Greetings! Your Thursday Daily PR Brief is here - January 22, 2026
Edelman Trust Barometer shows slip into 'insular' mode; Why citations are replacing clicks; 2025 headlines delivered PR lessons not found in textbooks; more!
Read some of today's best PR and Comms industry news clips:
The New PR Scoreboard: Why Citations Are Replacing Clicks (Forbes - January 21, 2026)
Communicators say these are the hills they'll die on (PR Daily - January 22, 2026)
The Scoop: Edelman Trust Barometer shows a slip into 'insular' mode (PR Daily - January 21, 2026)
Why Brand Trust is More Important Than Novelty (Spin Sucks - January 22, 2026)
How Corporate Storytelling Strengthens Brand Identity in 2026 (5W Public Relations - January 22, 2026)
James Gordon-MacIntosh's Top 10: "Wish I'd thought of that" creative ideas (PRmoment (UK) - January 14, 2026)
What's Next In Digital Media And Tech: Three Predictions For 2026 (Forbes - January 20, 2026)
How to use data journalism to amplify PR from raw data to earned media (Agility PR Solutions - January 22, 2026)
2025 Newspaper Headlines Again Delivered PR Lessons Not Found in Textbooks (CommPRO - January 21, 2026)
No…This – January 2026 (FINN Partners - January 21, 2026)
Generative Engine Optimization Editors Are Essential In 2026: Here's Why (PRovoke Media - January 21, 2026)
Why Strategic Communications Remains a Critical Growth Function in 2026 (Walker Sands - January 21, 2026)
Media Moves at Inc., Fast Company, NBC, GMA, Bloomberg, Business Insider, CBS, CNBC, WSJ, Vogue Business, Big Technology, The Deep Dive and More. (Meredith & The Media - January 22, 2026)
Summary Section:
The New PR Scoreboard: Why Citations Are Replacing Clicks
By Daniel Lotzof, Chief Revenue Officer at Notified
Forbes - January 21, 2026
Citations prove what PR professionals have always known: Our work shapes narratives, builds trust and drives meaningful business outcomes.
Communicators say these are the hills they'll die on
By Allison Carter
PR Daily - January 22, 2026
We asked communicators on LinkedIn what hills they'll die on in their profession. Nearly 300 people responded with answers ranging from the serious to the strategic to the very strong feelings about the Oxford comma.
The Scoop: Edelman Trust Barometer shows a slip into 'insular' mode
By Courtney Blackann
PR Daily - January 21, 2026
The Scoop: Edelman Trust Barometer shows a slip into 'insular' mode. Plus: Miami Beach nightclub apologizes after playing antisemitic song; CEOs and employees are not on the same page about AI productivity.
Why Brand Trust is More Important Than Novelty
By Melissa Wickes
Spin Sucks - January 22, 2026
Brand trust is most fragile during change. Melissa Wickes explores how brands like Chewy and Costco protect loyalty with empathy, consistency, and clear comms.
How Corporate Storytelling Strengthens Brand Identity in 2026
5W Public Relations - January 22, 2026
Learn how corporate storytelling strengthens brand identity in 2026 through authentic founder narratives, emotional resonance and culture-driven messaging.
James Gordon-MacIntosh's Top 10: "Wish I'd thought of that" creative ideas
By James Gordon-MacIntosh, Co-Founder at Hope & Glory
PRmoment (UK) - January 14, 2026
A lot of people will say that landing great earned ideas right now is harder than ever. That’s probably the case. But. I think the reason behind that is we’ve become an industry of yes people. We’ve become too busy being people pleasers.
What's Next In Digital Media And Tech: Three Predictions For 2026
By Jennifer Acree, Founder and CEO of JSA+Partners
Forbes - January 20, 2026
After years of "more"—more AI sophistication, more content, more scale—the advantage will belong to those who prioritize better, not just bigger.
How to use data journalism to amplify PR from raw data to earned media
By Lucy Manole
Agility PR Solutions - January 22, 2026
The world of PR is in constant motion, and that pushes communicators to think beyond mere announcements by crafting meaningful, evidence-based narratives. That has been the case since data journalism became one of the most powerful and non-promotional tools in existence. Here’s how to use data journalism to amplify PR.
2025 Newspaper Headlines Again Delivered PR Lessons Not Found in Textbooks
By Arthur Solomon
CommPRO - January 21, 2026
If you want to understand where public relations is really being tested and reshaped, just look at the 2025 headlines, where every crisis, correction and comeback delivered lessons no textbook could.
No…This – January 2026
By Brad Cameron
FINN Partners - January 21, 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of No…This, our news digest unpacking the need-to-know shifts in communications and marketing. The theme of 2026 is becoming clear: if it’s not real, it’s not working.
Generative Engine Optimization Editors Are Essential In 2026: Here's Why
By Camillia Dass
PRovoke Media - January 21, 2026
PRovoke Media sits down with Piabo Communications' new APAC editor-at-large, Erica Wong, to find out more about how she writes for AI-powered search and why agencies looking to future-proof need to invest in GEO-focused talent.
Why Strategic Communications Remains a Critical Growth Function in 2026
By Annie Gudorf
Walker Sands - January 21, 2026
In 2026, strategic communications drives growth through GEO, earned credibility and outcome-based measurement. Here’s what leaders need to know.
Media Moves at Inc., Fast Company, NBC, GMA, Bloomberg, Business Insider, CBS, CNBC, WSJ, Vogue Business, Big Technology, The Deep Dive and More.
By Meredith Klein
Meredith & The Media - January 22, 2026
Wow! Check out the latest media moves! And update your media lists!
If you're interested in setting up a customized report for your company or need any help with monitoring or media research feel free to reach out.
All reports made with the help of Report Mule.
The shift to citations over clicks as the new PR metric actually makes a ton of sense given how AI search is reshaping discovery. Had a client recently who was obsessed with traffic numbers, but when we dug deeper the actual brand authority gain came from being cited in research and longform pieces. The 'insular mode' trend from Edelman tracks with what I'm seeing too, people retreating into trusted circles rather than exploring broadly.