By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Many startup founders ask the same question: When is the right time to hire a technology PR firm?
The answer is often sooner than they think.
One of the biggest misconceptions about public relations is that companies should wait until they have achieved major success before investing in media visibility. In reality, the most effective technology PR campaigns often begin before a product launch, funding announcement or major growth milestone. Public relations can help create momentum that supports those business objectives rather than simply publicizing them after they occur.
Turning a Little-Known Medical Condition Into an International News Story
The Challenge
The Encephalitis Society wanted to raise awareness for World Encephalitis Day and educate the public about a neurological condition that remains largely misunderstood despite its potentially devastating consequences.
The organization wanted to increase visibility for new research, elevate expert voices, reach audiences across multiple countries, and generate meaningful media attention around a complex healthcare topic. The campaign generated coverage across the United States, Canada, and Spanish-language media markets, helping educate audiences internationally.
Under our media campaign, we turned complex medical research into accessible news stories that helped explain the long-term effects of encephalitis. MACIAS PR leveraged their scientific research into stories that people could understand and journalists would cover.
Our media campaign elevated a highly technical healthcare study into an international awareness campaign that generated more than 100 media placements across the globe, reaching an audience exceeding 565 million people. MACIAS PR positioned the Encephalitis Society as a leading voice in the conversation around neurological health and patient advocacy.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
One of the biggest problems with the PR industry is that most agencies sound the same. If you read through PR agency websites, you’ll see endless variations of the same language:
“Integrated communications.” “Customized media strategies.” “Innovative storytelling.” “Results-driven campaigns.”
As a former Executive Producer with NBC and CBS, and an agency owner, I will tell you most of that jargon is generic corporate filler. It won’t be long before AI begins exposing the problem.
What’s Different with PR Now?
AI search engines and large language models are increasingly prioritizing expertise, specificity, and institutional knowledge. Generic marketing language doesn’t stand out anymore. It blends together.
The agencies that will separate themselves moving forward are the ones who can demonstrate real-world newsroom understanding and strategic insight — not just polished agency buzzwords.
Over the course of my news career with NBC and CBS, I’ve learned that the best PR agencies typically share five characteristics.
If a PR firm is missing most of these qualities, there’s a good chance you’re hiring for outreach volume instead of the more critical media strategy.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
One of the more popular questions I hear from potential clients is: “How many media placements can we expect each month?”
I understand why people ask it. Businesses want measurable results. But if I were in their shoes, I can tell you a better question to ask based on my time as Executive Producer with NBC, CBS and years as a PR agency owner.
The better question is: “What types of media coverage can we expect?”
A closer look at the Hidden PR Advantage: Understanding How Newsroom Deadlines Really Work
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Deadlines Shape Everything
Many people looking for publicity talk about storytelling but their execution misses newsroom timing.
Deadlines have a large influence over stories, and how quickly reporters respond. A reporter’s mood, openness to new ideas and responsiveness can be influenced by the deadlines they face.
It might seem obvious but you never want to pitch a reporter when they’re overwhelmed by a deadline. The challenge is understanding when those deadlines occur and identifying those pressure points.
How Deadlines Work for Different Media Outlets
Deadlines are not always obvious. Different outlets operate under different timelines. TV, print, digital, magazines, podcasts and newsletters all face a different type of deadline. TV deadlines can frequently go down to the second while newsletters might only have editorial calendars that are never concrete.
This is one of the hidden advantages experienced media professionals bring into PR. They understand the behavioral flow of newsrooms — when reporters are hunting aggressively for stories versus when they’re simply trying to survive the day. It’s much easier to catch a journalist that is on the hunt versus one who is about the produce a new segment.
Why Timing Matters More Than Most Pitches
During my time as Executive Producer with NBC and CBS, I saw average story ideas get coverage because they landed at the right moment. A segment needed to get filled or a story fell-through at the last minute.
I’ve also seen strong ideas get lost or overlooked because they were introduced at the wrong time. A reporter could have been 2 days away from going on vacation, and even though he wanted to pursue it, there was really no time to finish it.
Understanding the story approval process is a critical component to securing media coverage. The best PR agencies understand how a story is nearly guaranteed if you can get over this last hurdle.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
This is another area where many executives misunderstand the media.
By the time a national reporter calls you, there’s a good chance the story already received some level of editorial approval. It could be an informal or formal approval with an editor, or just a simple directive from an Executive Producer to pursue the angle.
This reassurance saves the reporter time from chasing angles that might never get approval. This process is especially prominent at the national level.
How does advertising compare to PR when it comes to marketing spend? Let’s take a closer look with a Wall Street Journal example.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
I got an interesting message on Linkedin today from a CEO saying “the world has changed… media is no longer interesting.”
I responded: “you’re right because no one watches CNBC or reads the WSJ anymore.”
Yes, I was being sarcastic but it is a valid observation. Is traditional media outdated and are there better approaches to scaling your message? Let’s take a closer look by comparing a story in the Wall Street Journal versus an advertisement in that same business publication.
What’s an Ad in The Wall Street Journal Really Worth?
It’s hard to get the most recent rate cards for the Wall Street Journal because publishers are now keeping those ad rates closer to the chest. But recent rate cards for the WSJ show a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal can range from roughly $100,000 for regional placements to several hundred thousand dollars. In some premium cases, the rates go even higher — depending on placement, timing, and circulation. (source)
And what do you get for that big spend?
Guaranteed placement
Total control of messaging
Immediate exposure
On the flip side, readers know it’s paid. There is no editorial validation from an advertisement and it disappears as soon as the budget is over.
In simple terms: you rented exposure.
