On Top of PR with Jason Mudd

Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

On Top of PR is a podcast dedicated to helping corporate communications leaders leverage the power of PR to build a strong brand and great reputation. Each episode features guests to discuss PR and marketing topics, tips, and trends. We want to help every active and aspiring communication professional stay on top of PR.   It is one of the top 3% most popular podcast shows globally, according to Listen Notes' Listen Score, and among the top 100 marketing podcasts in the world on Apple Podcasts.   We've featured guests from Disney, Wells Fargo, Tyson Foods, Mall of America, Priceline, Southwest Airlines, and more. About Jason MuddJason Mudd is a professional public speaker, accredited public relations practitioner, published author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. The World Communication Forum named him North America’s top PR leader. He’s the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. Forbes Magazine named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America’s most admired and fastest-growing companies. His past PR work includes American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. 

  1. Why isn’t your press release getting any coverage?

    5D AGO

    Why isn’t your press release getting any coverage?

    Send us Fan Mail In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd dives into why most press releases fail and how to craft news releases that capture attention, clicks, and engagement. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Five reasons your news release isn’t getting coverage 2. Understanding the move from “press releases” to news releases 3. Common mistakes that cause press releases to be ignored 4. How to write headlines and content that attract attention and clicks 5. Adopting an audience-first mindset to make your news releases effective  Quotables “A journalist or reader is asking, ‘Why should I care?’ ‘Why now?’ and ‘Why does this matter now?’ And if you don't answer that in the first few lines of your pitch or your news release, you lose that audience.” — @jasonmudd9 “Safe content doesn't get shared; it gets ignored.” — @jasonmudd9 “Your content now competes in search, AI, and social feeds. Structure matters. You need clear headlines, direct language, and answer-driven content.” — @jasonmudd9 “Shift your mindset from ‘What do we want to announce?’ to ‘What would someone care [about], click, and share?’ Define your audience, validate your angle with data, and write like a journalist.” — @jasonmudd9 “Coverage isn't requested; it's earned. It starts with how you think about the story before writing.” — @jasonmudd9 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. Axia Public Relations resources 1:1 consultations and training with Axia 10 2026 press release tips marketers aren’t going to like Additional Resources: What's the difference between press releases and public relations? What’s the difference between newswire and press release distribution wire agencies? How press releases are powering generative engine optimization and answer engine optimization 3 elements of an effective news release Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    17 min
  2. Shaping the future of PR with AI: Insights from Microsoft’s Frank X. Shaw

    MAR 24

    Shaping the future of PR with AI: Insights from Microsoft’s Frank X. Shaw

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Microsoft CCO Frank Shaw joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI is reshaping PR workflows, strategy, and corporate communications. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Frank X. Shaw, chief communications officer at Microsoft. Frank leads global communications strategy, product PR, media and analyst relations, executive and employee communications, and global agency partnerships. He shares insights on how communicators can leverage AI to focus on high-value work and improve efficiency. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How to identify high-value PR work and apply AI to repetitive tasks 2. Practical AI applications for media monitoring, analyst engagement, and internal communications 3. How autonomous AI agents can enhance predictive insights for communications teams 4. The mindset needed to embrace AI tools without fear of job loss 5. How efficiency gained through AI can drive growth rather than just cost-cutting Quotables “It's not like you can outsource your judgment, but you can augment it.” — Frank Shaw “I don't look at all this technology as something that is going to cut costs. It's going to allow us to do the things that are in front of us that we want to do that we can't get to right now because we don't have the resources and the time.” — Frank Shaw “The mindset has to be one of experimentation, curiosity, trying new things, being willing to fail, at some, grabbing every tool that comes out there and thinking about how we can apply it to the work that we do. “ — Frank Shaw “I think everybody should be experimenting with stuff at home and at work because it's moving really fast, and the way you stay on top of it is just to play.” — Frank Shaw “People say the corporate communication profession has changed over the years. And my argument is it really hasn't changed. We just have better tools. But those same tools require us to be even better practitioners, more strategically minded.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Frank X. Shaw on LinkedIn Microsoft website LinkedIn Learning: Communicator’s Guide to AI Tools and Mindsets for Modern PR and Media course Additional Resources: Axia’s AI Relations service Microsoft Copilot Studio Microsoft Bing Get to Know Microsoft Edge Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    40 min
  3. Media-first PR in the AI era with Storyblok’s Brandon Watts

