Why media relations tools matter in 2025
In 2025, media relations is evolving alongside the news cycle and the AI-driven transformation of PR. Journalists and influencers are busier than ever, inboxes are saturated, and trust between brands and the media is critical. PR professionals require more than just a contact list; they need intelligent media relations tools that streamline outreach, personalize engagement, and effectively track media relationships.
Media relations tools have evolved to include advanced journalist databases, integrated workflows that cater to the entire PR lifecycle, and AI-powered features that streamline processes and enhance LLM visibility. The right tool not only connects you with the right reporters but also helps build meaningful, long-term relationships with them.
In this blog, we’ll explore the five best media relations tools for 2025 to help you choose the right platform for your team.
How to choose the right media relations tool?
The ideal media relations tool should fit seamlessly into your PR workflow. When evaluating options, here are the key factors to consider:
- Database Quality and Reach – Does the tool provide access to journalist and influencer contacts relevant to your region and industry? How frequently is the media database updated?
- Custom Research Requests – Look for tools that offer an in-house research team to execute custom research requests, enabling the discovery of contacts in untapped niches or remote regions. Outsourced research teams are usually a contributor to poor-quality data.
- Pitching and Outreach Features – Look for personalization, email tracking, and integration with your existing email platforms. Cutting-edge solutions enable users to generate custom introductions based on their recent coverage, further personalizing your pitch.
- Relationship Management – At its core, media relations is about building relationships. Strong tools include PRM (public relations management) functions to track journalist interactions and history. Leading platforms enable tracking media contacts on social media and tracking journalist requests for increased visibility.
- AI-Powered Features – AI-driven capabilities, such as journalist suggestions based on pitch content, media outreach content refinement, and subject line suggestions, can save significant time.
- Visibility in the Age of AI – Look for tools that empower you to optimize for zero-click searches and enhance visibility across AI platforms, offering AI-optimized distribution options and identifying outlets that rank high in AI-led search engines.
- Analytics and Reporting – Evaluate the performance of your outreach efforts, including open rates, response rates, and earned coverage.
- Ease of Use and Support – Intuitive interfaces, training resources, and responsive support make adoption easier for teams of any size.
- Integrated Platform – A leading media relations tool provides an integrated platform, enabling users to sync media relations, media monitoring, and media intelligence. For instance, empowering users to add journalists discovered in monitored articles to their outreach lists.
5 best media relations tools for 2025
Tool | Best For | Standout Features |
Agility PR Solutions | All-in-one PR platform with high-performing media database & outreach tools | AI-powered journalist discovery, AI-powered writing assistant to assist with media outreach, drafting and content refinement |
Qwoted | Connecting PR pros directly with journalists seeking sources | Free journalist requests, real-time media opportunities, and community-driven matching |
JournoFinder | Affordable journalist database for lean teams | Access to verified contacts, pitch tracking, and a straightforward interface |
Notified | Organizations requiring a PR platform with a focus on investor relations | Integrated workflows for media database, distribution and reporting |
| Propel | PR workflow management with integrated media outreach | PRM features, journalist engagement tracking, and advanced analytics |
Agility PR Solutions
Agility PR Solutions is a comprehensive platform that combines media relations, monitoring, and reporting into a single solution. Its global media database boasts a 99.6% accuracy rate, with over 1 million verified journalist and influencer contacts, updated regularly to ensure precision.
PR CoPilot, Agility’s AI-powered suite of features, supports personalized pitching while Agility’s integrated monitoring and reporting help track coverage and campaign impact. The platform’s ability to tailor as per user requirements makes it ideal for organizations of all sizes, from small agencies to enterprise in-house teams.
Key Features:
- PR CoPilot for personalized journalist discovery, outreach, and content generation
- Integrated monitoring and reporting for end-to-end campaign management
- Enhance LLM visibility by boosting your press release for AI search engines and identifying highly influential ‘AI Reference Leader’ voices that can amplify your voice across AI platforms
- Top-rated customer support and onboarding guidance
- Consistently rated as a leader and a high-performing platform across core media relation categories, such as Media and Influencer Targeting Software, Press Release Distribution, PR Analytics, and general user experience categories, such as Easiest Admin, Easiest Setup, Highest User Adoption, and more.
Qwoted
Qwoted is a unique media relations platform that connects PR professionals directly with journalists looking for expert sources. Instead of cold pitching, users can respond to real-time journalist requests, improving the likelihood of media placements. It’s ideal for teams that want to prioritize earned media opportunities without relying solely on databases.
Key Features:
- Free access to journalist requests and source opportunities
- Community-driven platform with verified profiles
- Pitch tracking and notification system for quick responses
JournoFinder
JournoFinder is a straightforward and affordable journalist database designed for solo practitioners and small PR teams. It provides access to a curated set of verified media contacts and intuitive tools to streamline outreach. With built-in pitch tracking, JournoFinder simplifies campaign management, mitigating the complexity of larger platforms.
Key Features:
- Access to thousands of journalist contacts across industries
- Simple, user-friendly platform for quick searches
- Pitch tracking and engagement insights
Notified
Notified offers a media relations & investor relations (IR) platform that includes a media contacts database, alongside social listening and monitoring features. It assists PR teams in building up-to-date, relevant contact lists, personalizing outreach, distributing content, and measuring campaign performance across channels.
Key Features:
- Search filters to find the most influential journalists by topic, reach, recent articles, ability to upload your own contacts and build targeted lists.
- Integrated outreach tools: send branded, enriched emails, and manage media lists
- Unified workflow including media monitoring, social listening, and press release distribution
Propel
Propel offers a modern PR workflow management platform that includes media access to a media database, PRM (public relations management), and monitoring. It’s designed to help teams manage the entire outreach process in one place. Additionally, it supports analytics to show how journalists engage with pitches, enabling data-driven media relations strategies.
Key Features:
- PRM functions to track journalist engagement and relationship history
- Analytics on email opens, responses, and coverage outcomes
- Unified platform combining outreach, monitoring, and reporting
Conclusion
Media relations in 2025 are about more than sending pitches; it’s about building authentic, data-driven relationships with the media. Whether you’re looking for a lightweight solution like JournoFinder or a full-suite platform like Agility PR Solutions, the right tool can transform how your brand connects with journalists and earns media coverage.
