Media Coffee | How Journalism and PR Dynamics Are Evolving in India 

In this episode of Media Coffee, Vikram Kharvi shares insights from his extensive experience in journalism and public relations, discussing how PR–journalist relationships have evolved in today’s digital-first media landscape. He highlights common challenges such as irrelevant pitching, mass emailing and emphasises the importance of relevance, timing and understanding a journalist’s beat.

Vikram also explores how PR professionals can act as strategic advisors by creating clear, factual press materials that add editorial value. He underlines the continued importance of mutual respect and thoughtful communication as the foundation for strong PR–media relationships.

Takeaways:

• Relevance over volume, sharper pitches build credibility, while mass emailing erodes trust.
• PR should advise, not just execute. Setting clients expectations and pushing back creates better newsroom outcomes.
• Understanding newsroom pressures and editorial priorities is essential for meaningful coverage.
• Regional and vernacular media are important and requires localisation, not just translated press releases.

You can watch the full interview with Vikram across the page, and our full Media Coffee archive is available to watch here.