Michiel Sallaets

As most communications professionals know (or should know), the struggle against jargon is never-ending but we must never give up the fight Back in 2015 I wrote this piece for POLITICO Europe in which we created a new set of #EUJargonaut terms, such as "stakehole", "unilogue" and "Schumansplaining" The story is here: https://lnkd.in/e3Bgqx-z

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The latest survey of 3000 journalists from Cision is a reminder of what any ex-journo will tell you if you want brilliant PR: - Don't lose trust. Make sure facts and information are credible. - Media releases are important, but original research and market data on trends are just as successful in getting coverage - A great image can be the deciding factor in whether or not your story is covered - Be relevant: too many people working in PR roles don't know their targets. Less than 25% of stories pitched to journalists are useful ...and 39% of journalists intend to be more active on LinkedIn so watch this space! https://lnkd.in/e2J-RaNF

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Building on the challenges that communicators must overcome to reach European citizens—fragmented media use, the rise of populist narratives, and an influx of unreliable AI-generated “news”—we explore how the EU can maintain consistency, visibility, and relevance in this rapidly evolving context. 

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🎉 It's that time of year again! The Google Year in Search results are out, and it's my absolute favorite way to wrap up the year. From the Euros to the Olympics, Marry Me Chicken to Baby Reindeer, Ireland's searches in 2024 were a rollercoaster! Want to know what topped the charts? Check out the full results: https://lnkd.in/edDjHYKZ #YearInSearch #GoogleTrends #Ireland

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Launching an ambitious media growth strategy for Europe 🇪🇺 Today, News Media Europe (Victoria Svanberg) jointly with EUROPEAN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION (Mike Koedinger) and EMMA European Magazine Media Association (François le Hodey) launch a media growth strategy for Europe. The associations stand united in calling on the European institutions to ensure that journalism and the press fully harness the opportunities offered in the digital age: https://lnkd.in/eEQ4JcTW More concretely, they ask for: 1. Better IP protection and enforcement also with regards to generative AI 2. Press freedom and diversity on the platform internet 3. Fair competition and Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) access to gatekeepers 4. Rules for a fair and open online advertising ecosystem 5. Increasing publishers’ resilience by safeguarding contractual freedom and the freedom to advertise 6. Ensure fair competition between public and private media to sustain a diverse and high-quality information landscape, vital for democracy. Their full statement can be found here: https://lnkd.in/es_QqVjw

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Cracking insights here on the broad implications of the recent licensing agreement between the Financial Times and OpenAI. Media companies rightly should get paid for their IP, but the author doubts whether they're getting the value they deserve. Moral: tech giants generally win. Interesting commentary too about the hype around AI - throw 'AI winter' into your preferred search engine and you'll see why this is a thing. Is AI really as transformative, disruptive and world-changing as Big Tech tells us it is? We've heard these words before about lots of different technologies. Or is it just another way to concentrate more tech money in a handful of big firms? There's a narrative developing about AI's ability to enhance productivity at scale and real concerns about its environmental impact - see the comments for a recent AFR piece on the expected increase in electricity demand. Talking of energy, I'm bed-ridden with flu/Covid today so considering all this through the prism of a fantastic free AI Ethics course from the University of Helsinki. See the comments for a link - highly recommended! #AI #Ethics #Technology #PublicPolicy #Governance #Environment #Media

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Should EU media outlets have a clear editorial line? POLITICO EU Editor Jamil Anderlini said something interesting on this during their election night live show (9:38 below): "At POLITICO we're privileged and fortunate in the fact we are avowedly non-partisan. So as a political news organisation we are not on the left, on the right.... Whereas some of our competitors in the media are to a certain extent blinded by ideological prisms, we don't have that." To preempt the age old debate on objectivity and bias, he does go on to say that it's impossible to remove bias at the individual reporter level, but that the institution that is POLITICO does not take a position. But would a clear editorial stance actually be beneficial to public discourse? When we read news publications back home we usually know the sort of politics we’re getting. Editors write editorials and hire columnists who generally align with the paper’s/owner’s stance. I hear complaints from both sides of the political spectrum in bxl that “[any and every EU media outlet] is biased.” Would we benefit from editorials and more vocal and public-facing editors? It's hard to imagine EU publications that are reliant on diverse commercial revenue ever wanting to risk alienating a sizeable chunk of those customers. But maybe perennial claims of impartiality lead to an erosion of trust in the long-term.

