iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#FIRpodcast 529 has two stories with one common thread – trust. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss crisis communication as governance, and how fake AI-generated “experts” are slipping into mainstream media. Plus @danyork.bsky.social’s Tech Report. 🔗 bit.ly/4rz3yL3

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

An audience pays attention. A community shares an interest. A fandom goes further: it becomes part of your identity. No wonder marketers want in. But can brands create and nurture fandom? @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz explore the topic in #FIRpodcast 528 🎧💻 bit.ly/4x2OCpx

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

"The AI made the decision, not us." You can delegate a task to AI. You cannot delegate accountability. In #FIRpodcast 527 with @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social: AI hiring, Reddit, Meta, Neutrogena, employee influencers + @danyork.bsky.social tech report. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4xaPvxc

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Anthropic is watermarking text processed by Claude. Cue the AI-writing "gotchas". But a watermark can't tell us who did the thinking. In #FIRpodcast 526, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz ask a better question than "Did you use AI?" 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-526-forg...

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Neville Hobson @nevillehobson.xyz · 13/08/2026

AI workslop isn't simply bad AI output. It can waste colleagues' time, damage trust and erode what an organisation knows to be true. In FIR 525, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I ask whether this is really an AI problem – or a leadership problem. 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-525-the-...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Podcasting 2.0's new podcast features are about open standards, platform independence, accessibility and who controls the relationship with your audience. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore the opportunities and obstacles in the latest FIR 522. 🎧💻 firpodcast.s.gy/1cKbhF

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Your brand is no longer defined solely by what you say about yourself. Increasingly, it's defined by the answers AI gives when someone asks about you. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss the rise of the answer economy with Pete Blackshaw in a new FIR Interview. 🎧💻 bit.ly/3RdeqR4

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Wowcher sent a marketing email referencing a toddler's crocodile attack 2 days after it happened. Plus shadow AI, anti-AI sentiment, news trust, personal branding & internal comms – all in #FIRpodcast 520 with @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-520-ais-...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

New research extends the hostile media effect to misinformation: people believe fake news targets their side more than the other. In #FIRpodcast 519, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz look at what that means for communicators. 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-519-is-m...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

PR misread the internet in 1995 and social media in 2007. Are we about to do it a third time with AI? In FIR 518, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz dig into Stephen Waddington's sharp provocation for the CIPR. 🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-518-is-t...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Some companies spent more on AI than on the employees they replaced. Now they're walking it back, quietly. In #FIRpodcast 517, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at what communicators should do when a loud promise meets a messy reality. 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-517-how-...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

The Economist is building separate web content for AI agents, not just humans. In #FIRpodcast 516, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore what that means for communicators, and why content like FAQ and press releases may need restructuring. 🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-516-your...

FIR 516: The Economist experiments with content for AI agents

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

AI is restructuring the ground beneath communicators' feet! In #FIRpodcast 515, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz cover six topics, each with an uncomfortable thread. Plus @danyork.bsky.social's Tech Report on WordPress 7.0. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4v5inW2

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Neville Hobson @nevillehobson.xyz · 23/05/2026

Recording #FIRpodcast 515, the long-form episode for May. @shelholtz and I had fun with this one! Episode drops on Monday 25 May. www.firpodcastnetwork.com/for-immed…

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Was Twitter a unique moment in media history rather than a repeatable model? In #FIRpodcast 514, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss why text-based social networks may be fragmenting – and why relevance, trust, and smaller communities could matter more now. 🔗 bit.ly/43iN7qO

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Today, using Claude Cowork and AI agents in comms workflows is a realistic proposition. In #FIRpodcast 513 @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore what happens when AI starts orchestrating workflows themselves. This has moved way beyond just experimenting. 🔗 bit.ly/4dflcN1

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Is AI becoming the new “executive influencer”? In #FIRpodcast 512, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore whether leaders are using AI to support decisions – or starting to defer to it. Big questions around judgement, trust, and accountability. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4n2UdJ2

