How industry experts ease tensions when media moments don’t feel like wins.
It’s a familiar moment in PR. The coverage is solid and the quotes are accurate, but the way the headline is framed doesn’t land the way the executive team hoped. What happens next can shape both your organization’s credibility and your relationship with the journalist.
So what can PR pros do? When should you push back? And what crosses the line with journalists?
Know where the line is
The first question is whether the headline is wrong or just unwanted.
“I have successfully requested a headline change if there’s a factual inaccuracy,” said Ryan Richert, global head of media at Golin.
But if the issue is tone or something else other than accuracy, the better move is often discussing it internally, he said.
“If it’s just a headline you don’t like, I strategize…on how to tell more positive stories moving forward,” Richert said.
Sarah Evans, partner at Zen Media, said these moments can also expose weaknesses earlier in the process.
“The framing you wanted is your job, not (the outlet’s),” she said. “If a headline surprises you, that usually means the pitch wasn’t tight enough or the spokesperson didn’t land the key message on the call.”
Reset expectations quickly
Evans said sometimes teams misunderstand how headlines are created in the first place.
“The biggest misconception I run into…is the assumption that the reporter wrote the headline,” Evans said. “Most of the time, they didn’t.”
She noted that headlines are often written by copy editors, editors or SEO teams.
“If the headline is factually accurate, just not ideal…it’s our job as PR pros to help clients understand why the article is still a win and still helps accomplish the business’s goals,” said Kristi Piehl, founder of Media Minefield.
Misunderstandings can sometimes create unnecessary friction between PR teams and reporters and asking for changes unrelated to accuracy can damage relationships, Evans said.
Instead, she advises clients to focus on the substance of the coverage.
“A headline you don’t love is still a story you got,” she said. “If the piece is fair, the quotes are accurate, and your positioning lands in the body, that’s a win.”
Evaluate the full context
Marc Sausa, senior vice president at Berk Communications, said headline concerns should always be handled strategically, rather than reactively or emotionally.
“Handling headlines is always a case-by-case decision,” Sausa said. “PR pros have to evaluate the full context — what the pitch process looked like, the relationship with the reporter, whether the headline is factually misleading, and even the potential SEO or reputational impact.”
He said this means you have to separate a disappointing headline from a damaging one.
“If a headline crosses the line into being inaccurate or unnecessarily damaging, there’s absolutely a respectful way to engage with a journalist or editor,” Sausa said.
Focus on the positives
From there, focus on what you can control, Brooke Bryant, PR account executive at The Point Group, said. This could mean amplifying certain quotes on owned channels or pulling out parts of the article that are meaningful for social media.
“You can also use the situation as a learning opportunity to strengthen prep for future media opportunities,” she said.
Evans said she tries to focus on what the coverage actually achieved.
“I let (someone) be upset for about ten minutes,” she said. “Then we look at the actual coverage together, pull the lines that matter, and decide how to amplify them.”
The headline is rarely the only thing audiences see. Quotes, social posts, executive shares and owned content can all reshape how the story travels, she said.
Protect the relationship
Underlying all of this is a delicate balancing act that is advocating for your organization without damaging media relationships, Sausa said.
“The best media relationships are collaborative, not adversarial,” Sausa said. “Strong communicators understand how to balance advocacy with respect for editorial independence.”
Richert said perspective also helps.
“Reading a bad client headline is one of the worst feelings you can experience in PR,” he said. “But they are unavoidable if you work in PR long enough. The good news about the way we consume news today is that there’s always another opportunity to tell a better story.”
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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