The pace of transformation in the media landscape over the past decade has been remarkable. The rise of digital platforms and the ubiquity of social media have fundamentally changed the way we consume content — and in turn, how brands communicate. For public relations and communications agencies, this has brought about a paradigm shift that demands not just adaptation, but reinvention.
In the not-so-distant past, it would have been unthinkable for a PR agency to house a creative department. Today, creative design, content production, influencer marketing and even media buying sit within the walls of many communications firms. Integrated communications has gone from being a buzzword to a business imperative.
Traditionally, PR agencies have operated within the earned media space, occasionally extending into paid media. However, the time has come for agencies to meaningfully embrace the third and often overlooked pillar: owned media. For PR firms to be truly integrated, they must begin to build, manage and grow their own media assets — platforms they control, shape and scale.
Owned media offers far more than another content channel. It allows agencies to tell stories on their own terms, nurture communities, and build sustained engagement over time. Whether through newsletters, blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels or digital news portals, owning media enables agencies to be not just storytellers — but publishers.
This shift is already taking shape across the industry.
Take the Stagwell Group, for instance. The global marketing and communications network has made strategic investments in media ownership to future-proof its offering. Stagwell owns Ink, a leading travel news and content company with a global footprint across in-flight and digital media. More recently, it added Coconuts Media, an alternative publisher in Southeast Asia, to its affiliate network, further reinforcing its commitment to owned media platforms with local depth and cultural relevance.
At the heart of these moves is a clear belief in the power and responsibility of supporting quality journalism. As Stagwell Chairman & CEO Mark Penn puts it:
“Instead of feeding the vicious cycle of news demonetization that hurts quality journalism the most, advertisers should kickstart a virtuous cycle of investing in news that allows brands to reach valuable audiences and gives quality news content the financial stability it needs to thrive.”
Stagwell is not alone. SWNS Media Group in the UK runs its own media entities alongside its creative agency, allowing it to create and distribute news-driven branded content directly. Other agency groups, including Omnicom, have also invested in media ownership through specialist subsidiaries to deliver greater integration and control.
The benefits of owning media are clear: editorial autonomy, measurable results, consistent brand positioning, and the ability to generate recurring value. It also shifts the agency mindset from campaign-based thinking to platform-based storytelling — an approach that aligns with how audiences engage today.
In the evolving world of communications, the future belongs to agencies that can seamlessly blend earned, paid, shared and owned media. Those who build their own publishing ecosystems will not only create greater impact for their clients but will also future-proof their own relevance.
It’s time for PR agencies to stop pitching from the sidelines and start owning the platforms where the stories are told.
Vishwesh Iyer is the Publisher & Editor of AsiaBizToday.com, CollectiveforEquality.com and CarbonWire.org. This article was also published on his personal LinkedIn handle.