Global M&A is on the rise with transactions in Q1 2026 exceeding $1.2 trillion according to the London Stock Exchange. Big Tech dominated those transactions with more than 22 deals valued at $10 billion+ deals in the first quarter. Other industries that drove deals include healthcare, financial services, and energy.
As this M&A trend continues, businesses across healthcare, financial services, tech, and energy can build a media strategy to position their deal as a way to tell the story of the business and its trajectory for growth. Law firms and advisors can showcase their firm’s services by speaking to the media about M&A trends. One approach for achieving this is by building relationships with M&A reporters and understanding how they approach deals reporting.
In conjunction with the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, Highwire hosted a Meet the Media panel event moderated by Highwire SVP Bill Smith, featuring reporters Echo Wang (Reuters), Ryan Barwick (Axios), and David Carnevali (Bloomberg), to understand how they are currently covering M&A.
Here are three key learnings we took away:
1. consistent engagement pays off
The three reporters shared that they regularly work with the same sources who can share reliable information and consistent insights. For companies that are planning to announce a deal in the near future, this means building relationships with reporters through regular touchpoints. This could include speaking to reporters about industry news and trends, as well as other news your company may have.
For bankers, lawyers, and advisors, this means building a relationship with reporters by speaking to broader deal trends in the industry. Contracts may forbid speaking to specific clients. However, by developing a perspective on overarching deal trends, and how deals will evolve, reporters receive valuable insight. This helps to build the firm’s thought leadership, even if they cannot speak to specific deals.
2. Don't make reporters dig for the story
Reporters emphasized that they prefer short pitches that get directly to the point. Or, if the PR has news of a deal happening imminently, a phone call is a great way to grab a reporter’s attention right away (the reality is that their inboxes are overflowing).
Complex deal dynamics need to be translated into a few bullets that tell a reporter why this is news. The news hook isn’t just that the deal is happening but rather, what does this mean for the future of the business and industry. For smaller deals, below $2 billion or so, securing top-tier coverage from M&A reporters may be more challenging. However, a strong hook, especially one that highlights consumer impacts can make the story more enticing. For example, Reuters covered a potential Four Loko sale at an anticipated value of around $400 million. Echo Wang shared that early 2000s nostalgia for the brand contributed in part to their decision to cover the story. In addition, the potential sale is connected to an ongoing trend in the alcoholic beverage industry - while sales are down, the ready-to-drink category is growing.
And, if relationships are built through consistent insight and information, a reporter may be more willing to cover a smaller deal in the future, if they have built a relationship with a PR professional who is regularly providing them with insights and information on large deals.
3. trust is the foundation of coverage
PR professionals are often very concerned about a reporter breaking an embargoed agreement. While this is a real threat, reporters expressed that they are often concerned about a PR not holding up their end of the bargain. This could include shopping the exclusive to multiple reporters, providing inaccurate information, or distributing a press release before the reporter’s exclusive story can go live. By consistently working with reporters and providing accurate information and valuable perspectives and insights, that trusting relationship is built. With a strong foundation, reporters are increasingly willing to hear about deals and insights they might otherwise pass up on. They may even connect PR professionals with one of their colleagues who may be better suited to cover a particular story.
While it is critical for PR professionals to build relationships with reporters, subject matter experts (SMEs) can also build direct relationships with reporters by providing unique insights and analysis. Through trust, reporters will not only be more willing to cover the news of a deal, but will be open to a perspective on what the deal says about the company’s overarching story and growth path.
build the relationship and coverage will follow
This Meet the Media panel featured reporters largely focused on deals, but the insights shared largely apply to any type of media initiative. While it can be a misconception that reporters find PR pros annoying, in reality the relationship is symbiotic. Reporters rely on PR pros to connect them with sources and elevate their reporting. Consistent engagement with reporters builds trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind when you have news to share.
Highwire partners with leading companies across industries to develop tailored marketing and communications strategies that drive impactful results. Reach out to learn how we can help elevate your brand and tell your unique story.