    MAR 17

    Media-first PR in the AI era with Storyblok’s Brandon Watts

    Send us Fan Mail  In this episode, Brandon Watts joins host Jason Mudd to discuss how to prioritize audience and authenticity in media-first PR during the AI era. Tune in to learn more!   Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Brandon Watts, director of PR and communications at Storyblok. With 20-plus years in shaping narratives for startups and enterprise tech, Brandon brings insights from both the media and PR sides. He’s also contributed to Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Adweek. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. How to adopt a media-first approach in PR during the AI era 2. Why quality matters more than quantity when pitching stories 3. How to put the audience before your PR agenda 4. The power of exclusives and timings 5. Tips for pitching original, AI-proof stories Quotables “The biggest challenge here is when we think of what we're trying to tell, the story we're trying to tell, it's usually always framed through our lens. What do we have to say? What benefit do we get from it? That's a lot of we, me — a lot of self-service focus. So we have to reframe this. If it's media first, it means that it's really media first.” — Brandon Watts “Communication with your pitch is so critical because that's really what helps you to sell it, to make it more broad in terms of who's going to want to listen to that and why.” — Brandon Watts “You have to create the stories that AI can't. And all of that is due to your personal experience, what your company's experiencing, what your team is experiencing, and your customers' lived experiences that cannot be hallucinated, that cannot be made up. That's authenticity.” — Brandon Watts “We use AI just in the right way to help you get more power out of your content creation. So you just have to take that extra bit of time to understand that you can't just prompt and run. You've got to give it context and tweak.” — Brandon Watts “Garbage in, garbage out. If you put bad input into a generative AI app, you're going to get bad output from it.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: Brandon Watts on LinkedIn Storyblok website How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. Additional Resources: Axia’s AI Service AI in PR: Transforming communication stra Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    42 min
  4. HARO’s comeback: Modern sourcing for journalists and brands

    MAR 10

    HARO’s comeback: Modern sourcing for journalists and brands

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Brett Farmiloe joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the comeback of HARO and smarter PR pitching.  Tune in to learn more!  Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Brett Farmiloe, founder and CEO at Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Brett has scaled startups and worked with global brands, and he helps professionals share their expertise online. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human. Five things you’ll learn from this episode:   1. Why HARO was revived and what’s changed since its launch 2. How journalist profiles and “Open to Write” signals improve pitch success 3. Tips for better pitches with fewer blasts to stand out to reporters 4. How HARO is expanding to support journalists beyond sourcing experts 5. How PR pros can measure expert authority instead of vanity placements in the AI era   More About Brett Farmiloe Brett Farmiloe is the CEO of Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a platform connecting journalists with sources to create expert-powered content. An entrepreneur and author, Brett has scaled startups, collaborated with global brands, and helped thousands of professionals share their expertise. His mission is to make knowledge more accessible and human online. Quotables “Our goal at the end of the day is to connect journalists with great sources for stories.” — Brett Farmiloe “When sources come to us and they're like, ‘What do I do here? How do I be helpful?’ It's really in the HARO acronym: It's be Helpful, be Authentic, be Relevant, and be On time.” — Brett Farmiloe “Be authentic; don't just use 100% AI, and add your own human expertise to things.” — Brett Farmiloe “What comes around, goes around, and I really think that just being helpful and friendly and nice to people goes a long way.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Guest’s contact info and resources: @BrettFarmiloe on X Brett Farmiloe on LinkedIn Help a Reporter Out website Featured website Listen to more episodes of the On Top of PR with Jason Mudd podcast. Find out more about Axia Public Relations. Additional Resources: 6 tips for using HARO to pitch your story HARO Shifts to Connectively: What does this mean for PR professionals? A Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    35 min
  5. How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing with Martin Waxman

