Written by Lucia McCabe
Last year, the communications industry didn’t simply experience disruption – it crossed a threshold.
AI didn’t just accelerate content creation or streamline workflows. It re-engineered how information is created, validated and surfaced.
And earned media – long built on relationships, relevance and reach – now operates by a very different set of rules.
AI adoption is no longer confined to agencies. It is firmly embedded in newsrooms, reshaping how journalists research, write, edit and publish.
According to the Local and Independent News Association (LINA), more than half (51 per cent) of newsrooms are already using AI in some capacity – a figure that is only climbing.
The result? Journalism is faster, more fragmented and increasingly optimised for both human readers and machines.
In 2026, the conversation shifts from disruption to adaptation – but adaptation alone isn’t enough. The opportunity now lies in who understands the new earned media mechanics fastest, and who continues to operate as if nothing has changed.
Here’s what matters now.
- Earned media is being read by machines first
For decades, PR optimised content for journalists. In 2026, AI systems are often the first audience.
Large language models and search platforms crawl, interpret and prioritise information before a human ever sees it. How content is written, structured and syndicated directly determines whether it is visible, referenced – or ignored entirely.
This is why earned media can no longer be treated as a by-product of coverage. It is part of the AI discovery layer.
At IMPACT, our AI Search + Performance Benchmark shows just how stark this shift has become. Brands with strong media coverage often have poor AI visibility – while others with fewer headlines dominate AI-generated answers because their content is clearer, more consistent and more credible across third-party sources.
In a zero-click environment, being “published” isn’t enough. You must be understood, trusted and repeated.
Frameworks like Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) are no longer optional. Clear headlines, tight paragraphs, structured insights and expert attribution are not stylistic choices – they are visibility signals.
- Relationships still matter — but laziness shows faster than ever
AI-written pitches haven’t improved media relationships. They’ve exposed how shallow many of them were to begin with. Journalists can spot automation instantly. What cuts through in 2026 isn’t speed – it’s relevance.
When I attended Influencing Live last year, one message was repeated across every panel: know the journalist’s audience, or don’t pitch at all.
Strong earned media today is built on:
- understanding what a journalist actually covers,
- why their audience cares,
- and how your expertise adds value beyond a headline.
Once trust is established, the rewards are deeper: direct access to spokespeople, nuanced commentary, and opportunities to contribute meaningfully to complex stories. These relationships don’t just generate coverage – they position organisations as reliable sources journalists return to.
In a crowded, AI-assisted newsroom, trust has become a shortcut.
- Earned media no longer lives in “the media”
Audiences don’t consume information in neat channels – and neither do AI systems.
Podcasts, Substack, creator newsletters and expert-led platforms are now core parts of the earned media ecosystem. PodPoll 25 shows nearly half of Australians (47 per cent) listen to podcasts monthly – an increase of 1.47 million people in just one year. The signal this sends is clear: storytelling has decentralised.
The Golden Globes introducing a podcast category wasn’t a novelty moment – it was recognition that cultural influence has moved well beyond traditional outlets.
Substack’s continued growth only reinforces this shift. As journalists and creators build direct, paid relationships with audiences, these platforms are becoming powerful credibility engines – not just content channels.
For brands, this demands a mindset shift. The goal is no longer “media coverage”. It is earned authority wherever trust exists.
The real challenge for 2026
Earned media, social platforms and AI are now deeply interconnected. Third-party validation has never mattered more – because it is increasingly what AI systems use to decide which information to surface and amplify.
The organisations that win in 2026 will stop treating earned media as a campaign output and start treating it as a strategic asset.
The formula is clear:
- content that works for humans and machines,
- authentic storytelling rooted in real expertise,
- and relationships built on trust, not volume.
Earned media hasn’t lost its power – it has changed its purpose. Those who recognise that shift will stay visible.
Those who don’t will quietly disappear from the conversation.
To learn how IMPACT can enhance your earned strategy, contact Lucia McCabe at lucia@impactagency.com.au.
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