How Pop Culture Moments Feed into the News Agenda (And How to Make the Most of Them)

There are opportunities for all kinds of organisations to leverage their expertise to hook into media narratives, from green tech companies speaking on environmental legislation to retailers discussing the latest High Street figures. 

This is why it’s always worth looking to the upcoming events that are likely to make big news stories (whether that’s the release of inflation figures or an exam results day) and prepare your spokespeople to offer their commentary. And of course, you must always be ready to react to breaking news. 

However, these aren’t the only kind of stories that gain traction. Even in times when big news events dominate the headlines, news producers are always looking for other (and perhaps more niche) stories that resonate with and reflect the concerns of the viewers, plugging into audience demand. 

These stories don’t only develop from what we might traditionally think of as “current events”, but can grow instead from pop culture – emerging out of the left field to become big talking points not just on social media and around people’s dinner tables, but in the mainstream news agenda. 

Pop culture in the news

News producers need to reflect the interests of their audiences to remain relevant and useful to them, so will always be keeping their ear to the ground on what has caught the public imagination. One recent illustration of this was the cultural impact of the Netflix series Baby Reindeer, which spawned several news stories probing issues from mental health to defamation, and called for experts from a range of specialisms to lend their view. 

Another huge story of 2024 was the ongoing Post Office scandal. While newsworthy on its own, the story gained critical attention with the release of ITV’s dramatised series, Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, which focused on the victims and their fight for justice and brought the story to an even wider audience. 

Our team work with the leading law firm that was supporting the sub-postmasters affected. By ensuring in advance that they were ‘broadcast ready’ – with confident, media-trained spokespeople and a strong message – we could make the most of this wave of public attention, helping to bring this important issue even further to the forefront. 

Light and shade

News producers also need light and shade in their coverage. News programs by their nature have to grapple with some of the most serious issues facing society, but producers understand that there is an audience appetite for coverage of news events which aren’t quite so weighty, and will attempt to temper their schedule accordingly. 

By thinking outside of the box, not taking a two-dimensional approach, and most importantly, making brands relevant to the news agenda, there are a plethora of opportunities to be had for nationwide coverage outside of the more ‘serious’ stories. For example, by recognising that news producers were keen to cover the UK leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but were looking for a legitimate angle to do so, we were able to offer Dr. Annayah Prosser from the University of Bath.

Dr Prosser was a perfect fit for the story because not only could she speak eloquently on her research regarding the life-changing impact of festivals and large music gatherings, she was also a big Taylor Swift fan, and her enthusiasm for the subject was infectious. The result was coverage for the University of Bath on Sky News – cutting through in a news agenda where the General Election was currently dominating to reach a national audience. 

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At Broadcast Revolution, our Newsroom team is headed by Mike Young and Ashleigh Carroll, who between them have decades of journalistic experience from their time working at the BBC and Global. This experience means they understand news producers, what they are looking for, the subtleties others might miss, and how to tailor what they are offering on behalf of clients to gain the most coverage possible. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today.