FIR 512: The AI Shift in Executive Decision-Making

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Policies. Training. Guardrails. And still a major law firm filed AI-generated errors in court. In #FIRpodcast 511, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack why this is about accountability, not tech. Plus 5 more stories and @danyork.bsky.social's tech report. 🎧💻 bit.ly/3QBStdK

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Employees aren’t waiting for AI strategies – they’re already using the tools. In FIR 510, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore “shadow AI” as a signal of unmet demand, not just a risk – and what that means for leadership, governance, and communicators. 🎧💻 bit.ly/3QSkb5Z

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

AI voice cloning + fake content uploads + automated copyright claims – someone else earns revenue from your original work before any human reviews it. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the story – and suggest what communicators should do – in #FIRpodcast 509. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4cboG3Y

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

@shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz started 'For Immediate Release' in 2005 with curiosity, not a strategy. Blubrry have just named them their Podcaster of the Month – and their write-up tells the story rather well. 🔗 blubrry.com/podcast-insi...

blubrry.com

Real Conversations on Communication and Tech: The FIR Podcast Network

Meet Neville and Shel, Blubrry's Podcaster of the Month. Discover how The FIR Podcast Network brings real conversations on communications and tech.

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

AI isn’t just trained on data anymore – it’s trained on us. In FIR 508, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore the rise of “data labour” where identity (voice, behaviour, daily life) becomes the input. What does that mean for trust, ethics, and transparency? 🎧💻 bit.ly/4tVXWdZ

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

AI writing – helpful or harmful? In FIR 507, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look beyond the LinkedIn backlash. For many professionals, writing isn’t their skill – it’s a task. AI can help. But voice, judgement, and trust still matter. Where do we draw the line? 🎧💻 bit.ly/41wX578

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

AI is changing communication – and the assumptions behind it. In FIR 506, @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social cover: Billable hours • Observed work • PR budget hype • Misinformation risk • Bots vs humans • Are humans still central? Plus, @danyork.bsky.social on tech. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4t270x8

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

A leader can build goodwill for days... and lose it in seconds. In #FIRpodcast 503, @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social examine the #IOC press conference moment that turned into a global story about blame, executive readiness & leadership capital. 🎧💻 bit.ly/3OKM3YX

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

In #FIRpodcast 502, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz unpacked what happened when an AI coding agent's code was rejected by a human developer – and the AI then published a critique of him and his decision. Plus 5 more topics in this long-form episode for February. 🔗 bit.ly/46ou3cR

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

AI isn’t replacing communicators – it may be increasing their value. In #FIRpodcast 501, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explore why companies are hiring “chief storytellers” – and why the shift from messaging to meaning could redefine our role. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4aUFj32

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

In #FIRpodcast 500, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about AI-enabled workplace abuse and why it needs to be treated as workplace harm. For communicators, this is about preparation – what to do before anything happens to prevent silence becoming permission. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4tsVU5w

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

PRSA says staying “apolitical” protects credibility. In #FIRpodcast 499, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz ask a harder question: what happens to credibility, truth and standards when ethical leadership goes quiet? 🎧💻 bit.ly/4tmraTN Thoughtful discussion welcomed.

FIR 499: When silence becomes a statement

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Most crises aren’t sudden. AI, trust erosion, and compound risks expose how unprepared organisations still are. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz host a new #FIRpodcast interview with Philippe Borremans @riskcomms.bsky.social on crisis communication trends for 2026. 🎧💻 bit.ly/45AKdzn

FIR Interview podcast with Philippe Borremans

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer warns of a crisis of insularity – trust hasn’t collapsed, but has narrowed. In the lead story in #FIRpodcast 498, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz examine Edelman’s idea of “trust brokering”, which has attracted critical response. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4q2FIoL

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

BCG’s latest AI Radar report shows AI has become a CEO-owned issue – not a tech project. In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss confidence gaps, agentic AI, and why communicators now sit at the centre of trust, meaning, and change. 🎧💻 bit.ly/49tiG5k

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

On #FIRpodcast 496, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the PRCA’s proposed 2½-page new “definition” of public relations. The public debate will be an important conversation. Big questions about clarity, accessibility, and who gets to define the profession. 🎧💻 bit.ly/49AYJrQ

