We often spend some time at the start of our media training courses discussing the media landscape.
It helps delegates understand what journalists want from them and what they need in a story.
This landscape is evolving rapidly in the digital age, with more channels to target than ever before.
And new challenges.
So, we thought we would highlight some of the key changes and explore what they mean for comms, PR and media relations professionals.
Podcasts are often cited as an example of how the UK media landscape has evolved.
And rightfully so.
The format has enjoyed an incredible boom.
But podcasts themselves are evolving.
The format is no longer just about sound. It is also about vision.
Video podcasts – or visualised podcasts – have become increasingly popular.
According to TechCrunch, Spotify now has 500,000 video podcasts, and they have been watched by more than 400 million users.
The number of video podcasts has increased by 54 per cent year-on-year.
Another indicator of the demand for the format is the partnership signed by Spotify and Netflix to bring a number of video podcasts to the streaming service. And that stops them from being shown in full on YouTube.
Additionally, Netflix will also carry the popular The Rest Is Football podcast during this summer’s World Cup.
So, why are podcasts no longer just for your ears?
Well, video podcasts can be easily clipped for social media channels, which helps them reach more people and create a buzz. It is also an excellent way of repurposing content. This is something our sister company, The BCF Group, has done effectively with its The Sound Leadership Podcast, which is recorded and filmed in our podcast studio.
Being able to see facial expressions and body language can make content more engaging and help build trust.
The growth of visual podcasts is also built on the foundation of user preference. YouGov research shows that of people who consume both video and audio-only podcasts, nearly half prefer video.
More than 70 per cent of those who opt for visualised podcasts say it is a richer or more engaging experience. And 45 per cent say it fits with their general video consumption habits.
According to Deloitte, users who watch video podcasts also consume one and a half times more content than those who only listen to audio ones.
And it is generally considered that younger people are more comfortable with YouTube than traditional podcast formats.
If you – or your spokesperson – have the opportunity to appear on a podcast, you must be clear about the format. Is it the traditional podcast format? Or will there also be video?
If it’s a visual podcast, media training rules on body language and facial expressions apply.
Whatever the format, remember that creating conversation is vital. It’s your stories and anecdotes that will grab attention, resonate with your audience and make your podcast appearance stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
This one follows nicely on from the growth of visual podcasts.
In January, the BBC announced a deal with YouTube that will see it make tailor-made content for the video streaming service.
Director general Tim Davie said the partnership would help the BBC "connect with audiences in new ways" and “allows new audiences different routes into BBC services”.
The move highlights how broadcasters are trying to adapt to changing audience behaviour, with TV screens becoming increasingly important to YouTube.
Ofcom’s Media Nations report shows more of us access the video platform through Smart TVs.
And it is not just younger viewers. The over-55 age group is increasingly watching YouTube through their TVs – 43 per cent in 2024 compared to 33 per cent in 2023.
Other statistics also highlight the ever-growing importance of YouTube.
Figures released at the start of this year suggest more people now watch YouTube than the BBC.
The data from ratings body Bard shows the video platform reached 51.9 million viewers, compared with 50.9 million for the BBC across all its channels.
But it should be said the BBC has challenged those figures and highlighted a different metric which suggests its average monthly reach last year was 47 million, compared with 40.8 million for YouTube.
Either way, you can’t argue that YouTube is not having a massive impact on the broadcast media landscape.
It’s definitely a development to keep a close eye on.
It again highlights the changing ways people consume media and the platforms young people choose.
And it will be interesting to see what other media outlets follow the BBC’s example.
Details of the content covered by the partnership are still emerging.
But 50 new channels will be created and more of the BBC’s news content will be available on YouTube.
That could present opportunities for your experts and spokespeople.
YouTube is becoming increasingly more crucial for reaching your audience. Are you treating is as seriously as other news sources?
Creator journalism is going mainstream.
According to Muck Rack’s The State of Creator Journalism 2025 report, a third of journalists now publish independently, outside of traditional newsrooms.
This includes personal websites, email newsletters, social media networks, podcasts and YouTube.
In the US, podcaster Joe Rogan is often referenced as a source of news instead of mainstream news brands. The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2025 says a fifth of its US sample “came across news or commentary from popular podcaster Joe Rogan in the week after the inauguration, including a disproportionate number of young men”. Social media influencers and content creators are now invited to White House press briefings.
In France, Hugo Travers, better known by the pseudonym HugoDécrypte, reaches 22 per cent of under-35s with content distributed mainly through YouTube and TikTok.
UK news creator News Daddy – also known as Dylan Page – has more than 18 million followers on TikTok and delivers up to 20 updates a day.
There is also a content creator hybrid, where journalists working for mainstream media have developed large social media followings that amplify their influence. Think of people like Robert Peston, Piers Morgan and Beth Rigby.
The rise of news creators highlights how fragmented the media landscape has become, as people turn to an expanding range of sources for information.
The figures suggest it is increasingly important to include news creators in your media lists, pitch stories to them, and build relationships with them.
Reassuringly, in the Muck Rack survey, 32 per cent of creators say PR pros are important to their success. And 29 per cent of them say they always respond to them – compared to just 17 per cent of traditional journalists.
It is also worth considering whether your media spokespeople would thrive in the formats used by creators. Think podcasts, livestreams and explainer videos. If not, we can help.
A worrying media landscape development has been the rise of fake AI spokespeople masquerading as trusted sources.
Press Gazette recently named more than 50 “apparently fake experts” who have offered commentary to the British press and featured more than 1,000 times in print and online publications.
Alarming numbers.
The key question is, why do this?
And the answer is it is seemingly all about search engine optimisation (SEO). Coverage in high-quality, credible publications can help boost rankings.
To counter this issue, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Daily Record and numerous regional titles has said it is creating a “directory of trusted PR agencies”.
Reach added: “We are also considering more severe steps for agencies who haven’t shown us they are taking enough steps on their side – including wholesale blocking of emails from those domains.”
Well, while you are obviously not involved in such dark arts, the complex issue means you may have to prove your experts are not AI bots.
Verification could include needing to supply more detailed background information alongside any quotes and comments you provide.
You may need to include links to their social media accounts so identities and credentials can be checked.
And there may also be more requests for headshots.
There may also be a boom in telephone interviews, a format we offer on our media training courses. Instead of relying on supplied quotes sent by email, journalists may request to briefly speak to your experts.
Hopefully, awareness of the issue will also drive a focus from quantity to quality of coverage.
During our media training courses, we stress the importance of spokespeople helping journalists move stories forward and adding to the audience’s understanding rather than repeating what is already known.
The UK is still home to some of the world’s most renowned newspapers.
But they operate in an increasingly challenging environment.
That may not be a particularly surprising evolution.
But the fortunes of the iconic Evening Standard illustrate the scale of the struggle.
More than a year after its print activity was reduced to just a weekly edition, the Independent is now taking over the running of its website.
With a team believed to be around just 25 remaining at the Standard, there are rising doubts about its print future.
And the merger is also seen as a symbol of the UK Newspaper industry’s struggle to attract advertisers.
But the move also underlines the success of The Independent, which is now the fourth biggest news website in the UK, with an audience of more than 20 million. For comparison, the Evening Standard has a monthly audience of over 10 million.
The takeover, due to start on March 1, is also the latest expansion of the portfolio of brands under the Independent Media Group. In 2024, it took over UK operations for the Huffington Post and BuzzFeed.
The takeover is another example of the struggles faced by some of the country’s once biggest news organisations.
For comms and PR professionals, it’s a reminder that the challenge of landing coverage keeps getting that bit harder, with fewer journalists around and shrinking newsrooms.
Stories have to be better to attract the interest of journalists. And have spokespeople (real ones) and case studies available to bring them to life.
The pace of change in the media landscape is only likely to increase.
But that doesn’t mean it should be feared.
It still presents plenty of opportunity.
But maybe we need to adjust what we view as success.
Perhaps securing coverage in an influential newsletter, featuring in an independent journalist’s Substack article, or appearing on a video podcast or TikTok explainer should now be seen as an equally key goal as securing mainstream coverage.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 years of experience.
We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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