WELCOME TO THE CURRENT - AN UPDATE BY RUDD RESOURCES!

The public’s mind has turned to election season – not just Harris vs. Trump, but also local races – and the political buzz will capture the media’s attention.  However, election season doesn’t automatically mean your organization will be forgotten in the news noise. There are ways you can hitch a ride on the political wave or weave around and through the political news to carve out a unique angle.  

The strategy you choose will depend on how politically topical your organization’s project is as well as the audience you hope to reach. Reaching a politically engaged audience will require a different approach than reaching a politically indifferent or overwhelmed one. A good strategy will also require a deep understanding of the beats that journalists cover and what makes your pitch stand out to them in an otherwise busy season of news coverage. 

Interesting stats:  

• According to Crain’s Chicago Business, 54% of Chicagoans are extremely/very interested in national elections, and 34% in local elections. There is a similar level of enthusiasm for news about local and national laws and policies. 
• According to the Pew Research Center, 58% of Americans are following the 2024 presidential election. However, 62% are already reporting that they are experiencing election coverage fatigue. 
• 62% of Americans get their election and political news from journalists and news organizations.
  

  Trends to watch: 

• Increased public interest in political news, creating an opportunity to pitch stories with relevant political angles.   

The media landscape has been changing drastically. News outlets have been closing down, laying journalists off and consolidating. Meanwhile, there has been a concurrent rise in the number of freelance journalists who write stories for multiple outlets. These changes mean two things: Traditionally employed journalists have a lot to sift through, so a good media strategy requires a plan to stand out (professionally) and offer a valuable story. 

At the same time, there is an increasing number of ways to get stories out there using freelance journalists, nonprofit newsrooms, hyperlocal outlets and non-traditional media or social media. A solid media strategy may require pitching different kinds of journalists – perhaps ones your organization has never considered before – as well as getting creative with the angles you pitch. Understanding the person and outlet you’re pitching is key. 

Interesting stats: 

• According to AP News, the United States has lost one-third of newspapers and two-thirds of newspaper journalists since 2005. 
• According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in The Washington Post, newspapers lost 77% of jobs over the past 20 years, the largest drop of 532 industries.
  

  Trends to watch: 

• Reduced staff and resources in traditional news organizations, leading to a heavier  workload per journalist.  
• Increased reliance on freelance contributors who may have varying availability and priorities. 
• An ongoing reinvention of what news coverage means and looks like.  

Modern media strategies require an understanding of how news outlets are using artificial intelligence and machine learning in their day-to-day business operations. The Associated Press uses AI in multiple creative ways (see here) and teaches local newsrooms how to leverage this new technology as well. 

Many of the day-to-day uses of AI include the mundane tasks like transcribing audio interviews and reformatting existing content in new ways. On the more robust end, AI can “detect” news stories by crawling dense data sets or scanning the internet for language that indicates newsworthy events. It can add keywords to images and create summaries of larger articles. More controversially, it can be used to write the articles themselves, with varying results. 

As many know, search engines and social media platforms already make use of AI and machine learning to personalize people’s news feeds, affecting which information they see – including your story! A solid media strategy must incorporate this knowledge of the reality of the modern-day newsroom.

Interesting stats: 

• According to an article from the Verge, citing a JournalismAI report, over 75% of the newsrooms surveyed use AI for some part of news gathering, production and distribution. 
• Over 50% of the news staff surveyed used AI to increase efficiency and productivity.
  

Trends to watch: 

• Increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in all parts of the news production process. 
• The automation of news publication and distribution. 
• Continued personalization and targeting of news feeds and search engine results. 

In today's society, people want to know their voices are being heard. This isn't just because of social media—it’s part of a bigger movement where leaders are helping communities make real changes. More organizations are letting people in those communities help make decisions that affect them. This teamwork not only makes for better decisions but also builds trust because the solutions come from everyone, not just a small group of leaders.

Today, engagement isn't just about reaching out — it's about inviting people in to collaborate and co-create. Whether using digital platforms or face-to-face meetings, the goal is to connect meaningfully with every segment of your community.
 

Interesting stats: 

• According to ICMA, people are more likely to participate when an issue or opportunity is close to home. Proximity plays a significant role in driving engagement.
• Higher Logic reports that organizations incorporating volunteering and mentoring into their communities experience a 124% increase in logins, a 50% rise in discussions and a 53% boost in contributors.
• According to survey results, 79% of organizations have a defined set of standard KPIs, but only 36% are applying them consistently across the entire organization.

Trends to watch: 

• Focus on hyper-local strategies boost trust and involvement. People are more likely to participate when issues affect their local community. 
• More organizations are inviting communities to help design and implement solutions, shifting away from top-down decision-making and fostering shared ownership.

Dana Campos, the illustrator behind this editorial cartoon, joined Rudd Resources as one of of our 2024 Summer Associates. The Spring prior, she graduated at the top of her class from Columbia College Chicago, earning her degree in advertising with a minor in graphic design. While at Columbia, Dana co-led the Ad Club and became a standout member of the American Advertising Federation Alpha Delta Sigma Honors Society, where she was honored as the Best Presenter at the AAF District 6 national student competition. Since joining Rudd Resources, Dana has channeled her creativity into projects like Elevated Chicago and Ventra, bringing fresh energy to the team.

Her latest work, this editorial cartoon for the first edition of The Current, blends wit and insight to spotlight today's media landscape. In the cartoon, a small newsroom is depicted with just three journalists, one being a robot—a nod to AI's growing presence in the industry. At a cluttered desk, a journalist sifts through papers while the robot sits with only a tablet in front of him, suggesting the nature of modern newsrooms. Adding a touch of humor, a "hang in there" poster shows Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as cats, playfully referencing the ongoing election season.