It Ain’t What It Used to Be: PR in Australia and New Zealand Is Changing
There was a time when PR was about long lunches, media relationships, and faxing press releases to newsrooms. Today, it’s about speed, strategy, and storytelling in a fragmented, algorithm-driven media landscape.
PR in Australia and New Zealand isn’t what it used to be. And if you’re still using the same PR playbook from 10 years ago, you’re probably wasting your time.
So, what’s changed? Where is PR heading? And what should businesses be doing differently? Let’s dive in.
The Golden Age of PR (And Why It’s Over)
A few decades ago, PR was simpler. If you had a good journalist relationship, a strong media list, and an interesting story, you’d probably land coverage.
Newsrooms were full of journalists. There was space to fill. And brands could dominate the news cycle simply by issuing a press release.
But then everything changed.
- Newsrooms shrank. According to the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, over 200 Australian newsrooms have shut down since 2019. In New Zealand, the closures and budget cuts across major newsrooms have reduced the number of journalists available to cover business stories.
- Journalists became busier. A Fairfax journalist in 2005 might have had a week to work on a story. Today? They might be writing five stories a day while also producing video and social content.
- The media cycle sped up. News now breaks on Twitter (X), TikTok, Reddit, and Substack—often before traditional outlets even get to it.
The result? Earned media is harder to get—and more valuable than ever.
The Digital Shift: PR Became More Than Just “Media”
If traditional PR was about media relations, modern PR is about influence.
- Social media changed the game. Today, many brands bypass the media altogether and go straight to their audience via Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
- Owned content became critical. More businesses now run newsrooms of their own—blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels—creating a direct line to their audience.
- SEO became a PR tool. Google rankings now play a major role in brand visibility, making backlinks, digital PR, and content strategy a core part of PR campaigns.
- Influencers disrupted traditional PR. Ten years ago, media coverage was the ultimate goal. Now, a well-placed TikTok or LinkedIn post can generate more visibility than a front-page story.
PR pros had to adapt. The best ones stopped thinking like publicists and started thinking like content creators, SEO strategists, and brand builders.
Why Media Coverage Is Still the Gold Standard
Despite all this change, landing a great piece of earned media is still one of the most powerful things a brand can do.
- It builds trust. In a world where everyone’s running ads, appearing in a credible media outlet adds real legitimacy.
- It fuels content marketing. A media mention isn’t just about the article—it’s something you can share on LinkedIn, repurpose for social, and use in sales conversations.
- It boosts SEO. A single high-authority backlink from a major news outlet can improve search rankings and drive organic traffic for years.
But with fewer journalists and more brands fighting for coverage, simply sending a press release isn’t enough anymore.