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As communicators prepare for a challenging 2025, determining the best approach to reach your audience is critical. At our recent #EUInfluencer event, we explored trends shaping the EU conversation with a fantastic panel and insightful discussions, both online and offline. One key takeaway is the increasingly central role LinkedIn plays within the EU community. During the event, we asked participants which platform they preferred, and a large majority indicated LinkedIn as their go-to platform. This highlights the need to integrate LinkedIn as a core element of your communication strategy. However, LinkedIn does not replace Twitter X for breaking news and policy conversations. X still dominates in these areas, and our research confirms that MEPs are most active on X. Despite rising concerns about the platform and its owner, Theresa Fallon aptly described the "path dependency" that keeps users tied to X—leaving behind a well-established follower base is challenging. At this point, it’s unclear when or if a major shift will occur. That said, alternatives like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads offer promise for those seeking a new space. But none have yet reached critical mass, and the fediverse—where you can post across multiple channels and respond from one account—hasn’t fully materialized. Change may still be on the horizon. Emerging platforms like Instagram and TikTok are growing in importance. The EUinfluencers in these spaces show that a new tone and format are essential for engaging younger audiences, who are rising through the ranks and will soon lead communication efforts across the EU. My key takeaway from the event? 1. You cannot depend on a single platform. 2. Change is accelerating, and communicators need to prepare for continued uncertainty. Be ready for sudden platform shifts (whether due to an X ban, a move to Threads, or other developments). 3. Embrace a multichannel strategy with strong, engaging content distributed across multiple platforms. What are your thoughts? Please share them in the comments below. Thanks to our amazing panellists and contributors: Sevim Aktas, Dave Keating, Enrique Anarte Lazo, James Kanter, Diarmuid Burke, Theresa Fallon, Jon Worth, Sebastián Rodríguez And the amazing team behind the event Irem Turkay Ates Marsela Ivanova, Jesús Azogue, Antonin de Bellefroid, Daniel Bartual, and much more! More on this here: https://lnkd.in/ez5gzv_m

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Integral Ad Science’s much anticipated 19th Edition Media Quality Report is here! 🙌 📣 Brand Safety remains a key focus and the findings from our 19th edition reveal a concerted focus among marketers to protect their brands against emerging threats such as #AI-generated #deepfakes and #misinformation 📈 More in the Medianews4u.com story on how the importance of maintaining ad placement integrity, as consumer trust and brand favorability are increasingly influenced by the digital environments surrounding their ads. Download the report for more insights : https://lnkd.in/e67iUYK7

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"We don't really have a replacement for X yet" Kind of... Bluesky is similar to Twitter 10 years ago, but it's quickly improving - there's even a Tweetdeck look-alike made in Brazil that's quite good. There's still a lot of ground to cover, but I do believe it could be a decent replacement. But two things here: No network is like the previous one, even if similar of sorts. We'll always have to adapt. We did in in Brazil when we stopped using Orkut and migrated to Facebook. Also, for any network to replace X we need people. Millions of Brazilians flocked to Bluesky, but few foreign accounts are there, so once X is back in Brazil I'm not sure people will just say "well, I don't care abut X." It's all a matter of people actually migrating. But as you said, we, journalists, can't just quit Twitter. To follow the genocide in Gaza and the future genocide in Lebanon we still need X. To follow many relevant accounts, particularly on geopolitics, we still need X. If we want an alternative to X, we need mass migration to Bluesky. But why Bluesky? Because Threads not only does not have a chronological timeline, being a complete mess, but it also engages through hate. It's the same logic of X. So it's not an alternative. It'll soon be filled with nazi speech just like X - plus countless profiles I couldn't care less, but are actively recommended to me to the point I can barely see what people I actually follow post. Mastodon is for nerds. I'm not saying it as a bad thing, but it's just not good enough for the regular user. In the future I'd love to see interoperability between Mastodon and Bluesky (it's possible, there are already some initiatives to link both ecosystems, but still needs work) and, above all, new ways to use Bluesky's ecosystem based on the principle of interoperability - something the EU should foster more. #Euinfluencer #Bluesky #Twitter #X #SocialMedia #Network #Interoperability #Politics #Speech #EU

