Tales From The Beat Episode 137: Christopher Barger

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 diminish, how to get through partisan noise, legitimacy of the PESO communications strategy and his new podcast.

TTAC Creator Ed Garsten hosts "  Tales from the Beat," a podcast about the automotive and media worlds. A veteran reporter and public relations operative, Garsten worked for CNN, The Associated Press, The Detroit News, Chrysler's PR department and Franco Public Relations. He is currently a senior contributor for Forbes.

The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.

A transcript, summarized via AI and edited by a staffer, is below.

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Transcript:

Tales from the Beat: Episode 137

Host: Ed Garsten

Guest: Christopher Barger

Overview

This episode of Tales from the Beat features host Ed Garen interviewing communications expert Christopher Barger. The discussion centers on journalism, PR, media credibility, and how communication strategies are evolving in a polarized, AI-driven landscape.

Guest & Podcast Introduction

• • Christopher Barger is a veteran corporate communicator (worked with companies like General Motors and Owens Corning).
  • He’s launching a new podcast, The M Dash Report, which uses a fast-paced, debate-style format (similar to sports commentary shows) to discuss PR, marketing, and media issues.

Major News Discussion: White House Correspondents’ Dinner Incident

• • They analyze a breaking incident involving gunfire near the event.
  • Barger outlines four key angles the media must cover:
  1. Security failure – how someone got close to the president.
  2. Political violence – part of a broader troubling trend.
  3. Media self-coverage – journalists reporting on an event they were part of.
  4. Misinformation – rapid spread of conspiracy theories.
  • Both agree journalists handled the situation professionally, maintaining objectivity despite being directly involved.

Decline of Trust in Media

• • The conversation shifts to credibility issues in journalism:
  • Social media has removed traditional “gatekeepers.”
  • Anyone can publish information, making it harder to distinguish fact from opinion.
  • Audiences increasingly seek information that confirms their biases.
  • Media outlets are often perceived as politically aligned rather than neutral.
  • Barger expresses pessimism about returning to widespread trust in objective journalism due to polarization.

Challenges in Modern PR & Communications

• • Key advice for communicators:
  • Stay consistent with organizational values—inconsistency damages credibility most.
  • Accept that some audiences will disagree regardless of messaging.
  • Focus on trust and transparency, even though PR is often viewed skeptically.
  • The role of communications has evolved:
  • From writing press releases → to strategic business advising.
  • Effective communicators must understand business strategy, not just messaging.

Shrinking Newsrooms & Impact

• • Fewer journalists mean:
  • Reporters are overworked and multitasking.
  • PR professionals have very limited time to capture attention.
  • Messaging must be extremely concise (often one strong sentence).

AI & Changing Media Landscape

• • AI and search are reshaping communication:
  • Many users get answers directly from AI summaries without clicking links.
  • Earned media (coverage by trusted outlets) is becoming more valuable for credibility.
  • Headlines and SEO/AI optimization are now critical.

PESO Model (PR Strategy)

• • The PESO model (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned media) is still relevant.
  • However, priority is shifting toward “earned media” due to its influence on AI and search credibility.

Key Takeaways

• • Journalism is facing a credibility crisis driven by polarization and information overload.
  • PR professionals must adapt to:
  • Shorter attention spans
  • AI-driven discovery
  • Fewer traditional media gatekeepers
  • Consistency, clarity, and credibility are more important than ever.
  • Both journalism and PR are evolving rapidly, with no easy path back to the old model.