LLMs favor non-traditional media outlets

Non-traditional media now drives visibility in AI content. Update your public relations news strategy to align with how LLMs shape search and influence.

You are watching media trends shift faster than ever, and now large language models are accelerating that shift. Recent findings from Muck Rack’s "Generative Pulse" report show that LLMs are leaning heavily on non-traditional media outlets. That creates changes in how public relations news spreads and how visibility is maintained. 

If you are relying only on legacy publications to shape your narrative, it might leave gaps in how AI systems represent your brand. Understanding what the report reveals and what you can do next helps you stay visible in an AI-shaped media world.

What Muck Rack's report reveals about LLM trends

Muck Rack’s analysis looked at how 10 of the most widely used LLMs choose their sources and how those choices shape AI-generated content. Across the board, these models reference digital-native, independent voices far more than big-name legacy outlets. Instead of defaulting to traditional newspapers or broadcast channels, LLMs favor sources like podcasts, newsletters, Substack authors, and niche blogs with regular topic-specific updates.

The report tracked whether the models included attributed citations and, if so, what types of outlets they referenced. A standout detail was that over twice as many references pointed to personal blogs or independent Substack newsletters compared to old-guard media. It's not that traditional media is entirely ignored, but these LLMs appear to prioritize relevance, specificity, and frequency of publication instead of the outlet’s reputation alone.

This highlights how generative AI tools pull input from outlets that are changing how information gets discovered and cited. That analysis matters tremendously when those same tools are now informing search engines, writing summaries, and filling social media feeds with AI-shaped snippets of company narratives.

Why non-traditional media is on the rise

Several factors contribute to the growing presence of non-traditional outlets in AI-generated content streams. One of the biggest shifts is how audiences consume media. Trust in mainstream institutions has decreased, while credibility for subject-matter experts and independent creators has grown. Platforms like Substack, X Spaces, and podcast networks give individual voices reach and trust that many established outlets now struggle to reclaim.

Content consistency plays a major role, too. Algorithm-driven systems reward content that is fresh, narrowly focused, and regularly updated. That makes niche newsletters with deep domain authority prime real estate for LLM sourcing. When AI scrapes for answers, it leans toward outlets producing high-frequency, highly relevant writing, even if those outlets are not part of the traditional press.

Generative AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude train continuously on real-time online content. The more often a non-traditional media source publishes expert insights or credible opinions, the more that outlet shapes how AI answers get framed and suggested to readers. If your strategy still chases print storylines, you are likely missing how AI interprets your brand in digital conversations.

The PR implications for corporate communicators

This shift has clear implications for how we approach media strategies. Many corporate teams still prioritize legacy media as the highest-value placement. And while those placements still offer weight, limiting yourself to them creates blind spots. If you want your messages to show up in AI-driven content, you will need to think differently about media targeting.

Start by building relationships beyond tier-one outlets. Many influential content creators working independently hold the attention of your most valuable audiences and earn recognition from LLMs scanning the web. Digital-first publications, independent newsletters, and topical blogs give you brand-new opportunities to be quoted, linked, and sourced.

You can also increase your presence by maintaining steady thought-leadership material across digital formats. Publish original blog posts, participate in podcast interviews, contribute to newsletters, and speak on panels that turn into transcripts. All of these efforts help train LLMs to associate your name and brand with specific ideas or sectors.

Actionable steps to increase visibility across AI-driven media

You do not need to chase every influencer or platform. Instead, make a few smart adjustments that help your brand earn attention where LLMs are listening most:

1. Connect with creators who consistently cover topics relevant to your expertise.
   These voices attract LLM recognition because they update frequently and align with niche terminology LLMs recognize.
   
   
2. Write and optimize your thought-leadership content using clear terms tied to your field.
   Use precise, industry-specific language that LLMs are more likely to scan and repurpose.
   
   
3. Track how your content appears in AI summaries, search summaries, and related outputs.
   If you are not being cited or linked to, check how often you are publishing and where those links live.
   
   
4. Use a listening tool or media monitoring service that includes AI-generated channels.
   These tools will help you learn what models cite and what is being ignored. That data helps you realign resources.

It's important to deliver content that meets audience needs and aligns with the language patterns search and AI platforms favor. This approach improves the chances of your insights getting cited by LLMs and discovered by journalists and digital curators alike.

Staying competitive in the evolving news cycle

The mix of channels influencing perception is changing quickly, and LLMs now shape much of the content your audiences consume every day. If you want to remain part of those digital conversations, your earned media strategy needs to include more than just traditional press hits. Investing in relationships with independent publishers, regularly publishing your insights, and tracking your impact across both human and AI sources puts you in a position to be found and remembered.

While legacy media still has value, influence is increasingly decentralized. It spreads across digital creators, niche platforms, and voices with authority in specialized communities. Paying attention to where PR news gets picked up in AI-generated content helps you stay ahead of how stories get written, repeated, and reshaped by machines trained to think like your readers.

FAQs

1. Why do LLMs favor non-traditional media sources?

LLMs depend on large volumes of frequently updated, topic-specific content. Many digital creators and independent outlets publish more regularly than legacy media, making them a more common source for model training.

2. Should we shift our media outreach entirely to digital-first outlets?

No, but balancing your focus is important. Traditional media still matters, but non-traditional platforms often get wider circulation in AI summaries or search snippets.

3. How do I know if LLMs are citing our brand?

Use media monitoring tools that audit AI-generated content, summaries, or short-form citations. Some tools now include LLM source tracking.

4. Do podcasts and newsletters actually influence SEO or brand visibility?

Yes. Podcasts that are transcribed and newsletters that are archived online contribute search-friendly, indexable data, which LLMs and traditional search bots can pull from.

5. What are the easiest ways to build relationships with digital-first media outlets?

Start by following and interacting with independent writers or podcasters in your industry. Share their work, offer expert commentary, and pitch authentic stories tied to their audience.

6. Do LLMs use content published on our company blog?

Often, yes, especially if your blog is updated regularly, uses descriptive headers, and addresses specific topics or client questions with industry keywords.

Lead the conversation in the AI news era

As generative models increasingly surface information from digital publishers and niche channels, your brand's content needs to show up in those streams to stay competitive.

At Axia Public Relations, we help companies rethink visibility plans to match how platforms and algorithms now surface and share PR news. We focus on getting you cited, shared, and seen by both humans and machines. Leveraging our experience in campaign planning and digital PR can help ensure your organization’s credibility and reach in the AI-driven news cycle.

Ready to stand out to human audiences and the AI systems they're using? Learn about enhancing AI awareness with Axia Public Relations' AIVisibility.