In this live edition of The PR Breakdown, Molly McPherson is joined by Warren Weeks and John Perenak, the hosts of the Reputation Town podcast, to explore the widening gap between journalism and public trust. The conversation centers on CNN’s Jake Tapper and his new book with Alex Thompson, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. 

Is this book a mea culpa? A career pivot? Or a strategic move to rebuild credibility?

• The reputation strategy behind Tapper’s timing
• Whether journalists should profit from stories they once protected
• How media control is shifting from legacy outlets to podcasters and independent creators
• Why access journalism is losing public trust
• The pressure journalists face when reporting truth conflicts with institutional loyalty

This episode is not just about one book or one anchor. It’s about the changing role of journalism, the rise of independent media, and the challenge of earning trust in today’s media environment.

If you work in communications, follow the news closely, or just want to understand what’s really happening behind the headlines, this conversation is for you.

The media tool I use to track stories, monitor coverage, and help clients get their message in the right hands. Click here to learn more. 

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

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.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson
• ...