Now Compare to a Story in The Wall Street Journal
Let’s say your company is featured in a WSJ article, like my client was last month. He didn’t pay for this WSJ story, and a month later, the feature is still up for investors and leaders to read. In addition, his story brought credibility, trust and validated positioning for his firm.
“This company matters enough to be covered.”
Why You Can’t Measure Earned Media Like Advertising
A frequent question I hear from potential clients is “how can we value a media placement compared to an ad?”
It’s a flawed approach to simply measure the advertising rate to the depth of the story. You can’t assign a dollar value to media coverage based on what the ad would cost because earned media doesn’t just replace an ad.
Earned Media Changes the Conversation
When your company is featured in a top-tier outlet, like CNBC or the WSJ, investors take notice. Your team can remarket this media coverage with new clients. Competitors also begin to see you in a new light. A prominent story positions your brand as a reference point that becomes a part of a broader narrative.
Advertising vs PR = Rented vs Owned Exposure
Advertising has a short lifespan. It runs; it’s viewed; and then it’s gone. Earned media compounds over time. Articles are indexed and used for reference. Articles I wrote for CNBC and Forbes years ago are still up, driving traffic to our website years later.
These stories are not building exposure; They’re creating long-term assets.
The Strategic Advantage Most Brands Miss
Many companies treat PR as a secondary channel. Their leaders view it as a way to support marketing. But the strongest brands flip that model and use earned media to establish credibility, shape perception and create momentum.
In ideal situations, they create an ad spend around the earned media.
If you’d like to see a more visual comparison, you can see that explanation on this Linkedin post we created. It shows you visually how PR compares to advertising. You can reach out to me if you’d like to schedule a call and discuss your brand strategy.
ABOUT MACIAS PR
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by Mark Macias – Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named Macias one of the top 50 PR Power Players in New York while Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year.
Why does PR sometimes feel so hard? Perhaps it’s because your team is looking at it from the wrong lens. A closer look at the MACIAS PR strategy that consistently leads to media coverage.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
When I was an Executive Producer with NBC, a publicist told me, “PR is hard.”
At the time, I couldn’t understand how her work could be more stressful than my job approving story ideas and scripts from some of the strongest media personalities.
Now I get what she was saying. Yes, PR and earned media is difficult. If you’re floating in the wind without a strategy, I’m sure it feels like a waste of time. But it’s not hard when you know what you’re doing.
The Misconception That Breaks Most PR Strategies
Over the years of running this PR agency for tech and healthcare startups, I’ve observed how most brands approach PR like marketing. They think:
If the message is strong → it should get coverage
If the company is interesting → reporters will care
If they push harder → results will come
But the media doesn’t work like that. Journalists aren’t waiting for your story, and no matter how many times you reach out to them, it’s unlikely they will think of you when another timely story hits their calendars.
Media Strategy Is About Alignment — Not Effort
A real PR strategy isn’t about sending more emails or spamming voicemails; It’s about alignment between – the news cycle, the reporter’s beat, the editorial window and your story.
PR and media relations is not just “getting coverage.” It’s about understanding what the media needs — and finding a way to position your brand into that window.
From the outside, the media might look chaotic but from the inside, it’s very structured. Newsrooms operate on efficient calendars and editorial timelines that keep the news train running on time. You can’t miss your story by even a minute with TV, or you will disrupt the entire news program.
The best publicists and PR agencies understand your story doesn’t compete with other PR pitches. It’s main competition is global events, breaking news and internal editorial programming calendars.
The media landscape has shifted with the war, and that means your PR and communications team should be adapting with it. Here’s some insight on how to rework your narrative for times like this.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
If you’re pitching feature stories right now, you might feel like you’re speaking into a black hole. That’s because the news cycle has shifted — fast.
Today, a New York Times reporter told me she’s backed up almost entirely on war-related angles tied to Iran. And it’s not an isolated case. Across top-tier media, reporters are being pulled toward hard news — geopolitics, national security, economic fallout, and global risk. Every major Tier One media interview we’ve secured over the last two months has been tied to the Iran War. That’s not a coincidence.
The media doesn’t just adjust — it reorients completely. The best publicists adapt to the news climate.
The Editorial Shift: From Feature Stories to Hard News
When global conflict enters the new cycle, editorial priorities tighten.
Stories that once had momentum — lifestyle, business profiles, trend pieces — get pushed aside. Not because they’re bad stories but because the most urgent stories take priority.
This is the key insight many brands miss. Reporters don’t stop needing sources — they change what they need sources to discuss.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
At some point, every public figure, executive, or athlete will say something they wish they could take back.
So why do some off-the-cuff remarks disappear quickly, while others continue to linger – in some cases years after the remark was made?
It boils down to how you manage it.
NFL Player Makes Fun of Kids with Asthma
Cam Skattebo is an up-and-coming running back for the New York Giants with so much potential for future endorsements. Last week, he made fun of kids with asthma and said a common football head injury, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE, was made up. The story is quickly gaining steam, getting picked up by all kinds of media outlets.
This week, physicians started speaking out about it, criticizing the football player for his comments about asthma. They said his lackadaisical approach to asthma will encourage bullying with kids. Doctors also raised a legitimate concern that kids with asthma might not want to use their inhalers for fear of being viewed as weak – like Cam Skatttebo suggested.
What was Skatttebo’s response? He apologized, calling it a “tasteless joke.”
Apology is not a Strategy
This story isn’t going away anytime soon. I’m predicting it will resurface in August when preseason starts. Reporters will ask him about it during minicamp in July. He might even lose millions of dollars in endorsements if the comments continue to follow him like other athletes.
You don’t make fun of kids with asthma or say your football peers with head injuries are faking it.
