Tales From the Beat

WTF is the WTF Agency Method? Its creator, Tim Kilroy, reveals all with host/journalist Ed Garsten on the landmark 150th episode of Tales From the Beat. They also discuss how Tim works with PR and marketing agencies to help them become more successful at pitching and placing stories with reporters, and Tim talks about his weekly newsletter.

Corporate leaders who can't communicate, success at B2B communications, working well with reporters and that damned AI--all among the hot topics Leaders PR founder Evan Boyer discusses with host/journalist Ed Garsten in this episode of Tales From the Beat--the podcast that looks at news and PR from both sides of the scrimmage line.

In episode 148 of Tales From the Beat, Strategic Global Media founder and CEO Scott Merritt and partner Dwain Schenck tackle divisive issues with host/journalist Ed Garsten that include who is a journalist and what is the toughest and most misunderstood job in PR. They also bat around the effects of AI in story pitching and Ed reveals a boo boo he made when he hopped over to corporate PR from jour...

His long career included stints at TV Guide and CNN and now Howard Polskin has what his friends say is the worst job in journalism, reading content on conservative news websites and writing commentary for subscribers of his website TheRighting.com. It's not what you think. Howard and host/journalist Ed Garsten have a spirited conversation about the controversial website along with the state of...

Host/journalist Ed Garsten welcomes Steve Turner to the podcast. He's the co-owner/principal of St. Louis-based Solomon Turner PR and author of the book "PR That Works." They discuss what PR tactics work, don't work, the role of AI and how you accurately measure whether or not those tactics had any positive effect.

Robin Parton Pate has decades of experience in marketing and media with stints at CNN and HGTV and now vp of marketing at Dave Cantin Group which advises auto dealers and dealership groups on mergers and acquisitions. In a fast-paced episode, Robin discusses with host/journalist Ed Garsten the evolution of recognizing news stories, pitching them, the role of AI, and yes, what's the story with...

Jane Owen, CEO of boutique entertainment/celebrity PR firm, Jane Owen PR, gives her unfiltered views of how PR works in that segment, challenges, dealing with egos, AI deep fakes, changing media landscape. Plus, she weighs in on how the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce wedding was handled. Journalist Ed Garsten hosts.

Author, marketing and PR powerhouse Don McLean is back on Tales From the Beat to discuss with host Ed Garsten, his new platform for democratizing PR for those who can't afford to pay for a PR agency, how AI has changed story pitching and release creation and its limitations.

A spirited conversation with Kira Shishkin, creator and CEO of news text service https://informed.now that looks at how it works, how stories and links are chosen and why he thinks its daily feeds better serve those tired of news that contains ads, clickbait and clutter.

Lee Gordon, chief communications and government affairs officer at recreational marine leader Brunswick Corp. and host/journalist Ed Garsten discuss Brunswick's new AutoCaptain autonomous docking system, how the company is approaching the media with the story, role of earned media and AI, in a wide-ranging interview.

She's been a top comms exec everywhere from General Motors to companies in the healthcare, home improvement and bedding industries, and now Noreen Pratscher runs her own consultancy, Pratscher Communications. She and host/journalist, Ed Garsten take on the subject of "earned media" and why it's still important in an AI world, effective, and ineffective, media training and early w...

Longtime WWJ, Detroit journalist Jeff Gilbert's career has taken him from covering Dr. Death, Jack Kevorkian to becoming the foremost broadcast automotive beat reporter in the nation, often heard on the former CBS Radio News Network. He and host, journalist Ed Garsten, talk about the end of that network, where broadcast news is going, the auto beat they both cover and some of the interesting c...

Auto journalist Greg Migliore is back to just talk cars with host, journalist Ed Garsten. Greg discusses a couple of new vehicles he's driven lately, the Lincoln Navigator and Land Rover Defender OCTA. The guys also discuss new car trends, the art of reviewing vehicles and why Ed doesn't review vehicles anymore.

Communicator/Podcaster Christopher Barger discusses with host Ed Garsten coverage of the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, getting the word out as the number of journalists diminishes, how to get through partisan noise, and his new podcast.

After a career that spanned more than two decades at CNN and years as an independent producer, David Bernknopf found himself looking for work and found it running an investigative unit at a TV operation in Alaska. He wrote a novel informed by his experiences in the 49th state that's humorous but also takes on serious journalistic issues. He discusses "Two Years on Another Planet...or is i...

Gerry Conover has a unique view of both the auto and newsindustries after spending more than years at Ford Motor Co. and 45 years as ajournalist. He’s journalist Ed Garsten’s guest on episode 135 of Tales From theBeat, the podcast that looks at news and PR from both sides of the scrimmageline. In the episode, Gerry offers his frank views on auto news coverage, PRpractices and discusses his auto ne...

In episode 134 of Tales From the Beat, host Ed Garstenwelcomes longtime journalist Matt DeLorenzo....the former editor of Road &Track and Autoweek magazines, Freelance Writer, Author and Editor-in-Chief of TightwadGarage.com. They discuss Matt’s new book “Mercedes-AMG: Race BredPerformance, the evolving EV and electrified vehicle story, whether it’s been covered fairly, the role of automakers...

Fox 45 Baltimore investigative reporter Chris Papst spent years looking into questionable practices at the Baltimore public school system, discovering shocking practices such as falsifying student grades to boost graduation rates tied to funding. We discuss the investigation, Chris's techniques, extracting data from uncooperative sources and why local TV news is vital, even as stations reduce...

Lots of great guests and some snarky monologues from host Ed Garsten. Here's a recap of 2025 highlights from season 3 of Tales From the Beat, the podcast that looks at news and PR from both sides of the scrimmage line. Featured guests in order:Craig ColeDan RothBrian KramerGreg MiglioreElliot KatzRandall McAdorySam LocricchioJulian BondRobyn MaloneAnna TranKelly LawKim JennettDavid Wilder

David Wilder, CEO of Idaho PR-firm Trustpoint Xposure discusses his agency's money back guarantee of tier 1 media placement and AI dominance with host, journalist, Ed Garsten.

There’s of course, a lot of great journalism out there, butif you look at your newsfeed, there’s a lot of crap too. If you’re old enough,like I am, you remember when, instead of making stuff up, we simply, um,borrowed, from places like the New York Times and Washington Post. At leastthat’s what we did quite often at CNN back in the day. So in episode 130 ofTales From the Beat, I turn the wayback m...

Ed Garsten's guest is longtime PR pro/marketer and current chief marketing officer at Rendezvous Robotics Kim Jennett. They discuss how Kim turned a single release into its own news cycle, how she works with influencers to build coverage, her approach to pitching reporters and of course, how she uses AI.

Host Ed Garsten welcomes Kelly Law, PR Manager at PR and marketing agency The Brand Amp. They discuss how building a trusting relationship with a reporter can result in bonus coverage for a client, Kelly's pitching strategy, how she uses AI and what reporters do to tick her off.

In this episode of Tales From the Beat, host and journalist Ed Garsten does a little "haul" video, unpacking some of the strange pitches he's received recently for stories way outside his beat like trips to a distant island and crafted cakes, along with PR people bugging him to meet with clients during trade shows who really have no news to offer.

Anna Tran lands coverage for her clients in most every media by using something she called Purpose-Driven PR. What's that? Anna explains all that to host Ed Garsten, plus her approach to building trust with clients and reporters, navigating a changing media landscape and whether or not she promises coverage to her clients.