Beyond Media Relations: Sarah Waddington on Data, Risk and Storytelling

Описание: -In this episode of the PRCA Fuse Podcast, our host Adrian Ma sat down with Sarah Waddington, CEO of the PRCA, to unpack that BBC Radio 4 Today Programme interview where Sir Martin Sorrell declared the end of PR, and to explore what this moment really means for the future of our industry as we transition into 2026.

Sarah takes us behind the scenes of the interview and the reaction that followed, and makes a powerful case for PR’s future as strategic advisory, not “just media relations”.

In this episode:
We discuss:

What actually happened in the Radio 4 debate with Sir Martin Sorrell
Why the “PR is dead” headline misrepresents what modern PR does
Storytelling in PR vs advertising: listening, authenticity and behaviour change
Why “flood the internet with content” is the wrong answer
PR’s move into futures, foresight, data, insight and risk
The role of PR in a fragmented, politicised media landscape
Why PR needs a single, confident narrative about its value
How practitioners can upskill into management and strategic advisory

0:00 Intro & why this conversation matters
0:46 The Radio 4 interview: how it came about
3:50 Industry reaction: support, criticism and “snippy” comments
9:10 Storytelling: PR vs advertising
12:58 “Flood the internet with content” – Sarah’s response
15:51 Strategic advisory, risk and reputation
21:38 PR’s role in a fragmented, politicised society
25:35 A key message for the PR industry in 2026