On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

• Media intelligence and PR measurement with Meltwater’s Chris Hackney

  Send us a textIn this episode, Chris Hackney joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to learn how to track, interpret, and leverage media coverage.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Chris Hackney, chief product officer at Meltwater. He brings more than 25 years of experience in B2B SaaS, specializing in media intelligence, PR technology, and communications strategy. At Meltwater, he leads product innovation to help brands navigate complex media landscapes and act on real-time insights.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. What media intelligence is and how it strengthens PR strategy2. How to turn media monitoring into measurable business insights3. Why PR professionals must embrace data-driven storytelling4. Which metrics matter most when evaluating earned media coverage5. How Meltwater is evolving its tools to meet the needs of modern communicatorsQuotables“Media intelligence helps you move from reporting what happened to influencing what happens next.” — @ChrisHackney“PR needs to speak the language of the boardroom. That means data, context, and outcomes.” — @ChrisHackney“The goal isn’t more coverage — it’s the right coverage that moves the needle.” — @ChrisHackney“You can’t manage what you don’t measure. And that includes reputation.” — @JasonMudd9“Media monitoring tools have evolved. It’s time PR pros evolved with them.” — @JasonMudd9If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Chris HackneyOur episode guest is Meltwater’s Chris Hackney, vice president of enterprise sales. Chris brings nearly two decades of experience in digital media, SaaS technology, and public relations. At Meltwater, he works closely with communications leaders and enterprise organizations to help them gather, analyze, and act on media insights that drive strategic decisions.Chris has a deep understanding of the evolving PR landscape and the growing need for measurement and accountability in earned media. He frequently works with clients to strengthen their media intelligence capabilities and align communications with business outcomes. His insights help brands better understand their reputations, competitive positioning, and media performance in a fast-moving digital environment.Guest’s contact info and resources:Chris Hackney on LinkedInMeltwater website10 steps to prepare your company for crisisAdditional Resources:Understanding the differences of PR monitoring, measurement, and evaluationSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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  32:59
• AI storytelling and PR strategy with Egnyte’s Jessica Pantages

  Send us a textIn this episode, Jessica Pantages joins host Jason Mudd to explore how AI is reshaping storytelling and public relationsTune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Jessica Pantages, Egnyte’s chief communications officer. With more than 20 years of experience in aerospace, construction, consumer tech, and agriculture, Jessica leads the global corporate marketing team at Egnyte, a B2B software company focused on collaboration, governance, and AI-enhanced solutions. She brings deep insight into how marketing and PR professionals can responsibly and strategically integrate AI into their communications work.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. How AI is enhancing PR storytelling and content workflows2. Why marketers must understand prompt crafting and data literacy3. Ways PR pros can use AI to develop personalized media pitches and optimize translation at scale4. The importance of AI governance, including style guides, usage policies, and compliance tracking5. How communications professionals can evolve into “story systems architects” Quotables“Humans will set the narrative arc and the ethics. Machines will handle the infinite micro stories.” — @JessicaPantages“If you try to avoid AI now, you're just going to find yourself in a heap of trouble in the future.” — @JessicaPantages“Treat AI like any other vendor. You need a usage log, disclosure rules, and a style guide.” — @JessicaPantages“We're just at the beginning of figuring out the prompts that give us usable drafts.” — @JessicaPantages“AI is a great beginning, but a terrible ending. It still needs human oversight.” — @JasonMudd9If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Jessica PantagesJessica Pantages is the chief communications officer at Egnyte, where she leads the company’s global corporate marketing and communications strategy. With over two decades of experience across aerospace, construction, consumer tech, and B2B software, Jessica brings a deep understanding of how to connect complex technology with real-world audiences.At Egnyte, she helps teams leverage AI to streamline workflows, enhance storytelling, and maintain brand integrity at scale. Her leadership has been instrumental in navigating major company milestones, including a recent acquisition, and in guiding her team through the evolving landscape of content creation, governance, and digital engagement. Jessica is passionate about blending human creativity with machine insight to shape the future of PR and marketing.Guest’s contact info and resources:Jessica Pantages on XJessica Pantages on LinkedInEgnyteSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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  32:57
• Making your media pitches stand out with Qwoted

