The disappearance of journalists: What smart brands do next

Research confirms what we’ve known for a long time. There aren’t many journalists and writers out there.

Research from Rebuild Local News and Muckrack found that one in three counties in the U.S. may only have the equivalent of one full-time journalist.

“The shortages of reporters are more severe, and I would say more widespread, than we thought,” according to Steven Waldman, the founder and president of Rebuild. “We knew there were really egregious pockets, but this shows it’s everywhere…big cities, suburbs and small towns.” Even major metros are “severely under covered.”

So, what’s this mean for your brand? A few things, actually.

Write your own news. Prepare your news release or information as a ready- to-publish article or video snippet. Remaining media outlets with small staffs still want news to stay alive. They may publish what you send if it’s well crafted.

Be multi-channel. Tailor your message for different channels. For example, social media, a blog, Substack, search ads, etc. The more places it appears— tailored to each audience—the better.

Don’t go it alone. If you’re not comfortable turning a collection of facts into a compelling article or post, ask for help. AI is one way to go (with close human oversight), or you can partner with a team that does this every day.

That’s where Constellation Collective comes in. We’re happy to help in this area if being your full-service partner isn’t on the docket right now. Our PR and advertising pros craft messages that get attention and drive action—quickly, affordability and effectively.

BTW, we’re good at getting the few remaining journalists to pay attention, too.