Shel Holtz
@shelholtz.bsky.social
Communicator. Podcaster. Author. Jam band fan. Voracious reader. Husband. Father. Grandfather.
Reposted by Shel Holtz
BCG’s latest AI Radar report shows AI has become a CEO-owned issue – not a tech project.
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss confidence gaps, agentic AI, and why communicators now sit at the centre of trust, meaning, and change.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49tiG5k
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss confidence gaps, agentic AI, and why communicators now sit at the centre of trust, meaning, and change.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49tiG5k
January 20, 2026 at 11:08 AM
BCG’s latest AI Radar report shows AI has become a CEO-owned issue – not a tech project.
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss confidence gaps, agentic AI, and why communicators now sit at the centre of trust, meaning, and change.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49tiG5k
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz discuss confidence gaps, agentic AI, and why communicators now sit at the centre of trust, meaning, and change.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49tiG5k
Reposted by Shel Holtz
On #FIRpodcast 496, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the PRCA’s proposed 2½-page new “definition” of public relations. The public debate will be an important conversation. Big questions about clarity, accessibility, and who gets to define the profession.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49AYJrQ
🎧💻 bit.ly/49AYJrQ
January 14, 2026 at 8:25 AM
On #FIRpodcast 496, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack the PRCA’s proposed 2½-page new “definition” of public relations. The public debate will be an important conversation. Big questions about clarity, accessibility, and who gets to define the profession.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49AYJrQ
🎧💻 bit.ly/49AYJrQ
Reposted by Shel Holtz
21 years ago, on 5 Jan 2005, we published the first @firpodcast.bsky.social podcast episode. Yesterday, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I marked the anniversary with a short, reflective conversation. We're grateful to everyone who’s listened along the way. Thank you!
🎧💻 bit.ly/49pBBMY
🎧💻 bit.ly/49pBBMY
January 6, 2026 at 8:19 AM
21 years ago, on 5 Jan 2005, we published the first @firpodcast.bsky.social podcast episode. Yesterday, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I marked the anniversary with a short, reflective conversation. We're grateful to everyone who’s listened along the way. Thank you!
🎧💻 bit.ly/49pBBMY
🎧💻 bit.ly/49pBBMY
Reposted by Shel Holtz
Reddit has overtaken TikTok as the UK’s 4th most-visited social platform.
In FIR 495, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about why search + AI are now amplifying human conversation, not polished messaging, and what that means for communicators.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49HG3rQ
In FIR 495, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about why search + AI are now amplifying human conversation, not polished messaging, and what that means for communicators.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49HG3rQ
January 7, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Reddit has overtaken TikTok as the UK’s 4th most-visited social platform.
In FIR 495, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about why search + AI are now amplifying human conversation, not polished messaging, and what that means for communicators.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49HG3rQ
In FIR 495, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk about why search + AI are now amplifying human conversation, not polished messaging, and what that means for communicators.
🎧💻 bit.ly/49HG3rQ
"PR is dead", says Martin Sorrell on BBC Radio 4, challenged live on air by the PRCA's Sarah Waddington.
@shelholtz.bsky.social
and
@nevillehobson.xyz
unpack the fallout.
They also cover the future of news and more in this long-form episode 494.
🎧💻 six reports - Dec 2025
bit.ly/3Yg01Dy
@shelholtz.bsky.social
and
@nevillehobson.xyz
unpack the fallout.
They also cover the future of news and more in this long-form episode 494.
🎧💻 six reports - Dec 2025
bit.ly/3Yg01Dy
December 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"PR is dead", says Martin Sorrell on BBC Radio 4, challenged live on air by the PRCA's Sarah Waddington.
@shelholtz.bsky.social
and
@nevillehobson.xyz
unpack the fallout.
They also cover the future of news and more in this long-form episode 494.
🎧💻 six reports - Dec 2025
bit.ly/3Yg01Dy
@shelholtz.bsky.social
and
@nevillehobson.xyz
unpack the fallout.
They also cover the future of news and more in this long-form episode 494.
🎧💻 six reports - Dec 2025
bit.ly/3Yg01Dy
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In #FIRpodcast #493, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how artificial early engagement can trick algorithms into creating visibility that looks like significance.
It's alarmingly easy to do.
🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-493-how-...
It's alarmingly easy to do.
🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-493-how-...
December 23, 2025 at 8:58 AM
In #FIRpodcast #493, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how artificial early engagement can trick algorithms into creating visibility that looks like significance.
It's alarmingly easy to do.
🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-493-how-...
It's alarmingly easy to do.
🎧💻 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-493-how-...
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In #FIRpodcast 492, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how the story of the Omnicom–IPG layoffs unfolded:
▪️ One official, investor-focused narrative.
