FIR Interviews

In this FIR Interview, Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz speak with crisis and risk communication specialist Philippe Borremans about his new Crisis Communication 2026 Trend Report, based on a survey of senior crisis and communication leaders. The conversation explores how crisis communication is evolving in an era defined by polycrisis, declining trust, and accelerating AI-driven risk – and why many...

Josh Bernoff has just completed the largest survey yet of writers and AI – nearly 1,500 respondents across journalism, communication, publishing, and fiction. We interviewed Josh for this podcast in early December 2025. What emerges from both the data and our conversation is not a single, simple story, but a deep divide. Writers who actively use AI increasingly see it as a powerful productivity to...

GEO – generative engine optimisation – is suddenly everywhere. Is it the new SEO, a passing fad, or simply good communication practice in disguise? In this FIR Interview, Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson talk with Stephanie Grober, Marketing & PR Director at Horowitz Agency in New York, about why GEO matters, the competing narratives surrounding it, and how communicators should prepare for the im...

“Artificial intelligence will not save us. But it might help us understand who we are.” – Monsignor Paul Tighe In one of our most thought-provoking FIR Interviews to date, we speak with Monsignor Paul Tighe , Secretary of the Section of Culture of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at The Vatican, about the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence and the role of the Church in shaping gl...

How do we prove the real value of communication in an age of fragmented media, AI-driven analysis, and relentless demand for results? In this episode of FIR Interviews, we talk with Richard Bagnall, chair of AMEC, the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, and a global authority on comms measurement, about the newly released Barcelona Principles 4.0 – the mo...

In this episode of FIR Interviews, we welcome back a long-time friend of the podcast, award-winning journalist and media researcher Craig Silverman, for his third appearance – this time to talk about his new venture, Indicator . Craig is best known for his work on media accuracy, verification, and exposing digital misinformation, including reporting at ProPublica and BuzzFeed News, and as founder...

In this FIR Interview, Neville and Shel talk with author, investigative journalist, and New York SEO, Eric Schwartzman, about his Fast Company article, " Bot farms invade social media to hijack popular sentiment. " A consultant who specialises in SEO for financial services companies, Eric explains how coordinated networks of smartphones and AI-generated content are distorting public perception, ma...

Zora Artis is a leading voice in strategic internal communication with a passion for how IC can lead the integration of AI into the workplace in ways that reinforce, rather than replace, human connection. In this FIR Interview, Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz speak with Zora about how artificial intelligence is reshaping internal communication, prompting a strategic transformation in the profession....

AI-powered search is fundamentally changing how reputations are built, managed, and perceived online. In this FIR Interview, we’re joined by Sam Michelson, founder and CEO of digital reputation management company Five Blocks, to discuss how companies and executives must rethink their approach to digital reputation management in a world where search is no longer just...  Continue Reading...

For nearly 20 years, Steve Rubel was a key figure at the global public relations and marketing consultancy firm Edelman, shaping its approach to media strategy and digital communication. A pioneer in blogging and digital PR from the early 2000s, Steve has long been at the forefront of emerging media trends, helping businesses navigate the...  Continue Reading → The post Steve Rubel on A...

How AI is transforming communication beyond content creation to curation AI, including predictive analytics and sentiment analysis, is at the heart of this FIR Interview with Silvia Cambie, an independent communicator with deep expertise in journalism, internal communication, and AI-driven change management. Much of the conversation around AI in communication has focused on generative AI... ...

In this FIR Interview, recorded on 19 December 2024, Shel and Neville chat with Martin Waxman about the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on public relations. From relational AI and synthetic personas to crisis management and ethics, the discussion highlights opportunities and challenges for PR professionals. Martin shares insights from his academic research and LinkedIn Learning co...

In this FIR Interview, Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson speak with Monique Zytnik, a business communicator and author of Internal Communications in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Monique delves into the transformative impact of AI on internal comms, highlighting the need for experiential, audience-centered engagement over a flood of generic content. This approach, she explains,...  Continue...

In this FIR Interview, consultant, writer, and science fiction enthusiast Ezri Carlebach offers a unique perspective on how speculative fiction can be a valuable tool in business leadership, innovation, and ethical decision-making in planning for the future. He discusses how sci-fi fosters imaginative thinking, helping organizations tackle complex challenges, including the ethical dilemmas posed b...

AI can greatly enhance media production and social media engagement, but it should be used to complement, not replace, human creativity and connection. And, as AI becomes more integrated into media and social platforms, it’s crucial to establish ethical guidelines and robust systems to prevent the spread of misinformation. In this FIR interview with Pete...  Continue Reading → The...

Google searches link to Wikipedia more than any other website. It is the largest and most-read reference work in history. It is consistently ranked as one of the 10 most popular websites in the world, and as of 2024 is the fifth most visited website on the net. Wikipedia is also one of the richest sources of information for AI training models. With all those eyes on Wikipedia, it's no surprise tha...

Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, we let ChatGPT speak for itself about how it can enhance communicators’ work — and whether communicators are at risk of being replaced by AI. Shel is solo in this episode, so he interviews ChatGPT to ask a...

The latest research report out of communication agency Edelman is rich with takeaways. The 2023 Corporate Communications Study follows a 2021 edition that explored the implications of the pandemic on the role of organizational communication. The report revealed that Chief Communication Officers (CCOs) now spend nearly 20 percent of their time counseling CEOs on issues unrelated to communication. T...

Robert L. Dilenschneider has learned a lot about power and influence during his storied career. The former president and CEO of global PR firm Hill & Knowlton has led his own agency, The Dilenschneider Group, since 1991. The author of several books, Bob is about to launch his latest work, "The Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence: Everything You Need to Know," which hits bookstores on July 25...

Allan Schoenberg has spent much of his career as a communication leader in the financial services space, including a stint as Sr. VP and Global Head of Communications and Social Media for NASDAQ.  Allan, former co-host of the FIR Podcast Network's "FIR B2B," recently pivoted to become Chief Communication Officer at Vinson & Elkins, a New York-based law firm. In this FIR Interview, Allan discus...

Jeremiah Owyang has a habit. Whenever a new digital technology emerges that seems to be poised to disrupt business and society, Jeremiah dives in, talking to everyone he can, attending conferences, meetings, and talks,  and undertaking a deep dive into every research resource available. In his eighth FIR interview, Jeremiah shares his perspectives on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has been ar...

While journalists are sick of spray-and-pray pitches and press releases, they are equally heartened to see pitches that are tailored to their interests. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained prominence since the November 2022 public release of ChatGPT, more public relations practitioners may be open to the idea of using AI to help identify the right journalists for their stories and craft pit...

Three Whiskey conducted extensive research into online anti-vaccination sentiment, identifying distinct groups, all of whom are critical of vaccination campaigns. Based on this research, the agency posted recommendations for public health institutions to consider when introducing vaccination campaigns. This approach is repeatable in other campaigns in which a group digs in its heels in opposition...

Anyone working in communications has learned that storytelling is a vital element of influence. (An old Indian proverb proclaims, "Tell me a fact and I will learn, tell me the truth and I will believe, but tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.") There is a wealth of literature and research that supports the value of a narrative approach to reinforcing or changing behaviors and for...

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar is the founder and CEO of Ideas Beyond Borders , a non-profit organization based in New York. We recently connected on Twitter and Faisal was telling me about a project to rebuild the library of the University of Mosul in Iraq that had been destroyed by the Islamic State or ISIS during the war in Iraq. It’s been almost four years since ISIS was expelled from the city of Mosul...