Rephonic
Artwork for PR Future, the USC Center for Public Relations Podcast
Public Relations
Artificial Intelligence
Workplace Culture
Media Relations
Yahoo
Communication Strategy
Internal Communications
Content Creation
Data Analysis
Microsoft
Women's Sports
Sports
Corporate Culture
Employee Engagement
Michael Sullivan
Lindsey Bastani
Diversity In PR
Hybrid Work
Polarization
Hollywood

The PR Future podcast from the USC Center for Public Relations (CPR) provides insight into the future of public relations and strategic communication. Student-produced and directed, the podcast originates from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and is hosted by CPR Director and Golin Chairman Emeritus Fred Cook. Each season features discussions with public relations executiv... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes47Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MarketingBusinessTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for PR Future, the USC Center for Public Relations Podcast

Latest Episodes

Fred Cook, David Michaelson, Ada Li, and Matt Wang discuss “A Quiet Shift,” a study from the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations that examines how a more polarized environment is reshaping corporate communication. The report draws on insights f... more

YouTube

The future of search is here, and it's being rewritten by AI. In this episode, host Fred Cook sits down with Michael Sullivan and Lindsey Bastani from We. Communications to unpack the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the new frontier tha... more

YouTube

Guest

Simon Halls — Co-Founder, Apex Public Relations; USC alum; one of the most influential entertainment publicists working today

Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

Discussion Breakdown

Introduction to Simon’s Career — 0... more

YouTube

Guests

Rupert — AI persona created by Joe Carreon

Student Interviewers: Toma Battino, Joe Carreon

Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

Discussion Breakdown

Introducing Rupert — 0:00

How AI Is Impacting PR — 0:45

Will AI R... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
The Headlines
The HeadlinesThe New York Times
Pod Save the World
Pod Save the WorldPod Save the World
The Ancients
The AncientsHistory Hit

Recent Guests

Michael Sullivan
From We Communications
We Communications
Episode: How GEO is changing the PR Industry
Lindsey Bastani
From We Communications
We Communications
Episode: How GEO is changing the PR Industry
Simon Halls
Industry heavyweight in entertainment PR, co-founder of Apex Public Relations (formerly Slate PR)
Apex Public Relations
Episode: Inside Hollywood PR: A Conversation with Simon Halls
Sierra Sohn
Gen Z perspective author of a Relevance Report piece on sports
USC student
Episode: Student Voices of The Relevance Report 2025: Sports
Ava Nichols
Author focusing on technology impacting sports, particularly health tech and data
USC student
Episode: Student Voices of The Relevance Report 2025: Sports
Chinelọ Ogogor
Author focusing on biomechanics and recovery technology in sports
USC student
Episode: Student Voices of The Relevance Report 2025: Sports
Kirk Stewart
USC alumnus, former Nike executive, professor at Annenberg, board member
USC / Nike
Episode: Relevance Report 2025: Sports
Jennifer Stephens-Acree
CEO and founder of JSA Partners, LA-based tech/esports PR
JSA Partners
Episode: Relevance Report 2025: Sports
Maryanne Latif
Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for AEG
AEG
Episode: Relevance Report 2025: Sports

Host

Fred Cook
Director of the USC Center for Public Relations and Chairman Emeritus at Golin.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • An inside look

    The first episodes about March For Our Lives are the inside story of how their PR campaign was managed. Great listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JRCaesar
    United States6 years ago
  • so insightful

    As a PR person, I've been looking for a podcast that will keep me updated and informed on industry trends, and I'm so glad I found this. highly recommend for all comms pros and students 🙌

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cathygpark
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The discussions are noted for being informative and relevant to both seasoned professionals and students alike.
Listeners appreciate the practical insights between industry trends and academic perspectives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How GEO is changing the PR Industry
Q: Lindsey, what are the misconceptions that PR people have about using AI?
Common misconceptions include outsourcing everything to digital bots and treating humans only as prompts or reviewers; in reality, humans remain vital as strategic communicators working with AI outputs to maintain authentic and human-centered storytelling.
How GEO is changing the PR Industry
Q: But Michael, why don't you give us a little background on what we've learned over the three years in these three different studies about AI and its impact on public relations?
The first study emerged shortly after ChatGPT's launch to gauge initial reactions; the second study a year later showed AI-using teams felt more valued, signaling a culture shift towards embracing AI; the third study focuses on GEO and how AI continues to influence brand conversations, sourcing, and monitoring.
Interviewing AI About The Future of PR: A Conversation with Rupert
Q: What should a student highlight on their resume to show AI readiness for PR roles?
Show familiarity with AI tools, real projects using AI for media monitoring, content creation, or social listening, and mention usage of platforms like ChatGPT to demonstrate tech savviness.
Interviewing AI About The Future of PR: A Conversation with Rupert
Q: What about the job outlook for PR professionals with AI?
AI will shift roles rather than replace entrants; routine tasks will be automated, allowing people to focus on strategic, creative, and relationship-building work.
Interviewing AI About The Future of PR: A Conversation with Rupert
Q: Where would you say on a scale of 1 to 10 PR ranks in AI impact?
Rupert explains PR sits around 7 or 8, with meaningful gains in insights, automation, and personalization, but not the absolute top among all industries.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focusing on the evolving landscape of public relations and strategic communication, this podcast features insightful discussions with industry leaders, young professionals, and academics. Episodes explore a range of pertinent topics including the impact of artificial intelligence on PR practices, generational shifts in the workplace, and the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field. It aims to equip listeners with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate and shape the future of public relations, making it highly relevant for anyone involved in communication, marketing, or related areas. The podcast's unique angle combines theoretical frameworks with practical case studies from leading practitioners, aiming to bridge the gap... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Daily
2. The Headlines
3. Pod Save the World
4. The Ancients

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 47 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Michael Sullivan
2. Lindsey Bastani
3. Simon Halls
4. Sierra Sohn
5. Ava Nichols
6. Chinelọ Ogogor
7. Kirk Stewart
8. Jennifer Stephens-Acree

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days