The last few months have been especially challenging for the journalism industry as layoffs continue to hit newsrooms nationwide. Just over a month into 2024, Forbes, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times have all laid off journalists across departments and verticals, while news start-up The Messenger closed its doors for good.
These recent layoffs continue a 2023’s trend as the worst year for the news industry since before the pandemic began, as NPR and Vox laid off staff, The Washington Post offered voluntary buyouts and the news division of BuzzFeed shut down.
Staying informed about newsroom layoffs is critical for adjusting your organization’s ongoing earned media strategy. Our colleagues at the Health Media Insights newsletter share some tips to help support those efforts:
Double check your press lists. When you hear about layoffs, do your due diligence to see if any of the reporters who cover your organization have been impacted.
Reach out to impacted reporters and stay connected. A personal note can go a long way – particularly when reporters who make the move to freelance are looking for contacts and good stories. They won’t forget it when they land their next job.
Keep your pitches short and sweet. Newsrooms are already squeezed, and the news doesn’t stop after a beat reporter departs. Reporters will need to be more efficient and judicious about what they cover and how. This is where a brief clean pitch can really pay off and capture a reporter’s attention and interest in covering your story. And, in some cases, you may want to consider pushing out your news in other ways, such as through your owned channels (newsroom stories, LinkedIn posts from key leaders) or by penning an op-ed or byline.
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Bad News
By the Numbers
2024 Drags On
2024 is shaping up to be another interesting and demanding year for global economic and political relations. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are everywhere and decisionmakers must navigate the unknown.
As the Year of the Dragon dawns, our colleagues across the globe look ahead to what we might expect across politics, economics and culture in the coming 12 months vis a vis global relations with China:
From Washington, D.C.: Balancing competing innovation goals
Congress will continue to drive a combative agenda towards China, focusing on decoupling the economic relationship and restricting access and funding for Chinese companies in sensitive sectors. The Biden administration will seek to balance its interest in policies that welcome some Chinese innovation, particularly in the green economy, while protecting American companies and national security priorities.
From Brussels: Economics trumps politics
The EU’s relationship with China will continue to oscillate between competition, threat and partnership. The EU will continue trying to “de-risk” (and not de-couple) its reliance on China by diversifying supply chains and export markets while enacting protective measures. Chinese greenfield investments into sensitive sectors will also face greater regulatory scrutiny. Such efforts will be constrained, however, by the economic slowdown in the EU and the dependence of the bloc’s green transition on Chinese inputs.
From Hong Kong: Still going global?
More Chinese companies will explore new overseas markets, seeking growth opportunities beyond their ultra-competitive market on the mainland. Driven by the prospect of a larger pool of growth and revenue opportunities, we expect the next wave heading to foreign shores will include enterprises with innovative artificial intelligence and large-language models.
From São Paulo: A dragon’s appetite for Brazilian minerals
The Wood Dragon will show a huge appetite for Brazilian resources – especially lithium and rare earth. We predict that Chinese companies will likely capture two thirds of this market in Brazil this year.
Walk Through The Fire
The Year of the Dragon, which began on February 10, encourages people to embrace their challenges with courage and tenacity and ushers in an era where bold initiatives and visionary pursuits are destined to thrive.
Our Shanghai office shares some fun facts for your Lunar New Year small talk:
If you were born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 or 2012, you might share some characteristics with celebrities like Bruce Lee, Emma Stone, Jeff Bezos, Barack Obama and Rihanna.
In Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes nobility, strength and power. Interestingly, the dragon is also the only imaginary figure among the 12 zodiac animals.
The popularity – and the many positive attributes – of the dragon are even reflected in the birth rate in China. In the last Year of the Dragon, 2012, ~1.4% more babies were born on average than in the surrounding years. As Chinese society grapples with an aging population, the government can be forgiven for hoping the so-called ‘Dragon Effect’ will result in a spike in birth rates this year. By the next Year of the Dragon, 2036, an estimated 30% of China’s population will be aged over 60 by then.
If you want to wish anyone in China a happy new year in Chinese, you can say ‘Xin Nian Kuai Le’ or write ‘祝您新年快乐，万事如意’ in simplified Chinese (Mainland). Or write ‘祝您新年快樂，萬事如意’ in traditional Chinese (Hong Kong and Taiwan). For the pros, the phrase ‘好运龙龙’, ‘Hao Yun Long Long’ (translates as: Good Luck, Dragon) will set you apart and impress your contacts.
We wish you a happy, prosperous and healthy Year of the Dragon!