[00:00–01:00]
Heather introduces Pete Pachal, longtime tech journalist and founder of The Media Copilot, a platform helping media professionals understand and use AI.
[01:00–06:00]
Pete shares his career path from NBC to Mashable, CoinDesk, and eventually launching The Media Copilot. His work now includes AI training, strategy consulting, and newsletters.
[06:00–10:00]
Discussion on why digital-native brands like Mashable didn’t overtake legacy media. Pete emphasizes that while digital lowers barriers to entry, legacy media’s brand equity remains a strong advantage.
[10:00–12:00]
Heather and Pete talk about brand trust, longevity, and the “you can’t speed run a brand” concept. They highlight how brand and distribution machinery create durable audience relationships.
[12:00–14:00]
Pete explains how individual creators and niche operations can still thrive thanks to AI and distribution tools—so long as they’re consistent, credible, and focused.
[14:00–17:00]
They touch on the shift from page views to first-party data and personalized experiences, citing TIME’s AI investments as an example of bold, long-term thinking.
[17:00–19:00]
Conversation about how AI-powered assistants are becoming as essential as a search bar—enhancing digital engagement and experiences.
[19:00–22:00]
They explore the rising importance of credibility in AI summarization and why B2B media brands have newfound strategic value in training data and citations.
[22:00–27:00]
Pete breaks down the challenges of monetizing content in the AI era. Licensing is emerging, but legal clarity and scalable infrastructure are still lacking.
[27:00–31:00]
Discussion on open AI licensing, the role of Google and other search engines, and how media companies can better control visibility, tagging, and strategy.
[31:00–33:00]
Revenue diversification strategies: strong content, branded experiences, events, and long-term consistency remain critical.
[33:00–36:00]
Debate around the future of commerce in media. AI might reduce affiliate-driven traffic, but brands focused on buying advice may remain strong if they evolve.
[36:00–39:00]
Heather and Pete explore behavioral data as the next commerce edge. Portals like ChatGPT may hoard it, but specialized, branded tools still matter.
[39:00–42:00]
Case studies: Reuters and Dotdash Meredith. Reuters embeds AI in workflows to boost efficiency and trust. Meredith uses AI for hyper-personalized content and ads.
[42:00–46:00]
They analyze how both companies’ different models (real-time vs. evergreen) shape their approach to AI and risk management.
[46:00–50:00]
Licensing deals with OpenAI and others are explored. Pete shares thoughts on valuation, citing both optimistic and pessimistic perspectives.
[50:00–53:00]
Pete talks about his AI training offerings for media, PR, and comms professionals, as well as the evolution of his Media Copilot business.
[53:00–56:00]
Rapid-fire Q&A: Pete recommends the book Red Rising, shares a story about getting Newt Gingrich to review the Apple Watch, and mentions his favorite TV appearances.
[56:00–End]
Heather closes by encouraging listeners to join Revenue Room™ Connect and save the date for RevvedUp 2026.