    FEB 23

    How to stay ahead of AI in communication and marketing with Martin Waxman

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Martin Waxman joins host Jason Mudd to discuss AI’s impact on communications and marketing, why training matters, and how to avoid “AI slop” by pairing AI with real expertise. Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Martin Waxman, LinkedIn Learning instructor, adjunct professor at the York Schulich School of Business, and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute. He writes an AI and digital marketing trends newsletter, delivers hands-on generative AI training workshops, and conducts AI research. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. Why using AI only to offload tasks can lower quality and why thinking first matters 2. What Martin predicted correctly about AI and what surprised him about its rapid adoption 3. How to move beyond basic content generation to strategy and analytics 4. Why subject-matter expertise is critical when using AI for insights and data 5. How leaders can manage hype, train teams, and stay ethical as AI evolves Quotables “Use their brains first so they can start to push themselves and then get AI tools to push them even farther.” — Martin Waxman “We have to prompt AI, but we also have to get AI to prompt us to think about things from a different perspective.” — Martin Waxman “You don't have to go at the pace of AI development, which is really fast, but you need to go at a much faster pace than we as communicators have been used to using.” — Martin Waxman “There's a new term called FOMO, fear of becoming obsolete, which is really real. Because we don't know what we need to learn to do our job successfully. So managing The hype is job number one, figuring out what's new, when it's going to start affecting us, and what can we do to prepare along the way.” — Martin Waxman “AI will take your job if you're the master and commander of it.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. More About Martin Waxman Martin Waxman writes a popular AI and digital marketing trends newsletter, delivers hands-on generative AI training workshops, and conducts AI research. He’s a LinkedIn Learning instructor, adjunct professor at the York Schulich School of Business, and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute. Guest’s contact info and resources: @martinwaxman on X @martinwaxman on Instagram Martin Waxman on Facebook Martin Waxman on LinkedIn Future of Marketing Institute The Neuron newsletter Axios AI newsletter LinkedIn Learning course: Using Generative AI in Public Rela Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    36 min
  6. Exclusives, advances, and embargoes: How to use each ethically in media relations

    FEB 10

    Exclusives, advances, and embargoes: How to use each ethically in media relations

    Send us Fan Mail In this solocast, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses the ethical and practical differences between exclusives, advances, and embargoes and how to use them correctly in media relations. Tune in to learn more! Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. The clear differences between exclusives, advances, and embargoes 2. The most common PR mistakes that quietly damage credibility 3. Why advances don’t restrict publication unless you explicitly say so 4. How to structure ethical exclusives without limiting coverage 5. Practical scripts you can use for exclusives, advances, and embargoes Quotables “If you promise a national consumer outlet an exclusive and then you pitch another national consumer outlet the same story, you broke your promise.” — @jasonmudd9 “Reporters don't forget. They may confront you; they may not. They may complain; they may not. But they will remember, so always be honest and ethical in all of your communication.” — @jasonmudd9 “Embargoes work best when your organization has a plan for what happens if the embargo breaks. If you want to use embargoes correctly, you must be precise.” — @jasonmudd9 “This is a critical lesson: Don't rely on terminology alone. Don't assume the other party defines the offer the same way you do.” — @jasonmudd9 “Media relations is not about getting coverage. Media relations is about earning trust, earning credibility, and building relationships that last.” — @jasonmudd9 “If your goal is first-class media relations, the standard is simple. Say what you mean, mean what you say, deliver what you promise.” — @jasonmudd9 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. Contact info and resources: Jason Mudd on X Jason Mudd on LinkedIn Axia Public Relations website  Axia Public Relations resources 1:1 consultations and training with Axia If you like this episode, you're going to love this: What journalists want from your media pitch with Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations Common mistakes publicly traded companies make when working with the news media Getting More Media Coverage by Making Journalists’ Lives Easier Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    21 min
  7. Navigating AI ethics in public relations with PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial

    JAN 27

    Navigating AI ethics in public relations with PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the ethical use of AI in PR and key insights for communicators. Tune in to learn more! Meet our guest: Our episode guest is Matthew Marcial, CEO of the Public Relations Society of America. He leads PRSA’s strategic priorities, focusing on advancing the profession and guiding communicators through emerging challenges, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. The biggest ethical risks with generative AI in PR 2. The “Promise and Pitfalls” principles every PR team should adopt  3. How smart PR teams are using AI without crossing ethical lines 4. PRSA’s role in helping professionals navigate the fast-changing AI landscape 5. Tips for rising PR pros who want to lead the profession forward Quotables “As a leader, you really need to be able to set clear expectations with your team around what the role of AI is and what it is for your organization.” — Matthew Marcial “Being comfortable with that, sharing, and training across your teams is really going to help leverage that (AI) insight and expertise.” — Matthew Marcial “I think that as a communicator, putting out anything that compromises your reputation is going to be a risk.” — Matthew Marcial “We are taking a bolder voice on issues that impact our members, the industry, and the profession.” — Matthew Marcial “The best way to learn is through trial and error.” — Jason Mudd If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. More about Matthew Marcial Matthew Marcial, CAE, CMP, is the CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, the nation’s leading organization for public relations and communications professionals. Appointed in March 2025, he leads PRSA’s strategic priorities, focusing on advancing the profession, supporting member growth, and navigating emerging challenges, such as the ethical use of artificial intelligence. With more than 20 years of association leadership experience, Matthew is a frequent speaker on ethical leadership and professional development and has recently led sessions across PRSA’s regional districts on the organization’s AI Ethics Guide for PR professionals. Guest’s contact info and resources: Matthew Marcial on LinkedIn PRSA website PRSA’s Promise and Pitfalls: Ethical AI Guide PRSA’s DEI Toolkit PRSA’s Membership | Promo Code for Listeners: PRPROD25 Axia’s PR Scholars Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    37 min
  8. Barcelona Principles 4.0: How to Measure PR Effectively with AMEC CEO Johna Burke

    JAN 13

    Barcelona Principles 4.0: How to Measure PR Effectively with AMEC CEO Johna Burke

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, AMEC’s CEO Johna Burke joins host Jason Mudd to discuss the Barcelona Principles 4.0 and PR measurement best practices. Tune in to learn more! Meet Our Guest: Our episode guest is Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, PR, communications, and strategy for B2B and B2C organizations, Johna is a global leader in communication measurement and evaluation and a sought-after speaker on PR, media relations, and metrics. Five things you’ll learn from this episode: 1. The 7 Barcelona Principles Explained 2. How to apply the Barcelona Principles 4.0 to measure and evaluate PR effectiveness across channels 3. How AMEC’s Integrated Evaluation Framework can guide planning, measurement, and reporting in your organization 4. Practical ways to use data ethically to build credibility, trust, and impact in communications 5. How professional development and resources from AMEC can strengthen measurement skills and PR strategy   Quotables “When we looked at the Barcelona Principles, because they were rooted in best practice, a lot of them are just making them clearer statements.” — Johna Burke "Supporting the Barcelona Principles, being compliant, helps communicators make a greater value to their organization and gives credibility and reliability to their data." — Johna Burke “It gives you the planning elements, and it is a fill in the text box for what you are doing, starting with your objective and going through to put your activities, your outputs, the outcome, so that when you use this with your team and you put everything in the framework, it also helps you understand which efforts are paid, earned, shared, and owned.” — Johna Burke “Use it as the planning tool as much as you use it as a measurement tool, which arguably, if you're doing measurement effectively, you need to have good concrete planning in place to have those well-defined objectives to know and understand what's working and what's not working.” — Johna Burke If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review. More About Johna Burke Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director at the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), has more than 30 years of experience driving results in marketing, public relations, investor relations, general management, communications, strategy, and operations for B2B and B2C organizations. She is an expert in strategic planning, analytics, research, business growth, and operational efficiency and is a national and international speaker on PR, media relations, measurement, social media, and metrics. With over 20 years of focused experience in B2B and B2C marketing and public relations, Johna is recognized globally for her leadership in communication measurement and evaluatio Support the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

    30 min
4.9
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

On Top of PR is a podcast dedicated to helping corporate communications leaders leverage the power of PR to build a strong brand and great reputation. Each episode features guests to discuss PR and marketing topics, tips, and trends. We want to help every active and aspiring communication professional stay on top of PR.   It is one of the top 3% most popular podcast shows globally, according to Listen Notes' Listen Score, and among the top 100 marketing podcasts in the world on Apple Podcasts.   We've featured guests from Disney, Wells Fargo, Tyson Foods, Mall of America, Priceline, Southwest Airlines, and more. About Jason MuddJason Mudd is a professional public speaker, accredited public relations practitioner, published author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. The World Communication Forum named him North America’s top PR leader. He’s the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. Forbes Magazine named Axia as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. He is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America’s most admired and fastest-growing companies. His past PR work includes American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. 

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