July appears quiet. It isn’t.

This episode outlines why summer is a high-risk period for reputation management. With newsroom staffing reduced and audience attention low, deeper stories start brewing. Reporters have more time. Leadership is often distracted. That’s when reputational cracks start to widen.

The timing is rarely accidental. Many of the biggest PR crises in recent years—from Lizzo’s lawsuit to Drew Barrymore’s strike backlash—began simmering in July and erupted by September.

What’s covered:

• How reduced oversight and lower engagement create space for reputational damage
• The patterns behind summer stories that spiral
• Case examples including Diddy, Cuomo, Barrymore, Lizzo, Fallon, Baldoni, and Lively
• The role of social media in sustaining backlash
• Why July is a critical window for transparency, not silence

Also featured: a breakdown of how MuckRack supports proactive monitoring and sentiment tracking.

Referenced Stories:

• Sean Combs trial
• Andrew Cuomo's primary upset
• Lizzo legal fallout
• Writers strike flashpoints
• Celebrity missteps and media strategy

Key takeaway:
July is not the time to disappear. For anyone managing a sensitive narrative, this is the moment to speak before being spoken about.

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This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.

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