The public relations industry was founded on the principle that the news media played a central role in message dissemination and informing the public about your issue or endgame. That’s no longer a viable strategy.
Over the past decade, we have seen this beachhead erode with the explosion of alternative digital media, and more recently, self-reporting. Texas has become an epicenter for this new reality.
X is now headquartered just outside of Austin, and Elon Musk has become the central voice for “you are the news now.” Joe Rogan, also based in Austin, is consistently ranked one of the top podcasts in the country, hosting countless influencers who are shaping the narratives on topics of the day.
Needless to say, the Texas media scene has undergone significant changes, marked by the struggles of local newsrooms, the challenges faced by major outlets, and the rise of digital and social media platforms. One might argue that Texas is becoming the “new media” capital of the world, and you need to be taking full advantage.
These challenges to legacy media present opportunities across multiple new channels, allowing you to create strategic, tailored messaging for your intended audience — if you know how to identify, access, and leverage them.
What’s the state of play of news media across Texas?
Rough. Once thriving local newsrooms are facing the stiff headwind of a West Texas dust storm. Small town newspapers across our state have been deeply impacted.
According to Northwestern Madill Local News Initiative, Texas doubled in population between 2005 and 2022, while at the same time, 65% of journalists in the state left the industry. The Texas Tribune reported in 2022 that 27 counties in Texas no longer have a local news source. That makes morning coffee at the local diner more critical to keeping up with local gossip and goings-on.
In other words, some parts of the state have become news deserts. When that happens, it leaves a huge white space which gets filled with a local narrative that lacks independent research or investigation. It becomes a hearsay environment where facts and transparency are elusive.
But the major media markets are thriving…right?
Even the media in Texas’ largest markets are facing unique challenges. Urban settings create different challenges for newsrooms that were once steeped in historical experience and reporters with years of community knowledge. These newsrooms are now overwhelmed with “news” and much smaller staff than in years past.
In 2024, Texas Monthly published a story with the headline “Austin’s Daily Newspaper Is Being Starved to Death.” The Austin American-Statesman has faced a barrage of labor issues that include unionization, strikes, bargaining agreements and short-staffing, all of which is fueled by ongoing financial challenges.
The Dallas Morning News has undergone several rounds of layoffs, and as recently as 2023, offered buyouts to reduce staff numbers to save money and right the financial ship. These moves undoubtedly impacted the organization’s effectiveness at covering local news.
The Texas Tribune, the non-profit news source heralded as a reinvention of the news media model when it launched in 2008, has also faced lean times. In 2023 the organization laid off 10% of its workforce, only to see the employee base unionize a short time later. The Washington Post characterized this by saying “media union membership has exploded as workers seek a measure of stability in a disintegrating industry.” However, give credit where credit is due. The Trib is still innovating, including a recent announcement to launch a network of local newsrooms.
Meanwhile, consolidation of media properties continues. Most recently, Hearst acquired the Austin American-Statesman and its subsidiary publications, making Hearst the publisher of three newspapers in the largest media markets in Texas. (The company also owns the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News).
Even in the absence of traditional reporting as we used to know it, news still happens and information will be shared, it just may not come from a traditional news outlet.
For instance, new digital natives like the Fort Worth Report and Dallas Express, alongside social media, have become primary channels for news consumption. The immediacy and reach of their social platforms, like X (formerly Twitter), mean stories can go viral before traditional outlets report them.
So how should you approach this new frontier?
Explore New Media Pastures
News consumption is different now. As attention spans continue to shrink and the news environment becomes noisier, you have to reach your target audiences with messages that are extremely relevant and resonate using a strategic, multichannel approach. Even if the durability of these channels fades over time, their ability to capture audiences today is very real.
Diversify Your Channels
Your main goal is to place the right content to reach the right audiences. Once you’ve locked down your message and messenger, you need to know where to amplify it.
Digital Partnerships: Forge relationships with digital-first newsrooms. These outlets are not only filling news voids, but also have targeted audiences. For example, collaborate with the San Antonio Report or the local Community Impact to break local interest stories.
Social Media Engagement: Don’t just monitor; actively engage. Use platforms like TikTok or Instagram for visual storytelling or Instagram Stories for real-time updates. Tailor content for each platform’s demographic, particularly focusing on younger audiences willing to engage and share your content.
And don’t dismiss the potential power of using a paid influencer. Look at using paid influencers like you would in taking out a full-page ad for an open letter in a newspaper. That was the original version of paying to “meet your audience where they are.”
Leverage Citizen Journalism
Community Involvement: Encourage community members to contribute to your narrative through platforms or initiatives where they can share their own stories or insights, similar to what El Paso Matters does. This not only fills content gaps but also fosters trust and local engagement.
Consider the county commissioner who has 5,000 followers in an area critical to your project. Persuading them of the merit of your undertaking could mean the difference between success and failure. It’s not just a pure numbers play. It’s finding the right players with the right audience.
Explore Options in Content Delivery and Research
Adopt and Adapt to New Formats: Follow models like the Texas Tribune’s move into video journalism. Explore podcasts, live streams, or interactive web features to reach audiences where they are most comfortable consuming news. The most complex stories to tell often require a bit more time. These channels give you the time and flexibility to get your points across, rather than allowing others to frame your story.
Even a place like Reddit could provide valuable insight on an issue, allowing you to research — and to perhaps influence — public sentiment in real time. Stay flexible and responsive.
Adapt to Feedback: Use analytics to understand what resonates with your audience. Understand what is and isn’t attracting eyeballs, and be ready to pivot strategies or platforms.
Maintain Narrative Control and Credibility
Fact-Based Storytelling: In an era when misinformation spreads quickly, ensure your messaging is fact-checked and transparent. This builds credibility, especially when partnering with or appearing on platforms with varying levels of editorial oversight. Facts still have the important ability to trump emotion.
Strategy is Essential. We Know How to Deploy an Arsenal.
If recent political cycles have taught us anything, it’s that trust in the media continues to erode. People watch, listen and read what they want to hear, the same way a social media algorithm feeds you content consistent with your browsing history.
The media environment in Texas is deep into a transitional state. Information sources are growing exponentially, while the ability to break through with priority audiences has never been more challenging. We haven’t even touched on misinformation in this rant. But the truth is, press releases and op-eds alone can’t get the job done anymore. That doesn’t make this an either/or proposition. The answer is knowing which channels are best suited to your goals.
The Monument Group can help you lead with strategy, define the endgame and map the road to get there. We have decades of experience adapting to the dynamics of the media environment we live in. Let’s talk.
