophisticated, but the ecosystem itself was relatively stable.
Digital transformation, social media, content marketing and AI-driven discovery have changed how audiences find and assess brands. The industry has adapted accordingly.
Today, we advise clients across all content channels because audience discovery no longer happens in one place. Buyers read articles, subscribe to newsletters, listen to podcasts and conduct their own research across multiple platforms before making a decision. An integrated PR approach is now mandatory, not optional.
However earned media still plays a distinct role. Coverage that has been independently reported and edited carries a level of scrutiny and validation that owned channels, however thoughtful, cannot fully replicate. It signals that a story has been tested, not simply published. That distinction matters to audiences, it matters to the broader information ecosystem, and it matters for GEO.
The reality check
PR, brands and media have always operated in a symbiotic relationship.
Journalists rely on informed, responsive sources who understand their audience and respect editorial independence. Brands rely on journalists to provide context, challenge assumptions and translate complex developments for the market. Communications professionals sit between the two, helping shape stories that stand up to scrutiny.
As an increasing number of media organisations struggle, the impact goes beyond fewer headlines for brands. It also affects the depth of sector knowledge, the diversity of perspectives and the overall quality of public debate.
For those of us working in B2B technology, this is particularly impactful. Our sector depends on informed analysis and critical thinking. If we ignore the health of the ecosystem that sustains it, we undermine the very infrastructure that gives earned coverage its value.
Integrity and respect
At Einsteinz, we encourage clients to take a genuinely balanced approach to supporting earned, paid and owned content, because the health of each channel affects the others.
Earned media builds credibility and trust. Owned content allows organisations to explore ideas in depth and demonstrate expertise. Paid media delivers reach and precision, but it also plays a more structural role than is often acknowledged.
Paid content partnerships are an important way many publications in our sector rely on to sustain themselves. The funds support editorial teams and specialist reporters enabling a continuity that gives technology journalism its depth. If that revenue disappears, so does much of the infrastructure that makes earned coverage worth having.
It’s a sobering thought but if brands pursue earned coverage while withdrawing their commercial support for paid placements from the ecosystem, the model is at risk of collapse. That serves no one.
So while PR and particularly earned PR may be having a moment, it heavily depends on maintaining a trusted media landscape. If we want the benefits of earned credibility, we have to help sustain the system that creates it.