ABC Chicago continues its learning series with a conversation with Natan Edelsburg of Muck Rack. Natan will share tips for grabbing a journalist’s attention based on findings from Muck Rack’s latest State of Journalism, State of PR and State of Tech Journalism studies. Take a few minutes to learn more about Natan before you meet him next week.
Tell us about yourself.
“I’m the chief operating officer at Muck Rack, a digital PR and journalism platform, where I handle the business side of the company. Ironically, I’m the company’s most tenured employee who helped bring on customers that include Mastercard, NBCUniversal, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs and more. I’m the producer emeritus of The Shorty Awards which honors the best of social media and have moderated panels or given presentations at SXSW, PRWeek, Social Media Week, Collision, Web Summit, Digital Hollywood, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Ragan’s and Cannes Lions. I’m also a frequent speaker for social media, PR, journalism and the future of TV.’
I’m a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and served as District Council Chair in 2020. Most recently, I was honored as one of PR News’ Rising Stars and one of PRSA’s 15 Under 35.”
How long has Muck Rack been conducting its State of Journalism survey? Did you make any adjustments to it given all the unprecedented events in 2020?
“Muck Rack started conducting the State of Journalism and the State of PR about 5 years. We’ve been able to tap into both our PR and journalism communities to partner with industry leaders to also produce more specific research. For example, we’ve produced research around the state of technology journalism, state of healthcare journalism, DEI in media relations and more.”
What are some of your favorite resources for keeping current on the state of journalism?
“The Muck Rack blog, definitely! It’s a constant source of fresh ideas, trends and resources, a lot of which is produced by contributors outside of the Muck Rack team. We also partner with a lot of journalist organizations. Their newsletters are must-haves if you want to stay up to date on the industry. Our partners include the Society of Professional Journalists, International Center for Journalists, Mediabistro, Native American Journalists Association, Foreign Press Association, Football Writers Association of America and US Basketball Writers Association of America, the Center for Media and Peace Initiatives and so many more.”
What was your favorite or least favorite job?
“My current job is my favorite. The least favorite was calling NYU alumni for donations while I was in college.”
Interested in learning more from Natan? Join us via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 5 to 6 p.m. Sign up today. You can also follow Natan on Twitter and Instagram @natanedelsburg.