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Reddit has overtaken TikTok as the UK’s 4th most-visited social platform. In FIR 495, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about why search + AI are now amplifying human conversation, not polished messaging, and what that means for communicators. 🎧💻 bit.ly/49HG3rQ

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Neville Hobson @nevillehobson.xyz · 06/01/2026

21 years ago, on 5 Jan 2005, we published the first @firpodcast.bsky.social podcast episode. Yesterday, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I marked the anniversary with a short, reflective conversation. We're grateful to everyone who’s listened along the way. Thank you! 🎧💻 bit.ly/49pBBMY

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

"PR is dead", says Martin Sorrell on BBC Radio 4, challenged live on air by the PRCA's Sarah Waddington. @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the fallout. They also cover the future of news and more in this long-form episode 494. 🎧💻 six reports - Dec 2025 bit.ly/3Yg01Dy

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

In #FIRpodcast #493, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how artificial early engagement can trick algorithms into creating visibility that looks like significance. It's alarmingly easy to do. 🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-493-how-...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

In #FIRpodcast 492, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how the story of the Omnicom–IPG layoffs unfolded: ▪️ One official, investor-focused narrative. ▪️ Another on LinkedIn and Reddit. When people have platforms, the press release isn’t the whole story. 🎧💻 bit.ly/48X038r

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

In a new #FIRpodcast interview, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk with Josh Bernoff about his major survey of writers and AI – the deep divide between users and non-users, productivity gains, “AI slop,” trust, and why the real story isn’t replacement but re-sorting. 🎧💻 bit.ly/4s3XFp8

Josh Bernoff on writers and AI in an FIR Interview podcast

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

FIR 491: One Big Four consulting firm. Two government reports on opposite sides of the world, packed with fake AI-generated citations. Even a CDC-linked study got caught. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack why “human in the loop” now means “human fact-checker.” 🎧💻 bit.ly/4puRxV8

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

AI studies claim to show what models actually “read”. But the sources shift month to month, and many citations aren’t reliable at all. In #FIRpodcast 490, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack what this means for communicators trying to stay visible – and accurate. 🎧 bit.ly/48cZLen

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

In FIR 489, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz dig into “idea inflation” – when leaders fire off AI-generated thought-leadership ideas and teams are left to clean up the mess. Plus: brand under comms, vibe coding, quantum, and more. 🎧💻 Listen or watch: bit.ly/43AUVoy #FIRpodcast

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Coca-Cola’s new AI-generated Christmas ad trades people for polar bears and pixels – and splits opinion wide open. In FIR 488, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the reaction, and discuss the comms challenges that come with AI-driven content. 🎧 Listen or watch: bit.ly/4qThPl1

FIR 488: Coca's Cola's generative AI holiday video.

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

FIR 486 is live. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz cover rage-bait marketing, Lloyds’ exec GenAI + Copilot rollout, PRovoke’s crisis lessons, Böcker’s Louvre real-time ad, corporate affairs’ new brief, and trust velocity. 👉 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-486-meas... #Comms #PR #AI

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

“Going viral” isn’t a strategy – it’s a dice roll. In FIR 485 @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explain why you should drop it from your objectives and what to measure instead. Plan for compounding attention, not spikes. 🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-485-is-i... #FIRpodcast

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

A new #AI tool called #OliviaBrown can create & send entire PR campaigns, even follow up with journalists. In FIR 484, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss what this means for trust and the future of #publicrelations. 🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-484-is-o...

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Our FIR Interview on Generative Engine Optimisation #GEO is now on YouTube. @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social talk with Stephanie Grober about the hype, the scepticism, and what communicators can really do to prepare for generative search. 🎥 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwB1...

youtube.com

FIR Interview: Generative Engine Optimisation with Stephanie Grober

YouTube video by For Immediate Release

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For Immediate Release @firpodcast.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

In #FIRpodcast 482, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz dig into #workslop – workplace content that looks good but adds no real value Also: human-centred organisations, the evolving role of internal comms, Amazon’s AI audience targeting, AI and press releases, and more. 🎧 bit.ly/42i54Wy

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