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In this solocast episode, On Top of PR host Jason Mudd discusses why “guaranteed media” isn’t earned and how to protect yourself from misleading PR firms.

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Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What “guaranteed media coverage” really means — and why it’s rarely earned

2. The differences between earned, placed, contributed, and sponsored content

3. How deceptive firms use fake credibility and vanity metrics to lure clients

4. The true cost of falling for pay-to-play PR, including damaged trust and wasted budgets

5. What questions you must ask before hiring a PR partner to protect your investment

Quotables

“If it’s guaranteed, it’s not earned. And if it’s not earned, it’s not PR — it’s advertising.” — @JasonMudd9

“You’re not being pitched to journalists. You’re being pitched to a payment processor.” — @JasonMudd9

“Too many firms are ghostwriting puff pieces and calling it earned coverage. It’s not.” — @JasonMudd9

“Earned media is hard to win, and that’s exactly why it works.” — @JasonMudd9

“You deserve real answers, not marketing spin.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Jason Mudd, Axia Public Relations

Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist for some of America’s most admired brands. Since 1994, he’s worked with brands including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon.

Jason founded Axia Public Relations in 2002. Forbes named Axia one of America’s Best PR Agencies. At Axia, Jason oversees strategic communications for national clients and leads top PR talent. Clients love his passion, innovation, candor, commitment, and award-winning team. He consults with leadership teams at billion-dollar global business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands, advising them on spokesperson training, crisis communications, analytics, social media, online reputation management, and more.

In an increasingly tech-forward world, Jason’s grasp of the technological demands companies face helps his multiple-sector clients reach their target audiences. After teaching himself HTML in 1994, Jason helped pioneer internet marketing strategies as an early adopter of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and social media, inspiring tech giants like Yahoo. He speaks to corporations and industry groups and writes about PR trends and best practices for American City Business Journals and other national outlets.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Jason Mudd on X

Jason Mudd on LinkedIn

Axia Public Relations

1:1 consultations and training with

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, HireMyMom’s Lesley Pyle joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how remote work is transforming the modern workforce

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is HireMyMom’s Lesley Pyle, founder and CEO of the platform. She has been connecting small businesses with skilled remote professionals since 2007 and brings over two decades of experience in public relations and entrepreneurship.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How remote work has evolved from a niche option to a mainstream employment model

2. What today’s professionals are looking for in flexible or freelance roles

3. Why small businesses are embracing remote hiring and the benefits it brings

4. How digital platforms and collaboration tools have removed barriers to remote work

5. Tips for staying relevant, confident, and competitive in a digital-first workforce

Quotables

“Flexibility is the number-one thing people are looking for. That freedom is like gold.” — @LesleyPyle

“Technology has made it easier than ever for businesses to connect with top-tier talent virtually.” — @LesleyPyle

“We’ve gone from asking ‘Can this be done remotely?’ to ‘Why wouldn’t it be?’” — @LesleyPyle

“Staying engaged in your field, even just a few hours a week, keeps you current and competitive.” — @LesleyPyle

“The evolution of remote work isn’t just about where we work — it’s about how we define work altogether.” — @LesleyPyle

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Lesley Pyle

Lesley Pyle is the founder and CEO of HireMyMom.com, an online platform that connects small businesses with experienced remote professionals. She launched her first online community for home-based working moms in 1996 and has been a leading voice in the evolution of flexible freelance work ever since.

With a master’s degree in public relations and over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Lesley understands the shifting priorities of today’s workforce. Through HireMyMom, she empowers professionals to find legitimate remote roles and helps businesses discover top-tier talent outside of traditional hiring models.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Lesley Pyle on X

Lesley Pyle on LinkedIn

Lesley Pyle on Facebook

Lesley Pyle on Instagram

HireMyMom website

Additional Resources:

How Much Money Can You Save by Working from Home?

Products for Your

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.

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In this episode, Chris Hackney joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to learn how to track, interpret, and leverage media coverage.

Tune in to learn more!

Our Guest:

Our episode guest is Chris Hackney, chief product officer at Meltwater. He brings more than 25 years of experience in B2B SaaS, specializing in media intelligence, PR technology, and communications strategy. At Meltwater, he leads product innovation to help brands navigate complex media landscapes and act on real-time insights.

Five things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. What media intelligence is and how it strengthens PR strategy

2. How to turn media monitoring into measurable business insights

3. Why PR professionals must embrace data-driven storytelling

4. Which metrics matter most when evaluating earned media coverage

5. How Meltwater is evolving its tools to meet the needs of modern communicators

Quotables

“Media intelligence helps you move from reporting what happened to influencing what happens next.” — @ChrisHackney

“PR needs to speak the language of the boardroom. That means data, context, and outcomes.” — @ChrisHackney

“The goal isn’t more coverage — it’s the right coverage that moves the needle.” — @ChrisHackney

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure. And that includes reputation.” — @JasonMudd9

“Media monitoring tools have evolved. It’s time PR pros evolved with them.” — @JasonMudd9

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.

About Chris Hackney

Our episode guest is Meltwater’s Chris Hackney, vice president of enterprise sales. Chris brings nearly two decades of experience in digital media, SaaS technology, and public relations. At Meltwater, he works closely with communications leaders and enterprise organizations to help them gather, analyze, and act on media insights that drive strategic decisions.

Chris has a deep understanding of the evolving PR landscape and the growing need for measurement and accountability in earned media. He frequently works with clients to strengthen their media intelligence capabilities and align communications with business outcomes. His insights help brands better understand their reputations, competitive positioning, and media performance in a fast-moving digital environment.

Guest’s contact info and resources:

Chris Hackney on LinkedIn

Meltwater website

10 steps to prepare your company for crisis

Additional Resources:

Understanding the differences of PR monitoring, measurement, and evaluation

Support the show

• On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America’s Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands.
• On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.