Why Every Prediction About the Death of Communications Is Wrong
For decades, each new innovation has been declared the end of what came before. History tells a different story: Communications doesn’t shrink — it expands.
I've worked in communications long enough to have lived through the advent of cable news, the internet, blogs, social media, smartphones, and now AI.
Each wave came with the same prediction: This will change everything.
Twenty years ago, journalist Tom Foremski wrote a blog post titled "Die! Press release. Die, Die, Die!"
Two decades later, press releases remain part of the communications toolkit. Their role has changed, but they haven’t disappeared. Now they’re just as valuable for search and AI as they are for media relations.
The same pattern occurs throughout communications. We misunderstand change by thinking in terms of replacement when we should be thinking in terms of expansion. For example:
𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮. It became another way stories spread. Traditional media still breaks many of the stories that dominate social media, podcasts, newsletters, and AI summaries. Studies have found that 70% to 95% of shared news content on social media originates from traditional news sources.
𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀. Experts still provide knowledge and credibility. But expertise isn’t enough in today’s information landscape. Influencers often provide reach, relatability, and trust with specific communities. The best communication combines both.
𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵. It’s become another way people discover information. But search, websites, and original content are still the foundation AI draws from.
𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼. They expanded how people consume audio. Today people can choose between live radio, podcasts, streaming music, audiobooks, and voice assistants. Radio and podcasts are essentially tied in usage, and the popularity of news radio has remained strong.
𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸. Different platforms serve different audiences and different purposes. Smart communicators start with the audience — not the platform. Using Facebook as an example, it may be the wrong platform for many organizations — but remains incredibly valuable for many others. Nearly 200 million Americans use Facebook, and 38% of U.S. adults say they get news there.
We gravitate toward absolutes, but the communications environment is anything but absolute.
The question isn’t about choosing between traditional media or influencers. Or credentials vs. relatability. Or press releases vs. social media.
The fundamental question hasn’t changed: How can we use today's tools, messengers, and channels to reach the people we need to influence?
Photo by Olichel from FreeRange Stock.