PR Profile: Nic Hayes, Managing Director of Media Stable

Nic Hayes is the Managing Director of Media Stable, a former broadcaster and now podcast host.

Could you please give a brief breakdown of how you got into this line of work in the media and what drew you to it?

I'd been working in media intelligence for 11 years in Australia and in Europe, and I'd already done a lot of broadcasting myself both on radio and television. As a result of leaving the media monitoring industry I started my own PR company and that was very successful but I did have this idea for Media Stable to cater for both the lack of media connections. The media were losing out as they didn't have the connections with experts and commentators. And experts and commentators were struggling to reach media because they didn't know how to communicate or connect with them. So that's how Media Stable was born, which just celebrated its 10th birthday last year.

Through your former broadcasting work and now your work with Media Stable you clearly have a very strong understanding of what makes a good spokesperson or a good media interview. Is there one or maybe two most common misconceptions or mistakes people make when providing expert commentary to the media?

I think the number one mistake that people make is that they're not available or they're reluctant to talk to the media. That is a big one because they're a little gun-shy, a little nervous, they feel that they're not necessarily the right person to be talking to. Our advice to all experts and all commentators is to say 'yes' first and work out how to do it second. 

So I say that's number one, and number two is: we always talk about availability and being around, and I think there is that sense that people tend to limit their chances or opportunities. Media is stuck in a very rigid cycle, it cannot be flexible, it sticks to its lane. And if we want to participate in that then we have to sort of follow their rules. Be available but also consume the media that you want to be a part of. Don't try to engage media if you're not a consumer of that because you're not really going to give a true or authentic account of yourself and of your expertise. 

They're relationship things. It's not hard work, it's not science, you don't need a degree for it, but what you do need to do is really understand both lanes of media.

ChatGPT has created a massive stir recently and a lot of discussion about the kinds of jobs it’s going to make easier or perhaps redundant. It strikes me that having expert commentary is maybe even more important than ever in this new 2023 media landscape — what are your thoughts on this?

It's a pretty simple one. ChatGPT is a remarkable resource, and I think you'd have to have your head in the sand if you were to try to completely ignore it and walk away from it. But the one way that human beings are completely different to every other species out there is that they listen to other human beings. They want to connect, they want to have a relationship, they want to feel real.

ChatGPT in its current stage, and it might improve in the future years and its development, it's on track to become an incredible resource. But human beings talk to other human beings, they connect with other human beings, they don't connect with machines. And that's sort of where it falls over, that human connection is still a little distant, and it won't replace human beings and their content and their delivery and their information and the way that they go about things. We follow human beings, we don't follow machines.

You co-host the Experts powered by Media Stable podcast, and I am sure this podcast is another puzzle piece in Media Stable’s overall marketing strategy, another way to get your services and messages out to the audience you’re trying to reach. I was wondering if you could talk briefly about podcasting as a marketing strategy and more broadly the multi-platform approach that marketers and PR need to use these days?

I think you've got to look at all forms of marketing and all forms of positioning of communications. You can't just have one or two, you've got to be in as many as you possibly can be, but only in them if you are genuinely really keen and absolutely enthused to do it, because you'll get caught out pretty quickly if you try to do too much and you're delivering too little. 

I think podcasting is a remarkable medium which I take very seriously in that I get an opportunity to broadcast weekly, with a different expert and a different media, the thoughts and the feelings and the drivers behind those that are looking to engage with media. I'm constantly trying to learn and be better at what I do, and that's a great platform to do that. I also acknowledge and respect the fact that people who click onto the podcast, they could be listening to anything that they want but they take the time out to listen to our little half an hour podcast to maybe improve what they do or give them a few tips or hints on how to connect or communicate in a better way. 

You've got to look at all of the opportunities and find out where your audiences are sitting. And it doesn't have to be mass media, it can be social media, it can be very silo driven opportunities, but find those places and make a connection, make a difference, and don't necessarily look to get something back, look to give. I think when you're giving your content, giving your expertise, giving your knowledge, you're laying down some tracks there for the future that others will find and will follow. To make a difference, you just can't keep marketing, selling, pitching and delivering the kind of content that you want some sort of reaction from, you've got to give. The more you give, I think the more you get back later on.

Media Stable and Medianet have recently announced their partnership for the Meet the Media events. What are you looking forward to about this partnership?

The Media Stable and Medianet relationship and connection I think is a really smart one. I've admired Medianet for many years, the way that they have delivered for corporate Australia, for not-for-profit Australia, for anyone that is looking to get a message out to the media. 

I think we're both like minded around the fact that we're looking to educate and help businesses and business owners.The Meet the Media is a great example of an event where we're keen to bring both the communicators and the media into one room so that they can understand each other and understand what's required and what's needed. The people that attend meet the media will be far better communicators than the rest out there who haven't been to one.

Medianet clients get $100 off tickets to #MeetTheMedia! Find out more on upcoming dates and tickets here.