In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, interviews her guest, Nicole Schuman, managing editor of PRNews, who describes her role planning editorial content, newsletters (including Friday Five and her weekly PR Roundup), podcasts, events, and social strategy. 

They discuss industry trends, including major agency mergers and acquisitions leading to layoffs, while smaller independent and specialized agencies benefit from available talent and strong profits, and consultants help lean marketing teams. 

Schuman notes PRNews readership increasingly includes marketers as comms responsibilities expand, prompting new e-learning modules. 

They note that Schuman is receiving fewer AI-written pitches but that there remains a sameness in AI-driven contributed content, emphasizing the importance of specificity, relationships, and unique storytelling. 

They review Morning Consult’s 2026 Most Trusted Brands report (Dawn, Band-Aid, Google) and note that trust gains are driven by nostalgia, including Mr. Pibb’s campaign, and that Tylenol remains the most trusted in medicine despite controversy. 

They also discuss World Cup and Toy Story 5 brand tie-ins and using LinkedIn for sourcing and visibility.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:06 Nicole Schumann Background

04:51 Life in DC and New York

08:10 Setting Up PR Trends

09:17 Agency Mergers and Talent Shifts

13:58 Going Independent and Niching Down

16:53 PR and Marketing Converge

22:04 AI Pitches and Inbox Fatigue

25:23 Thought Leadership Needs Specifics

28:39 Writing Voice Over Automation

30:51 AI Tool Overload and Reality Check

31:48 AI Jobs Rebound

32:45 Hiring Struggles Today

33:36 Brand Newsroom Boom

36:32 Trust Brands Report

38:58 Nostalgia Trust Wins

39:55 Tylenol Trust Case

44:02 Comfort Brand Consistency

45:35 World Cup Brand Plays

47:54 Lego Breakthrough Campaign

51:32 Toy Story Tie Ins

54:10 Long Game Marketing

56:11 LinkedIn Sourcing Tips

59:11 Wrap Up And Links

Show notes:

Follow Nicole Schuman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleschuman/

Visit PRNEWS online: https://www.prnewsonline.com/

Sign up for PRNEWS newsletters, including the Friday 5: https://www.prnewsonline.com/subscribe-newsletters/

Articles we discussed: 

https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-tylenol-tops-trust-rankings-local-journalism-hits-a-new-low-and-allbirds-becomes-smartbird

https://www.prnewsonline.com/pr-roundup-when-culture-moves-brands-follow-lessons-from-kalshi-the-world-cup-and-toy-story-5

Follow the host: 

Website: www.michellegarrett.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs

X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal

Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now

Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here. 

About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results, an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals.