From YouTube to Trump, Oscars to AI — the BBC’s North America Correspondent Peter Bowes shares insider insight into how the broadcast media is changing, and what that means for PR professionals in the UK and beyond.
For PR and communications professionals working across broadcast PR, including television, radio and podcast media relations , one truth is now unavoidable: the media ecosystem you learned five or ten years ago no longer exists.
Award shows are moving online. YouTube is now one of the world’s biggest podcast platforms. News cycles last hours, not days. And journalists are drowning in pitches.
These were just some of the themes explored during a recent session with Peter Bowes, BBC North America
Correspondent, who joined Shout! Communications and a group of UK PR professionals live from Los Angeles to discuss how broadcast media relations is evolving in 2026.
With decades of experience spanning BBC radio, television and digital, Peter offered a rare inside view of how stories are selected, how journalists actually work today — and why many PR pitches never even get opened.
For anyone working in broadcast PR in the UK or targeting US media, his insights were both insightful and practical.
From Four TV Channels in the UK to Infinite Platforms
Peter began by reflecting on just how dramatically the industry has shifted.
Once upon a time, the UK had four television channels. Today, audiences are fragmented across:
- Linear TV
- Streaming platforms
- YouTube
- Podcasts
- Social media
- Mobile-first news apps
Even the Oscars — historically one of television’s biggest global events — will move away from traditional broadcasting when YouTube takes over coverage in 2029.
For PR professionals, this means television PR can no longer be treated in isolation. Every broadcast story now lives across multiple platforms simultaneously: TV clips, radio segments, YouTube videos, social edits and online articles.
Modern broadcast media relations is inherently multi-channel.
YouTube Is No Longer Optional
One of the strongest messages for communications teams: YouTube now matters as much as traditional broadcasters.
Bowes explained that YouTube has quietly become the world’s largest podcast discovery platform — even though it wasn’t designed for podcasting.
For journalists, this means:
- Audio stories increasingly need video versions
- Interviews must work visually as well as verbally
- Vertical and horizontal formats are both essential
For PR teams, this translates into a simple requirement:
If you’re pitching broadcast, you must supply usable visuals.
Yet many organisations still provide:
- No B-roll
- Poor-quality images
- Incorrect aspect ratios
- Outdated formats
In 2026, that means you’re likely to lose out on a whole host of opportunities that you might otherwise have clinched.
Good broadcast PR now means delivering:
- Horizontal video for TV and YouTube
- Vertical video for social
- Clean, well-lit interview setups
- Clear usage rights
These details directly affect whether a story runs.
The News Cycle Is Brutally Short
This has major implications for PR strategy:
- Timing is everything
- Slow approvals kill coverage
- Delayed spokespeople lose opportunities
- Over-engineered messaging misses the moment
For television PR and radio PR alike, relevance windows are shrinking fast.
If your client can’t respond quickly, the story simply moves on.
Breaking Into US Media: It’s Not About the Topic — It’s About Differentiation
A common question from UK PR professionals is how to place clients in US broadcast outlets.
Bowes was clear: American media is not short of experts.
Whether the subject is:
- Fitness
- Longevity
- Technology
- Health
- Leadership
…the US already has thousands of domestic voices competing for attention.
So what makes a UK spokesperson stand out? It doesn’t really matter what the theme is, but the spokesperson needs to be able to say something that’s genuinely different.
To succeed in US broadcast media relations, your pitch must answer:
- What does this person offer that Americans aren’t already hearing?
- Why this voice, now?
- Can they appear in person, or only remotely?
- Is there original data, insight or lived experience?
Without uniqueness, even excellent stories struggle to land.
Why Most PR Pitches Fail
Bowes receives what he described as an “avalanche” of emails every day.
His estimate?
Around 80% of pitches are irrelevant.
Not because they’re badly written — but because they’re sent without understanding:
- His role
- His output
- His audiences
- His interests
Many are clearly AI-generated; others reference stories he’s never covered.
The result is predictable: mass pitching damages credibility.
His advice to PR professionals working in broadcast PR:
- Do your homework
Know what the journalist actually covers.
- Be targeted
One strong, relevant pitch beats 100 generic ones.
- Respect time
If it’s not genuinely suitable, don’t send it.
- Avoid obvious AI emails
They’re instantly recognisable — and off-putting.
Effective broadcast media relations is built on relevance, not volume.
B-Roll, Media Training and Remote Interviews
On PR-supplied video, Peter was pragmatic.
B-roll can be extremely helpful — particularly for:
- Technology stories
- Health features
- Product demonstrations
But transparency matters. Journalists must always disclose the source.
He also stressed the basics of modern media training:
- Follow technical instructions
- Check lighting and sound
- Frame yourself properly
- Use stable internet
- Keep answers concise
- Treat interviews as conversations, not speeches
Remote interviews are now standard in television PR and radio PR. Poor preparation shows instantly on screen.
How AI Is Reshaping Broadcast Journalism
Looking ahead to 2030, Peter believes AI will transform broadcasting even more than social media already has.
Currently, AI is widely used for:
- Transcription
- Research
- Initial fact-checking
But its influence will grow — bringing both opportunity and risk.
For PR and comms professionals, this reinforces the need for:
- Accuracy
- Verifiable sources
- Clear messaging
- Ethical storytelling
Trust remains the currency of broadcast.
Final Thoughts: What PR Professionals Must Take Forward
For UK-based PR and communications teams working in broadcast PR, television PR, radio PR and broadcast media relations, the takeaways are clear:
- Think multi-platform by default
- Provide strong visuals
- Move faster
- Pitch smarter
- Differentiate internationally
- Respect journalists’ time
- Prepare spokespeople properly
And above all: understand that today’s broadcast journalist is juggling TV, radio, digital and social simultaneously.
Your job is to make their life easier — not harder.
Want to get more insight from senior broadcast journalists?
For UK PR and communications professionals — particularly agencies and in-house teams in London and across the South East — these shifts in broadcast media relations are already reshaping campaign planning. Whether you’re pitching BBC programmes, commercial radio, or international broadcasters, successful television PR and radio PR now depend on speed, relevance and platform-ready content.
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