  Send us a textIn this episode, Vannyda Thach joins host Jason Mudd to discuss expert strategies for media pitching and journalist relationshipsTune in to learn more!Our Guest:Vannyda Thach is the Head of Media Success at Qwoted. With a background in media relations and digital communications, Vannyda helps journalists find trusted sources and build meaningful relationships through the Qwoted platform. Her experience spans PR campaign management, social media strategy, and work with major entertainment events, including Disney’s “Big Hero 6” premiere.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Why building relationships (and not just landing placements) is the foundation of good media pitching2. The difference between cold pitches and media query responses — and how to craft both effectively3. Best practices for using Qwoted to match sources with journalists quickly and accurately4. How personalization, clarity, and relevance impact whether journalists notice or ignore a pitch 5. The role of urgency and profile optimization in earning top-tier media coverage Quotables“You want to be unique. You want to have your own take on the topic.” — @VannydaThach“Remember to call the journalist by their name. If your pitch isn’t personalized, they’ll see right through it.” — @VannydaThach“Pitching media is about being helpful, not selling. Focus on building the relationship.” — @JasonMudd9“Don’t ghost reporters. Communicate early if something changes. It’s all about respect.” — @JasonMudd9“Journalists are busy and under pressure. The more complete your profile, the more credibility you have.” — @VannydaThachIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us though Buy Me a Coffee or by leavinging us a quick podcast review.About Vannyda ThachVannyda Thach is the Head of Media Success at Qwoted, a platform dedicated to connecting journalists with expert sources. Based in Los Angeles, she leads a team committed to supporting media professionals — including journalists, freelancers, podcasters, and producers by facilitating connections with the right experts for their stories, even under tight deadlines. With a journalism and public relations background, Vannyda earned her bachelor's degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from California State University, Long Beach. Her career began with roles such as a communications intern at AARP and public relations manager for DisneyExaminer. She later joined Citizen Relations, progressing from a junior account executive to senior account executive, managing PR campaigns and fostering media relationships. At Qwoted, Vannyda leverages her PR experience to assist journalists in finding trusted sources and building meaningful relationships through the platform. She emphasizes the importance of being helpful over selling in media pitching and building genuine connections with reporters.Guest’s cSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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  48:45
• Understanding the creator economy with Penn State’s Bill Zimmerman

  Send us a textIn this episode, Bill Zimmerman joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how the creator economy is transforming public relations and marketing strategy.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Bill Zimmerman, a professor in the College of Communications at Penn State University. With a background in journalism and public relations, he recently authored a textbook on the creator economy. His academic work focuses on preparing students for the evolving landscape of influencer marketing, content creation, and digital media strategy.Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Why brands must understand the difference between influencers and content creators2. The power of evaluating creators’ niche audiences instead of just follower count3. Why trust, disclosure, and transparency are crucial in influencer partnerships4. How to build an effective creator brief and why it matters for brand alignment5. Tools and trends shaping the future of influencer marketing and PR educationQuotables“Trust is the currency of the creator economy. It must be earned and maintained.” — @BillZimmerman“A million followers doesn’t mean a million buyers. Engagement matters more.” — @BillZimmerman“Creators are trusted more than institutions because they deliver real talk and transparency.” — @BillZimmerman“You hire a creator for their voice. Over-directing the message kills authenticity.” — @JasonMudd9“Disclosure isn’t optional. It’s ethical, smart, and legally required.” — @JasonMudd9“The creator brief is quickly becoming the backbone of successful campaigns.” — @BillZimmermanIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Bill ZimmermanBill Zimmerman is an assistant teaching professor at Penn State University’s College of Communications. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as a newspaper reporter and PR professional. Bill holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and another in higher education from Penn State, along with accreditation in public relations.A thought leader in the evolving world of digital media and PR education, Bill authored a textbook on the creator economy and is launching a content creator certificate program at Penn State. His work is helping shape how future PR and marketing professionals approach influencer strategy, creator partnerships, and audience trust in the digital age.Guest’s contact info and resources:Bill Zimmerman on LinkedInUnderstanding the Creator Economy: Making Digital Media Work for YouAdditional Resources:Influential.coSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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  41:59
• What you should know about earning media coverage

  Send us a textIn this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses what every company must know about media relations before hiring a public relations firm. Tune in to learn more! Five things you’ll learn from this episode:1. Media relations is just one part of strategic public relations2. What makes a story newsworthy3. What journalists really care about when evaluating your pitch4. Why relationships don’t guarantee coverage5. What PR tools you shouldn’t buy until you’re ready Quotables"Public relations is not only media relations. Media relations isn’t what most people think it is either." — @JasonMudd9"Earned media must be earned. If someone guarantees coverage, you’re buying ads, not PR." — @JasonMudd9"The only audience that matters is the journalist’s audience — not your CEO or marketing team." — @JasonMudd9"Great [news] stories beat great [media] relationships." — @JasonMudd9 "PR is a long-term business strategy — not a one-time campaign or quick win." — @JasonMudd9If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us by buying us a coffee or leaving us a quick podcast review.About Jason Mudd, Axia Public RelationsJason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more. In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.Guest’s contact info and resources:Jason Mudd on XJason Mudd on LinkedInAxia Public Relations 1:1 consultations and training with Axia Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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