How Persistence Fuels Success: Bob Cusack on Surviving and Thriving in Media

Chief Influencer

This week's episode features Bob Cusack, Editor-in-Chief of The Hill. The discussion explores Bob's extensive career in Washington politics and the changing landscape of journalism. Bob reflects on the media industry's transformation due to the internet and social media, highlighting the need to balance speed with accuracy in news reporting. Personal anecdotes shed light on Bob’s early career persistence and his unique background in acting, which has shaped his journalism skills. The conversation also covers the role of personal connections in advocacy, the growing influence of social media, and the challenges and opportunities of building trust with the audience.

Takeaways:

• Maintain Strong Ethics: Journalism companies must uphold strong ethics, label sponsored content clearly, and strive for balanced, unbiased reporting to ensure credibility and trust.
• Build Personal Connections: Establish personal relationships, especially with policymakers or Congress members, as real-life stories and testimonials can be highly influential.
• Build and Maintain Trust: Ensure transparency, admit mistakes, and maintain consistent ethics and quality to build trust, which can differentiate your organization.
• Persistence Pays Off: Consistent effort and dedication can open doors, whether securing interviews, deals, or influencing key stakeholders.
• Simplify Your Message: When explaining complex topics, simplify the content without oversimplifying, to expand audience reach and ensure resonance with a broad group.
• Create Compelling Content: Ensure your communications are engaging, relevant, and valuable to capture and retain your audience's attention.

Quote of the Show:

• “Persistence is key. You have to be persistent and remember that your reputation is the most valuable thing you have.”

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-cusack-5873462b/
• Website: https://thehill.com/

Shout Outs:

• Inside Washington Publishers: https://iwpnews.com/index.html
• National Press Club: https://www.press.org/
• Society of Professional Journalists: https://www.spj.org/
• Screen Actors Guild: https://www.sagaftra.org/
• HBO’s Veep: https://www.hbo.com/veep
• Capitol Hill
• Harvard Kennedy School: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/
• Joe Rogan
• Elon Musk
• Loyola University: https://www.luc.edu/
• Baltimore Orioles: https://www.mlb.com/orioles
• Peter Angelos
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)
• Nexstar Media Group: https://www.nexstar.tv/networks/
• News Nation: https://www.newsnationnow.com/
• Matt Walsh
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus