Forecasting Empathy

As hurricane season kicks off this June, communities across the U.S. are once again bracing for the possibility of severe storms. With climate-driven disasters becoming more frequent and intense – especially amid ongoing administrative havoc – the risk of widespread disruption looms large not just for vulnerable communities, but for the journalists who live and work among them. 

Organizations that need to engage with the media in the wake of a natural disaster should do so with sensitivity and situational awareness. It’s important to remember these reporters may be navigating personal loss, power outages or evacuation orders – all while trying to do their jobs. Our colleagues at Health Media Insights have outlined the following tips on how to reach out mindfully during any crisis:

• Know your reporters: Before conducting any media outreach, ensure you know where the reporters on your list are based. If any are located in an affected area, check their social media to see if they are pausing their coverage for an extended period or still accepting pitches. Consider starting any outreach with a human touch by expressing your hope they are ok. 

• Clarity is key: In times of crisis, it’s especially important to keep your pitches clear and concise. This will help reporters grasp the key points without needing clarification or sifting through extraneous details, making their job easier. 

• Be flexible: Understand reporters impacted by these tragedies will have unpredictable schedules and may be hard to reach. Be flexible and accommodating with timing and deadlines, and offer to reschedule any upcoming interviews you may have on the books with them. 

• Share resources: Provide additional resources that might be helpful to reporters. This could include access to spokespeople and subject matter experts, data or background information that can support their reporting and reduce their research burden. 

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Asian nations are moving swiftly to welcome back their brightest minds in the wake of the Trump administration’s attacks on elite American universities. With the U.S. no longer seen as a safe or stable academic haven, institutions across Asia are seizing the opportunity to attract students and young professionals disillusioned by recent policies – and potentially reshaping global talent flows. 

Hong Kong’s University of Science and Technology has extended unconditional admission offers to displaced Harvard students, and the University of Tokyo is considering similar measures, at least temporarily. Meanwhile, Vietnam is exploring long-term visas, tax breaks and other incentives to lure foreign-educated talent back to its shores.

Over 70% of international students in U.S. universities in 2023–24 came from Asia—nearly 30% from India and 25% from China. Now, many are rethinking their future abroad. With domestic universities rapidly improving in teaching, research and postgraduate opportunities, the appeal of staying closer to home is growing stronger.

Meanwhile, private industry in Asia is moving up the value chain, creating more highly skilled jobs, with China’s advances in AI just the latest example of this trend. All this suggests smart young Asians who study at home will increasingly also work at home, start companies, grow wealthy and reinvest in education. 

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Cision’s 2025 State of the Media Report explores the evolving media landscape and its implications for journalists and communicators. From AI to shifting social media dynamics, the report underscores the need to stay adaptable, relevant and relationship-driven in media relations. Our colleagues at Health Media Insights have outlined the key takeaways:

• Audiences are on the move, and journalists are racing to keep up. Adapting to shifting media habits is now the top global challenge for journalists. With audiences fragmented across traditional media, podcasts and newsletters, communicators must stay attuned to where and how their audiences consume content to ensure messages resonate.
  

• AI isn’t the secret to the perfect pitch. While over half of journalists use generative AI tools—mainly for research and transcription—27% strongly oppose AI-generated content in pitches. Many are concerned these tools increase quantity over quality. Communicators should use AI thoughtfully, ensuring that authenticity, accuracy and relevance remain at the forefront.
  

• Journalists prize relevance and data. Journalists say the number one reason they reject pitches is lack of relevance. They value timely, targeted stories—and 54% say strong data or statistics make a pitch stand out. Communicators must show they understand a reporter’s beat and use organizational data to bring stories to life.

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