On this episode of MisInterPReted Fletcher Director of Media Relations, Allison Lester talks with two newsroom managers about the state of the U.S. media.

Martha Jennings, WRAL's Managing Editor, coordinates assignments and staffing for Raleigh, NC's #1 news station. She was the News Director for WBIR, in Knoxville, TN. an executive producer for WFLA, in Tampa, FL. and a producer for WRAL and WCBD. She's a graduate of the University of South Carolina.

With over 25 years of media experience, Jeremy Campbell is Managing Director at Spectrum News in New York City, where he oversees coverage and staff within two 24-hour newsrooms: NY1 and NY1 Noticias.

His work has reached millions of viewers through TV, digital, and non-traditional platforms - and has been used as an educational tool by the U.S. State Department to train international journalists.

He believes “one story can make a difference, and a team of journalists can change the world.”

Both have won *numerous media awards from Edward R. Murrow awards to Emmy’s - just to name a few.

As PR professionals, we are always interested in the ever-evolving state of the U.S. media. We have looked over the annual surveys conducted by both Cision and Muckrack - two large PR/Communications platforms. They conduct these surveys every year polling and interviewing thousands of journalists across the country - and found similar findings.

Topics Discussed:

• Biggest changes in the industry in the past five years
• Maintaining credibility as a trusted news source
• The Muckrack survey says 70% of journalists say PR pros are either important or very important to the success of their jobs, but fewer than half actually respond to PR pitches - Why?
• Tips for pitching journalists?
• What not to do when pitching a local journalist
• Predictions for the future of journalism

In this episode of Ms. InterPReted, we’re discussing the importance of trust. It is one of the most important things you can focus on as a brand. Think of it as the currency that fuels revenue and can make or break your business. 71% of people are more likely to buy from brands they trust - those numbers are even higher among Gen Z.

Quick, slick sales pitches don’t work for a lasting impact anymore - today's consumers want authenticity, transparency and a genuine connection.

Fletcher Vice President, Sarah Merrell and our director of media relations, Allison Lester offer advice on how to build trust with your customers.

Tactics discussed:

• Media Relations
• Influencer Marketing
• Thought Leadership
• Consistent Branding
• Proactive Solicitation of Testimonials

Tiffany Carpenter started her career in the public relations agency world and went on to manage communications for the athletics department at the University of Tennessee, including managing the reins of Mike Hamilton, Joan Cronin, Pat Summitt, Phillip Fulmer, Buzz Peterson, Bruce Pearl the infamous Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley.

She went from there to the University of Tennessee Foundation as Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing and she managed communication with 355,000 alumni across four campuses. She has gone to serve the University of Tennessee system-wide as Vice President of Communications and Marketing; Associate Vice President of Communications and Marketing; and Assistant Vice President of Marketing where she works directly with Randy Boyd, the President of the University of Tennessee System.

She recently launched a successful public relations campaign - the "Everywhere UT" campaign statewide. She was named Public Relations Alumnus of the Year in 2016 by the UT College of Communications and Information Sciences and was included on Knoxville Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Tiffany’s career in communications
• Stories of working such a high-stress job as a mom
• Growth plans for the University of Tennessee System
• Crisis management
• Public Relations and Marketing tactics to reach students