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🌍✨ Excited to share insights into the critical conversations at #Davos 2025! Under the theme, “Collaboration for the #IntelligentAge,” this year’s World Economic Forum discussions will explore how converging technologies are transforming our world and the pressing need for leaders to collaborate effectively. 💡 Key questions to address: - How can we foster innovation to tackle global crises like #ClimateChange and technological misuse? - Can collective action and responsible leadership promote #Equality, #Sustainability, and genuine collaboration, or will existing divides deepen? 🌟 At #wef25, leaders will explore these challenges and opportunities across five key focus areas: - Reimagining Growth - Industries in the Intelligent Age - Investing in People - Safeguarding the Planet - Rebuilding Trust 🔗 Dive deeper into what to expect and join the conversation about shaping a smarter, more sustainable future. Let’s make this #Davos a turning point for meaningful action. Kudos to Gayle Markovitz for this comprehensive piece! #Innovation #Leadership #Collaboration #Technology

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A must read. Brings us back to basics, the power of Media Relations.

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I've been working on a #campaign about the #EUElections for a client, which has prompted me to consolidate what I've been reading + listening to in a blog (so you don't have to 😉 ). Main points here ⬇ ⬇ : 💥Although hard to predict, EU politicians and policymakers are bracing for a swing towards the right. 💥Whilst the EU Parliament has been ruled by a de facto grand coalition, this equilibrium can change if the ECR and ID gain seats. 💥The incumbent EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen will have to negotiate a deal with the right and far-right MEPs and/or the far-left MEPs to secure a second mandate. 💥A change in the EU Parliament will have far-reaching political and policy implications. 💥 Only when the new Commission is in place, we will know for sure which policies the EU will decide to prioritise. #EUelections #GreenDeal #EUCommission

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Huge news for the creative sector 📢 🎉 We've now launched Adobe Content Authenticity, a new free web app that allows digital creators to attach Content Credentials to their content - helping them to protect their work, show attribution and better connect with their audiences online. Content Credentials are like a “nutrition label” and serve as secure metadata that can help you share information about yourself and your work. Just as a painter might add their signature to their painting, applying Content Credentials to your work with the web app is like signing your work in the digital world. 🎨 Crucially, you can also select a Generative AI Training and Usage Preference to influence how generative AI models from other companies use your work. Adding this preference indicates to other supporting generative AI models that you don’t want your work to be trained on or used, providing a vital choice to digital artists. https://lnkd.in/ggCg-jPA https://lnkd.in/gvcmYeyP #ContentAuthenticity #Copyright #AI

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"According to a new study released today by IBM and Amazon Web Services (AWS) there is no simple ‘silver bullet’ solution to secure gen AI, especially now. The report is based on a survey conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value that surveyed leading executives at U.S. organizations." Visit VentureBeat to learn more! #cybersecurity #developers #GenAI https://lnkd.in/gCgYsMBB

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⏰ Money20/20 Europe: Why Timing is Everything Like many major trade shows, storytelling around Money20/20 Europe is changing. The biggest opportunity to make an impact isn’t during the event any more —it’s the week before 📆 Our research (link in comments) found that early media activity helps brands: ✔️ Drive visibility before the noise peaks ✔️ Set the agenda for the event ✔️ Give sales teams the momentum they need Missed your chance during the show? Don’t worry. Post-event coverage remains strong for two weeks, giving you time to make a splash. Plan ahead. Execute with precision. Stand out. #FintechMarketing #EventPR #Money2020Europe

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I read a lot, because it allows me to believe (foolishly) that I have greater agency in our world. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, right? One of the newsletters I get is Crazy Stupid Tech, written by Fred Vogelstein and Om Malik, and the current issue contains an interview with reputation management consultant Ed Sussman. The entire interview is worth reading (sign up via the link to the Crazy Stupid Tech site) if you're interested in Sussman's take on how AI will very likely influence reputation (brand), but here was the most interesting (and on reflection, not that surprising) thing I took away: "Right now Wikipedia is viewed as a super authority by these chatbots. If you want one of the fastest ways to influence AI, get the (client’s) Wikipedia page changed."

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