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In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses what every company must know about media relations before hiring a public relations firm.

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Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. Media relations is just one part of strategic public relations

2. What makes a story newsworthy

3. What journalists really care about when evaluating your pitch

4. Why relationships don’t guarantee coverage

5. What PR tools you shouldn’t buy until you’re ready

Quotables

"Public relations is not only media relations. Media relations isn’t what most people think it is either." — @JasonMudd9

"Earned media must be earned. If someone guarantees coverage, you’re buying ads, not PR." — @JasonMudd9

"The only audience that matters is the journalist’s audience — not your CEO or marketing team." — @JasonMudd9

"Great [news] stories beat great [media] relationships." — @JasonMudd9

"PR is a long-term business strategy — not a one-time campaign or quick win." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us by buying us a coffee or leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon.

Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more.

In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Jason Mudd on X

Jason Mudd on LinkedIn

Axia Public Relations

1:1 consultations and training with Axia

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, Linda Zebian joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the challenges journalists face in maintaining work-life balance and how PR professionals can better support them. She shares industry insights from Muck Rack, explores newsroom pressures, and offers strategies for improving media relations.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Linda Zebian is the senior director of communications at Muck Rack. She leads internal and external communications strategies across the enterprise. Her work spans across messaging, issues management, media relations, social media, and employee communications. As Muck Rack’s first-ever communications hire, Linda brought extensive experience from The New York Times, where she spent 10 years in various communications roles. She was named a “Woman to Watch” by PRWeek in 2024 and recognized for her leadership in Ragan Communications’ 2023 Top Women in PR list.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The current state of work-life balance in journalism

2. Key stressors impacting media professionals today

3. How PR professionals can improve relationships with journalists

4. The evolving landscape of newsroom workflows

5. Strategies to support journalists’ well-being and efficiency

Quotables

"The media industry has changed dramatically, and work-life balance is a bigger challenge than ever." — @LindaZebian

"Journalists are under immense pressure. PR pros can help by being mindful of their time and needs." — @LindaZebian

"The relationship between PR and journalists should be built on trust, efficiency, and respect." — @JasonMudd9

"Empathy in media relations goes a long way. Understanding journalists' workload can improve PR success." — @LindaZebian

"Being strategic and concise in your pitches will make journalists more receptive to your stories." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend, buy us a coffee, or leave us a quick podcast review.

About Linda Zebian

Linda Zebian is the senior director of communications at Muck Rack, where she leads internal and external communications strategy, including messaging, issues management, media relations, social media, and employee communications. She joined Muck Rack in January 2022 as its first-ever director of communications, bringing a wealth of experience in media and corporate communications.

Before working at Muck Rack, Linda spent a decade at The New York Times, where she held various communications roles supporting growth, product, and technology teams. She played a key role in reinforcing the company’s innovation and financial success, driving subscription growth, and strengthening brand affinity. Prior to that, she worked at Consumers Union, managing media relations for Consumer Reports. She began her career as a reporter at Folio before transitioning into conference programming for Red 7 Media.

Linda was named a “Woman to Watch” by PRWeek in 2024 and a “Top Woman in PR for Leadership” by Ragan Communications in 2023. She frequently giv

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, Brooke Kruger joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss the latest hiring trends in PR and communications, the importance of networking, and strategies for standing out in today’s competitive job market. Whether you’re a job seeker or a hiring manager, Brooke shares expert insights to help you navigate the evolving landscape of talent acquisition.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Brooke Kruger, a seasoned executive recruiter and founder of KC Partners. She has over 20 years of experience helping companies build high-performing leadership teams. Her expertise extends into the PR and communications world, where she has successfully placed top talent in roles that shape brand narratives and corporate messaging. With a keen understanding of industry trends, she connects organizations with strategic communicators who drive engagement and reputation management.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. The latest trends in PR and communications hiring

2. Why networking is essential for job seekers and hiring managers

3. How to stand out in today’s competitive job market

4. The best strategies for companies to attract top talent

5. Common hiring mistakes and how to avoid them

Quotables

— "Networking is critical in today’s job market for both candidates and hiring managers." — Brooke Kruger
— "Hiring managers have the upper hand right now, so they need to be strategic in selecting top talent." — Brooke Kruger
— "Candidates should optimize their LinkedIn presence — hiring decisions start there." — @JasonMudd9
— "Transparency in the hiring process leads to better experiences for both candidates and employers." — Brooke Kruger
— "A well-structured hiring process ensures you make the right talent decisions for long-term success." — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through buy me a coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Brooke Kruger

Brooke Kruger, a seasoned executive recruiter and founder of KC Partners, has over 20 years of experience helping companies build high-performing leadership teams. Her expertise extends into the PR and communications world, where she has successfully placed top talent in roles that shape brand narratives and corporate messaging. With a keen understanding of industry trends, she connects organizations with strategic communicators who drive engagement and reputation management.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Brooke Kruger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookechilenkruger

KC Partners website: https://kc-partners.com/

Our On Top of PR sponsors:

Production sponsor: Axia Public Relations, one of America’s Best PR Agencies, according to Forbes Magazine

Presenting sponsor:

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.