PR News: Silly season? Not for the media.
PR, Synapse News
While workload might seem lighter, journalists are still chasing stories, actually now more than ever! The kind with a long shelf life, a human hook, or expert comments and opinions. If you’ve got something that can land coverage now and carry through summer, this is the time to pitch it.
Welcome back to The Loop, your weekly scroll of live journo requests, sharp PR tips, and the media trends worth keeping an eye on.
Here’s what’s topping the agenda this week…
🔥 MUST READ
…advice we’ve spotted from the experts
“PR is awareness – but awareness without action? That’s just noise in a busy room.”
Head of PR at Tribera, Sheridan Okey, shares five ways to make coverage drive results, from newsjacking with purpose to putting spokespeople front and centre.
🗞️ PR-Y STUFF
Here’s what we’ve read this week so that you don’t have to:
- British Business Bank reports 73% surge in loans – The British Business Bank has seen a sharp year-on-year rise in the number of loans issued, signalling stronger demand for SME finance and potential storytelling opportunities around business growth. read more
- Third City launches GEO service – Comms agency to assist clients with influencing the answers generated by AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. read more
- From byline to botline: how PR shapes AI-generated news – Pagefield explores how PR, social media and online conversations are increasingly influencing what generative AI platforms produce and why understanding that influence matters for comms pros. read more
- When controversial brands meet live music – On an episode of ‘Beyond the Noise’, music PR experts discuss the risks, rewards, and reputation challenges of brand tie-ins with live performances. listen to the episode
- Can better listening fight misinformation? – PR Academy explores how active listening techniques that are already powerful in PR could be key to understanding audiences and countering the spread of social misinformation. read more
🔎 JOURNO REQUESTS
Here’s what journalists are currently looking for on Synapse:
Reach plc:
Insider Media:
- Looking for all dealmaking-related announcements from B2B press teams in the West Midlands area – legal, accountancy, and corporate finance advisers.
- Seeking dealmaking news from Dorset-based professional services – legal, accountancy, and corporate finance firms.
Newsquest:
- Looking for comments on jobs that don’t require any A-levels.
- Looking for PRs/brands to get in touch with opportunities for beauty advent calendar samples to review.
- Looking for expert comments on whether sunscreen blocks vitamin D.
MailOnline:
LADbible:
Stylist:
- Looking for someone for a Stylist feature on the mistake of lending a friend or family member money.
The i Paper:
- Looking to speak to a student today whose university maintenance loan isn’t enough to cover their costs
- Looking for some expert comments on the car finance scandal compensation scheme about what people can do next.
- Looking to speak to self-employed people/youngsters/a woman or someone who is worried about not having enough for retirement
- Looking to speak to people who started paying into their pension at 18
Freelance:
Metro:
- Looking to chat to renters who signed for a house without viewing it. Did it look anything like the photos at all?
- Looking to speak to wealthy people who lost all their money
- Looking for What I own/rent property column – case studies
- Looking to speak to parents who are in debt about how they talk about money around their kids.
- Looking for expert comments on what British customs leave other Europeans scratching their heads? (queuing, stag dos, the cuisine, etc.)
Daily Mirror / Express / Reach titles:
Or head to the marketplace now to look at requests yourself.
📆 NEXT MONTH’S HOOKS
…just because we don’t want you missing out on stuff.
1 September: New car registrations – any vehicle registered from September 1st, 2025, onwards will display ’75’ as the registration identifier. 52% of Brits consider newsbrands a useful source of motoring info.
2 September: Back to School – According to MailMetro, 5.7 million parents engage with primary or secondary school content.
5 September: The Conjuring: Last Rites UK release date.
6 September: US Open Women’s Final
6 September: The Braemar Gathering, Aberdeenshire – One of the Royal Family’s favourite annual events.
7 September: US Open Men’s Final
7 September: Great North Run, Newcastle – According to Great Run, on average, there are 60,000 runners, making it the world’s biggest half-marathon.
8 September: Sexual Health Week starts
10 September: British Science Festival starts – held in Liverpool, organised by the British Science Association.
12 September: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale UK release date.
12 September: Heritage Open Days begin – Free access to historic and normally closed buildings across England.
12 September: Jane Austen Festival begins, Bath
13 September: Roald Dahl Day
13 September: Open House Festival begins, London
15 September: Prince Harry’s 40th birthday – Royal-related coverage spikes.
17 September: Searches peak for ‘Freshers Week’ – According to Google Trends, these searches hit their highest point on this topic last year, putting Scotland at 100 (the maximum) and England at 76 search interest points.
18 September: London Fashion Week kicks off
18 September: Bank of England Interest Rate announcement – The Bank will meet to review the rate, opting to either increase, decrease or keep it level.
19 September: Women’s Rugby World Cup Semi-Finals
20 September: Oktoberfest begins
26 September: The Strangers: Chapter 2 UK release date.
27 September: Women’s Rugby World Cup Bronze Final and Final – Takes place at Twickenham Stadium, London
✨ BEFORE YOU GO
Got something great but no time?
Send it over to pitches@synapse.media and we’ll get it in our marketplace for you.
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