Gen Z was Born for PR

Driven by digital fluency and a hunger for real-world connection, this generation is uniquely equipped to dominate modern media relations, says Dukas Linden Public Relations’ Jansel Murad.

Google “Gen Z” and you’ll find no shortage of critiques: we’re dating less, taking fewer risks, quitting traditional career paths and generally confusing everyone around us.

The negative stereotypes are hard to ignore: lazy, antisocial and perpetually online. Yet, we’re also praised for being innovative, entrepreneurial and remarkably health-conscious — run clubs, anyone?

For years, people have struggled to make sense of Gen Z. But I would argue that the very qualities that make us difficult to define are what make us uniquely suited for one of PR’s most important functions: media relations.

I should acknowledge that I occupy a generational gray area. Born in 1996, I often bear the burden of feeling like a pitied millennial and an outcast Gen Z at the same time. Still, I’ve decided to embrace my hybrid identity and use it to explain why, as a manager of a team of decidedly Gen Z PR professionals, I’ve become convinced that this generation possesses a skillset that makes them arguably the industry’s most effective media relations professionals.

Media relations is a practice built entirely on relating: How can you write the most effective pitch? Should I follow up with the reporter now, or wait until after the weekend? What information is the most interesting and helpful for them? How can I make them read my email, let alone answer it? In the increasingly interconnected modern world, professionals who excel at media relations are skilled at reading cues and adapting their approach — in-person and online.

That’s where I believe Gen Z has a surprising advantage.

Gen Z is touted for being “chronically” online, keeping up to date with the latest news in their circles and the world more efficiently than any generation previously.

Despite this stereotype, 89% of Gen Z agree that relationships formed during in-person events are critical to building professional confidence, according to a CNBC survey, underscoring their understanding that face-to-face interaction is key. In fact, Gen Z’s drive for in-person experiences is so strong that they’re even reviving American mall culture.

Essentially, Gen Z is frighteningly digitally fluent, while doggedly seeking connection. Conveniently, media relations today requires both skill sets.

In a survey of journalists conducted by BusinessWire in 2025, 84% said the best way for PR pros to build relationships with journalists is by researching the reporter before reaching out, while 31% agreed that the best way for a PR pro to build a relationship with them is by sharing their articles on social media. It’s clear that success depends on understanding how people communicate online, while still appreciating that the strongest media relationships are built through genuine rapport.

Reporters are inundated with pitches every day. Standing out requires more than a clever subject line; it requires a cohesive understanding of who someone is and how they prefer to engage. Gen Z is adept at using all social media platforms  — LinkedIn, Instagram, even TikTok — to better understand reporters’ interests, coverage priorities and preferred methods of communication, whether it’s face-to-face or via DM.

I’ve seen the success of that contradictory skillset firsthand. In one case, a Gen Z team generated more than 95% of my agency’s media coverage for a client over a six-month period. In another, a different Gen Z team was responsible for over 60% of the group’s reporter interactions over the course of a year.

As the media landscape continues to evolve, the future of media relations will belong to professionals who can move seamlessly between digital and in-person interactions. In my experience, Gen Z isn’t just prepared for that future — we’re already helping define it.

The irony is that the generation most often criticized for being disconnected may ultimately prove to be uniquely equipped for a profession built entirely on connection.

Jansel Murad is a VP at Dukas Linden Public Relations.