PR Newswire has announced its Affiliate Membership with the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), a professional body representing the communications and public relations industry in India.The affiliation will enable PR Newswire to participate in PRCAI's industry forums, thought leadership initiatives, and sector-wide discussions. The collaboration is also aimed at contributing to efforts focused on strengthening professional standards and promoting best practices across the communications landscape.Commenting on the development, Winston D'Souza, Business Head, PR Newswire India, said, "India's communications industry is at a pivotal moment, shaped by digital transformation with AI-driven visibility and evolving stakeholder expectations. Our partnership with PRCAI is a step towards achieving this and strengthening the network for faster and better results."Amit Yadav, Business Head, PR Newswire India, added, "Our affiliate membership with PRCAI reflects our commitment to supporting industry dialogue, enabling knowledge exchange, and contributing to the professionalization of PR and corporate communications in India."As part of the affiliation, PR Newswire will engage with several PRCAI initiatives, including the Client–Consultancy Partnership Charter, industry events, thought leadership platforms, training programmes, masterclasses, HR forums, and networking opportunities across the association's member ecosystem.The partnership is expected to create avenues for greater collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional development within India's communications and public relations sector.

PR Newswire has appointed former Indian Express journalist Gairika Mitra to head its newly launched Managed Services division — a strategic initiative designed to help brands amplify their communication in a smarter, more data-driven way.In her new role, Mitra will oversee efforts to help organisations go beyond just issuing press releases, focusing instead on building content that performs better across search engines, answer engines, and AI-powered discovery platforms.This enhanced approach will be powered by PR Newswire Amplify, a distribution solution built on Google’s Gemini framework, aimed at optimising how brand stories surface online.Before this, Mitra worked with The Indian Express and began her career interning with Network18’s CNN-IBN.

A new report from PR Newswire reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly significant role in press release creation and distribution. The 2024 State of the Press Release Report, released today, highlights how communications professionals are leveraging AI to enhance their storytelling and reach broader audiences.According to the report, nearly 26% of strategic communicators are already using generative AI to draft press releases, and over 40% are considering its adoption in the future. This trend underscores the growing recognition of AI as a valuable tool for streamlining the press release process and improving content quality.Other key findings from the report include:  A significant increase in the use of multimedia elements, such as videos and infographics, to enhance press release engagement.  A 15% year-over-year growth in mentions of "AI" within press releases, reflecting the technology's rising prominence.  Continued reliance on press releases as a cornerstone of communications strategies, with 93% of professionals planning to send the same or more releases in the coming year."Our highly anticipated State of the Press Release Report continues to serve as a unique resource for public relations professionals from across the industry," said Matt Brown, President of PR Newswire. "The report provides detailed, data-driven insights reflecting the perspectives of many of the industry's leading communicators, and provides a direct view into evolving trends, strategies and best practices in the press release space."