Healthcare PR agencies and other PR pros should already be familiar with the Cision brand. From media monitoring to vetting outlets for active pitching and outreach, Cision makes our lives easier and our work more targeted on a daily basis. This media giant also collects and analyzes some of the most important insights from its own customers each year. They developed a benchmark report of the latest PR and communications trends in a 2025 State of the Media Report.
Because we know your time is precious, we’ve highlighted some of the most important findings from its analysis of key trends across North America—along with our perspective on what they mean for healthcare PR professionals and the brands they support.
AI can elevate PR efforts but know when to use it
AI continues to shake up the communications industry—but it’s not as simple as plugging in prompts and copying and pasting results. North American journalists are particularly opposed to using AI-generated content. According to the 2025 State of the Media report, nearly half (49%) of journalists don’t use AI and don’t plan to. And when it comes to receiving AI-generated pitches or press releases, 41% are strongly opposed. Their top concerns? Factual errors, a lack of creativity, and the proliferation of low-quality, boring content.
However, AI isn’t going away. The same report found that 20% of North American journalists use it for transcription, 17% for research, 11% for early drafts or outlines, and 14% to summarize text. This tells us that AI can be a helpful tool behind the scenes. But it must be used carefully and transparently when it comes to client-facing or journalist-facing work.
For healthcare PR agencies, it’s critical to use AI ethically and strategically: verify the facts, apply strong editorial judgment, and make sure every piece reflects the client’s authentic brand voice. (We wrote more on that here: AI Dos and Don’ts for Healthcare Agencies.)
Pitching is still the cornerstone of media success
Despite all the shifts in the media landscape, one thing hasn’t changed—the power of a well-crafted pitch. According to Cision, 86% of journalists say they reject pitches simply because they’re not relevant. And 70% reject pitches that feel too promotional or lacking substance.
The takeaway? Your pitch needs to be customized, concise, and credible. Journalists want a clear hook, useful data, access to experts, and story angles that fit their beat. And they’re being flooded—half receive more than 50 pitches a week and 13% receive over 150 in the same period—so getting it right the first-time matters.
For in-house communications pros and healthcare PR agencies alike, this reinforces the importance of thought leadership with purpose. If you want your message to stand out, it needs to go beyond “news” and connect to trends, insight, or urgency that matters to the journalist and their audience. We talk more about this in our Healthcare Thought Leadership Tips blog.
Relationships are still everything
Public relations is about people. The overwhelming majority of surveyed journalists (89%) said the best way to build a relationship is to send a personal email explaining why you want to connect. Not a mass blast. Not a cold pitch. Just a thoughtful note of introduction.
This may seem simple, but in an age of inbox overload and shrinking newsrooms, it’s a powerful differentiator. Journalists also say that what they value most from PR pros is access to relevant sources (71%), key people or places (61%), and relevant story ideas (52%). These relationships lead to faster turnaround, better interviews, and more meaningful placements.
That’s why healthcare PR agencies must invest in long-term, credibility-building relationships with journalists, not just transaction-based outreach. Understanding what a reporter covers, respecting deadlines, and delivering on promises are still what set standout communications and PR partners apart.
Was this information useful? Our summary is just a sample of the full Cision report. If you’re vetting healthcare PR agencies to find a partner who can help you anticipate these trends and capitalize on new opportunities, we hope you’ll contact us today.