The new media frontier: people and publications to prioritize in 2026
The media landscape is constantly evolving with the advent of new technologies and consumer behaviors—this moving target is nothing new to PR pros. As we settle into 2026, let’s take a look at where attention and authority are heading. Increasingly, influence is traveling through people and platforms that feel more direct, more human, and more useful in the flow of daily life.
Legacy publications and household names still matter, but they are no longer the primary way audiences discover or trust information. Winning brand authority in 2026 requires focusing less on volume and more on the channels that build influence. The question is no longer, “Which outlets have the most eyeballs?” It’s, “Where do the audiences we care about actually spend their time, and whose voice do they trust when forming opinions?”
Here’s where that shift is showing up most clearly.
Trusted voices are going independent
Over the last few years, we’ve seen a surge of reporters strike out on their own after building personal brands and trusted audiences inside legacy newsrooms. The readers who trust their reporting and perspective have followed them to these newer platforms, namely Substack and Beehiiv. Increasingly, the name on the byline matters more to audiences than the logo at the top of the page.
Some great examples come from my favorite gang of Alexes:
- Alex Heath, who left his post covering the inside baseball of the tech industry at The Verge last year to launch Sources, now reports on media, platforms, and power dynamics in tech.
- Alex Konrad, a longtime Forbes editor who built strong relationships with founders and execs, continues to draw on those relationships in his reporting at Upstarts Media. Upstarts provides insightful coverage of startups, founders, and venture trends with the same strong analytical framing Alex K is best known for.
- Alex Wilhelm, who gained credibility through years of covering startups at TechCrunch, now focuses his writing efforts on his Substack, Cautious Optimism. Check him out for thoughtful commentary and context around startups, markets, and innovation cycles.
- (Tangential shout-out to Alex Woodie of HPCwire, who doesn’t technically fit this description but does a great weekly roundup video of important tech news on LinkedIn—and is also a Favorite Alex.)
In this exodus from legacy newsrooms, these reporters may have lost sheer scale, but they’ve maintained the readership that matters. The audiences of these indie reporters are more engaged and more likely to act on what they read. For high-impact PR, comms teams need to treat these independent platforms as core media targets, not side bets or backups.
Newsletters are the new front page
Newsletters—both independent and those published by established newsrooms—have become the primary entry point for news consumption for many high-value readers. Because they land directly in your inbox, they bypass platform algorithms and banner ads and create a habitual relationship between writer and reader.
The consistency of a daily or weekly newsletter builds credibility and trust with a specific reporter or team in a way audiences don’t always feel from one-off bylines in feature stories, regardless of how reputable the publication may be. Readers are also more likely to act on what they read in newsletters—whether that means sharing the insight with colleagues, looking more closely at a specific company, or re-evaluating a market category.
For a stellar example of how impactful newsletters can be, I’d point you to Fortune’s suite. Their Eye on AI newsletter features a small rotating cast of authors who are deeply embedded in the AI trenches and bring the most pressing insights directly to my inbox. I hear clients and colleagues say, “Did you catch Term Sheet this morning?” almost weekly. That’s a testament to the years-long consistency of the newsletter delivering value to readers, as well as the work of its lead writer and another “favorite Alex”, Allie (short for Alexandra, so close enough!) Garfinkle.
People turn to podcasts for robust conversations beyond initial reporting
Two consumer trends have converged to move podcasts from supplemental content to primary channels:
- People are busy and constantly on the go, and
- They want informed analysis from engaging voices that goes beyond just the facts.
Beyond fitting audience consumption habits, podcasts also check the “meaningful influence” box, building familiarity and credibility through repeated listening.
Podcasts fit seamlessly into commuting, exercising, and multitasking time for informed audiences. Many broadcast outlets now publish their TV shows as audio-only podcasts to meet busy audiences where they already are. For example, CNBC makes most of its daily shows available in audio format each day.
The most popular podcasts PR pros should pursue come from experts who can provide the perspective and interpretation audiences crave: tech VCs, industry analysts, and seasoned journalists. Smart analysis of current news and trends is a key ingredient, but increasingly, so is entertainment value. Look no further than new media darling TBPN for proof. John Coogan and Jordi Hays have made waves over the past year by delivering three hours of humorous and insightful chatter around tech, business, and investing, often drawing from conversations taking off on X or LinkedIn.
Audiences want informed discussion from people they feel aligned with, delivered in formats that fit into their daily routines. PR pros should prepare spokespeople for these long-form discussions, which will almost certainly include nuance and uncertainty.
Aim for publications AI models “read”
Audiences are increasingly turning to generative AI tools for fast answers, background research, and decision support. This shift makes it imperative for any media relations program to consider which coverage influences AI-generated responses.
According to a Muck Rack report from December, the majority of links cited by AI chatbots are non-paid coverage, with about 25% of citations coming from journalistic sources. Authority matters for these LLMs, but that authority can stem from unique monthly visitors or industry-specific expertise from trusted trade publications. Each LLM also has favored publications: Claude tends to cite CNBC, Yahoo Finance, and U.S. News & World Report; ChatGPT favors Financial Times, Reuters, and Axios; and Gemini pulls most frequently from CNET and Forbes. These preferences may change with each new iteration of the models, which is why AEO tools are on the rise to monitor what coverage can have the greatest impact on chat results.
My esteemed colleague Tif Darmetko said it better than I could in a recent Orchestra blog post: “Coverage from reputable outlets remains one of the strongest signals of credibility for AI models. A steady cadence of stories that are fact-based, clearly structured, and cross-linked tells both audiences and algorithms that your brand is a trusted authority.” Check out her writing to learn more about how AEO should fit into your 2026 PR plans.
One significant thread ties each of these priority considerations together into a core principle: credibility compounds. The way it’s built and distributed has evolved. PR teams that adapt to these shifts will shape narratives where audiences are already listening, reading, and asking questions.
Curious about how to shift your brand's narrative through earned media, AEO, and storytelling? Contact us.
