We’re terrible at learning the right lessons from media moments. One viral podcast interview launches a political career, and suddenly everyone’s scrambling to book podcast appearances like it’s a magic formula. A breaking news story sends audiences flooding back to CNN and The New York Times, and the narrative whiplashes from “legacy media is dead” to “we need real journalism now more than ever.” But here’s what these knee-jerk reactions miss: Success in today’s media landscape isn’t about chasing the latest shiny object or following the crowd to whatever platform is trending. It’s about understanding where your audiences actually consume information and what messages resonate with them across different channels.
A comprehensive media strategy today requires a holistic approach that integrates earned, owned, and paid media channels. While paid media offers precision targeting and guaranteed reach—topics we’ll explore in a future post—earned media across both traditional and digital platforms is essential to building and maintaining brand trust and awareness. Understanding how to strategically invest in earned media relationships, from local TV stations to influential Substacks, creates credible content that can be amplified through owned channels and, when appropriate, paid promotion.
Organizations that master this integration will thrive in today’s media landscape.
The Traditional Media Paradox
The most successful organizations recognize that each media channel serves a distinct purpose in the broader ecosystem. Traditional outlets build credibility and reach influential audiences. Digital platforms enable direct engagement and community building. Podcasts create intimate connections through long-form conversation. Digital engagement amplifies messages and enables real-time dialogue. The question isn’t which single channel wins—it’s how to orchestrate them all into a cohesive strategy.
Here’s what the data shows about how these channels work together and how people consume news on them: While social media plays an increasingly important role, particularly among swing voters (45% citing it as their primary source), much of the news on social media platforms originates from traditional outlets. Social platforms amplify news generated by journalists at legacy outlets ranging from The New York Times to your local TV station.
In fact, local television remains the primary news source for many and radio maintains an exceptional 92% reach across all voter segments, with particularly strong influence among suburban, rural, and Latino audiences. Traditional media outlets aren’t outdated relics—they’re powerful channels that smart communicators continue to leverage.
Understanding the relationship between traditional and digital platforms is crucial for effective communications. A TV segment becomes a YouTube clip. A newspaper investigation drives X/Twitter conversations. A viral LinkedIn post leads to media interviews. An earned media placement creates content that flows across owned platforms—think company newsletters and LinkedIn accounts—multiplying its impact. And as a bonus, coverage in a digital publication shapes how AI defines an organization.
Now, here’s where it gets complicated. Despite many Americans consuming news on social media, they don’t actually trust it. YouGov’s 2025 research shows that Americans “generally have a net negative view of the trustworthiness of news shared on social media platforms,” with TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat earning the lowest trust scores. Americans are “far less likely to trust information from social media sites than from national and local news organizations,” according to Pew Research. What source do they trust the most? An oldie but a goodie—radio, which ranks ahead of both social media and TV.
Rethinking Communications Strategy
This complex media landscape demands a strategic shift in how communicators approach their work. The old playbook focused on prestige placements—an op-ed in The New York Times, a profile in the Wall Street Journal—treating them as the ultimate validation of successful communications work.
But times, they are a-changin’. The traditional media landscape is shrinking, and you are competing with thousands of other organizations for those elite placements. Meanwhile, audiences are scattered across multiple platforms, each with different trust levels and consumption patterns. This reality creates both challenge and opportunity.
The real insight isn’t that traditional media is dying or that digital is everything. It’s that today’s media ecosystem demands a communications strategy that uses both. When communicators focus on impact rather than outlet prestige, there are many channels available to reach the audiences that matter most to their mission.
Most importantly, if you’re not actively telling your story across multiple platforms—traditional and digital, trusted and emerging—others will tell it for you. In today’s accelerated news cycle, silence can quickly spark a perception crisis, congressional investigation, or social media uproar that proactive, multi-channel communications could have prevented.
Know Your Audience, Choose Your Channels
Effective media strategies start with a fundamental question: Who are you trying to reach? The answer should drive every tactical decision you make
Local television and radio remain unmatched for credibility and reach. If your target audience is over 50, earned media in these channels should anchor your strategy.
While social platforms are essential for 18-30 year olds (remember–target, target, target!), podcasts and streaming services are also essential. Sixty-one percent of swing voters access TV through streaming, creating new opportunities for targeted messaging.
Radio maintains exceptional trust levels for the Latino community—78% score radio as the most trustworthy medium. And Pew research finds 87% of Latinos get their news from digital devices at least sometimes, with 65% saying they prefer this form of news over TV, radio or print.
LinkedIn for thought leadership, Substacks and newsletters for detailed analysis, and traditional business and trade publications for credibility with decision-makers.
America’s news deserts—communities lacking professional local journalism—represent a major strategic opportunity. Audiences in these areas rely on national channels and social media, which may not provide context on how policies impact them personally. And typically, regions without a local newspaper can still be reached by radio. Outlets that specialize in reaching underserved markets through radio syndication and state-level policy reporting can reach exactly the audiences that need your message most.
The key is matching your message to both your audience and the platform where they’re most receptive. A policy explainer that works on LinkedIn might need to become a visual story for Instagram or a conversational segment for local radio.
The Path Forward
The media landscape isn’t broken—it’s evolved. Organizations that succeed in getting their message out will be those that understand this evolution and adapt strategically rather than reactively.
Traditional media hasn’t lost its power; it’s gained new distribution channels. Digital platforms haven’t replaced credible journalism; they’ve amplified its reach. News deserts aren’t media dead zones; they’re underserved markets where authentic voices can have exceptional impact.
For mission-driven organizations, recognizing these changes present an opportunity. While others struggle to navigate platform changes and algorithm updates, you can build communications strategies grounded in audience understanding, channel optimization, and integrated thinking.
In an information landscape that rewards authenticity and punishes confusion, mission-driven organizations have inherent advantages. You know what you stand for. You understand the communities you serve. You have stories that matter.
Now you need a communications strategy that matches the sophistication of your mission.
At EMC Communications, we specialize in helping mission-driven organizations navigate precisely these challenges. Our team brings decades of experience developing communications strategies that protect and advance critical work in complex environments. Whether you need a comprehensive communications framework or targeted support for specific challenges, we’re ready to help you communicate with impact and intention.
