<p>Former Walmart and Pinterest comms leader Meredith Klein joins Perry Hedrick and Becca Chambers to break down how PR professionals can adapt to a fragmented media landscape where Substacks, podcasts, and independent journalists carry real influence. Klein shares how she built "Meredith &amp; The Media" into a 3,500-subscriber resource by interviewing journalists directly, why visual brand consistency drives recognition, and how shareability and findability now matter more than legacy masthead placements.</p><p>In this episode, we explore:</p><p>• Why a recognizable personal brand, down to a signature hat, separates you from a sea of sameness [00:02]</p><p>• How journalists actually source stories through LinkedIn comments, social posts, and independent media [00:29]</p><p>• The integrated media mix: treating newsletters and podcasts as core channels, not extras [00:15]</p><p>• What PR professionals need to tell executives who still measure success by Wall Street Journal hits alone [00:20]</p><p>• Building a distribution flywheel by repurposing even small media appearances across every channel [00:30]</p><p>Meredith Klein is a 20-year PR veteran, founder of the Meredith in the Media Substack, and a contributor to Inc. Magazine, focused on spotlighting journalists and helping comms professionals navigate the new media ecosystem.</p><p>Listen now to discover how to modernize your media strategy by pitching with precision, building durable visibility, and meeting your audience where they actually consume content.</p><p>Check out her Substack "Meredith &amp; The Media" here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://meredithandthemedia.substack.com/">https://meredithandthemedia.substack.com/</a></p>