Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, where I share a behind-the-scenes look at how my stories in venture and startups take shape.

One theme that keeps coming up in my conversations with PR folks lately is how difficult it’s become to break through with earned media.

Katy Goldstein noted this recently on LinkedIn, and it mirrors what I’ve heard in one-on-one chats with many people: even strong story angles are struggling to land coverage.

That pressure is pushing investors and founders to double down on owned channels like newsletters and podcasts. It’s not that this approach is anything new. What’s changed is the level of intent and effort behind them. These aren’t deal dumps or vanity projects. They’re built to compete for the same attention that used to default to TechCrunch, the WSJ and other tech outlets

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Alastair Goldfisher Independent Journalist

I’m an independent journalist and podcaster focused on startup and venture capital trends, as well as storytelling and how AI is reshaping business and work. I host "The Venture Variety Show" and "The AI Cognitive Shift" podcasts, and I write "The Venture Lens" newsletter on Substack and Medium. I’ve spent 30 years in business journalism, covering Silicon Valley and beyond for outlets like Venture Capital Journal, Reuters, PEHub and Silicon Valley Business Journal. Today, I also help founders and investors sharpen their stories through media training and content consulting. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, stay curious about tech and people, and I always welcome a good conversation.