Why earning media coverage has never been tougher – and how we tackle it at TMPR
If it feels harder to land coverage, that’s because it is. Recent international industry data from Muck Rack shows low journalist response rates (72%) and shrinking relevant media lists (62%) are the top obstacles to earning coverage – with only 2% of PR pros saying it hasn’t become more difficult.
That squeeze shapes the day-to-day work of comms teams, from how we pitch to where we place stories, and it’s a reality we face head-on at Cardiff PR agency TMPR.
The UK backdrop: fewer journalists, more noise
The challenge is even starker in the UK. Traditional newsrooms have been stripped back, with thousands of editorial jobs lost in 2023 and 2024 across national and regional titles. Local press has borne the brunt, leaving whole areas without a dedicated news outlet.
Add to that the imbalance between 63,500 PR practitioners and just 54,600 working journalists in England and Wales (CIPR and ONS census data) and you start to see the scale of competition. When inboxes are flooded and staff numbers fall, it’s no surprise journalist response rates are low.
And audiences themselves are shifting. Ofcom reports online and social media now rival TV as the main way people access news, with print in long-term decline. That means stories must work harder to cut through, and organisations need to think beyond the traditional press clipping.
Our approach: what works when media is under pressure
We’ve built our model around the reality that earned media is scarcer, but more valuable than ever.
- Relevance first – we put effort into researching and targeting the journalists who genuinely care about your beat. It’s not about the biggest list, but the most meaningful.
- Substance wins – journalists under pressure need stories with weight. We invest in data, credible voices and context that make coverage easy to justify.
- Think multichannel – with LinkedIn now the most valuable platform for PR pros, we plan content with amplification in mind. Every earned placement becomes the spark for a package of content across your website, social media feeds and more.
- Measure the impact – leadership teams want proof. We link coverage to measurable outcomes, building confidence in PR’s value beyond column inches.
Turning challenge into advantage
It’s tempting to see shrinking media lists and falling response rates as a setback. We see them as a filter. If you want to earn coverage today, you have to raise your game: tighter stories, better relationships, stronger integration.
When coverage is secured, it carries more weight because fewer brands achieve it. That scarcity is an opportunity, and at PR agency TMPR, we help our clients make the most of it.
