Beyond Media Relations: Sarah Waddington on Data, Risk and Storytelling

In this episode of the PRCA Fuse Podcast, our host Adrian Ma sits down with Sarah Waddington, CEO of the PRCA, to unpack that BBC Radio 4 Today Programme interview where Sir Martin Sorrell declared the end of PR, and to explore what this moment really means for the future of our industry as we transition into 2026.

Sarah takes us behind the scenes of the interview and the reaction that followed, and makes a powerful case for PR’s future as strategic advisory, not “just media relations”.

In this episode:

We discuss:

What actually happened in the Radio 4 debate with Sir Martin Sorrell

Why the “PR is dead” headline misrepresents what modern PR does

Storytelling in PR vs advertising: listening, authenticity and behaviour change

Why “flood the internet with content” is the wrong answer

PR’s move into futures, foresight, data, insight and risk

The role of PR in a fragmented, politicised media landscape

Why PR needs a single, confident narrative about its value

How practitioners can upskill into management and strategic advisory