▪️ Another on LinkedIn and Reddit.
When people have platforms, the press release isn’t the whole story.
🎧💻 bit.ly/48X038r
▪️ One official, investor-focused narrative.
▪️ Another on LinkedIn and Reddit.
When people have platforms, the press release isn’t the whole story.
🎧💻 bit.ly/48X038r
December 16, 2025 at 9:15 AM
In #FIRpodcast 492, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz look at how the story of the Omnicom–IPG layoffs unfolded:
▪️ One official, investor-focused narrative.
▪️ Another on LinkedIn and Reddit.
When people have platforms, the press release isn’t the whole story.
🎧💻 bit.ly/48X038r
▪️ One official, investor-focused narrative.
▪️ Another on LinkedIn and Reddit.
When people have platforms, the press release isn’t the whole story.
🎧💻 bit.ly/48X038r
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In a new #FIRpodcast interview, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk with Josh Bernoff about his major survey of writers and AI – the deep divide between users and non-users, productivity gains, “AI slop,” trust, and why the real story isn’t replacement but re-sorting.
🎧💻 bit.ly/4s3XFp8
🎧💻 bit.ly/4s3XFp8
December 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
In a new #FIRpodcast interview, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz talk with Josh Bernoff about his major survey of writers and AI – the deep divide between users and non-users, productivity gains, “AI slop,” trust, and why the real story isn’t replacement but re-sorting.
🎧💻 bit.ly/4s3XFp8
🎧💻 bit.ly/4s3XFp8
Reposted by Shel Holtz
FIR 491: One Big Four consulting firm. Two government reports on opposite sides of the world, packed with fake AI-generated citations. Even a CDC-linked study got caught. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack why “human in the loop” now means “human fact-checker.”
🎧💻 bit.ly/4puRxV8
🎧💻 bit.ly/4puRxV8
December 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM
FIR 491: One Big Four consulting firm. Two government reports on opposite sides of the world, packed with fake AI-generated citations. Even a CDC-linked study got caught. @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack why “human in the loop” now means “human fact-checker.”
🎧💻 bit.ly/4puRxV8
🎧💻 bit.ly/4puRxV8
Communicators are adjusting their content strategies to accommodate the sources AI models use to produce search results. There are problems with the studies that claim to identify those sources. Neville and I dove into the situation in our latest FIR podcast episode.
AI studies claim to show what models actually “read”. But the sources shift month to month, and many citations aren’t reliable at all.
In #FIRpodcast 490, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack what this means for communicators trying to stay visible – and accurate.
🎧 bit.ly/48cZLen
In #FIRpodcast 490, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz unpack what this means for communicators trying to stay visible – and accurate.
🎧 bit.ly/48cZLen
December 2, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Communicators are adjusting their content strategies to accommodate the sources AI models use to produce search results. There are problems with the studies that claim to identify those sources. Neville and I dove into the situation in our latest FIR podcast episode.
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In FIR 489, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz dig into “idea inflation” – when leaders fire off AI-generated thought-leadership ideas and teams are left to clean up the mess. Plus: brand under comms, vibe coding, quantum, and more.
🎧💻 Listen or watch: bit.ly/43AUVoy
#FIRpodcast
🎧💻 Listen or watch: bit.ly/43AUVoy
#FIRpodcast
November 17, 2025 at 9:37 AM
In FIR 489, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz dig into “idea inflation” – when leaders fire off AI-generated thought-leadership ideas and teams are left to clean up the mess. Plus: brand under comms, vibe coding, quantum, and more.
🎧💻 Listen or watch: bit.ly/43AUVoy
#FIRpodcast
🎧💻 Listen or watch: bit.ly/43AUVoy
#FIRpodcast
Reposted by Shel Holtz
“Going viral” isn’t a strategy – it’s a dice roll. In FIR 485 @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explain why you should drop it from your objectives and what to measure instead. Plan for compounding attention, not spikes.
🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-485-is-i...
#FIRpodcast
🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-485-is-i...
#FIRpodcast
October 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
“Going viral” isn’t a strategy – it’s a dice roll. In FIR 485 @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz explain why you should drop it from your objectives and what to measure instead. Plan for compounding attention, not spikes.
🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-485-is-i...
#FIRpodcast
🔗 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-485-is-i...
#FIRpodcast
Reposted by Shel Holtz
A new #AI tool called #OliviaBrown can create & send entire PR campaigns, even follow up with journalists.
In FIR 484, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss what this means for trust and the future of #publicrelations.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-484-is-o...
In FIR 484, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss what this means for trust and the future of #publicrelations.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-484-is-o...
October 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM
A new #AI tool called #OliviaBrown can create & send entire PR campaigns, even follow up with journalists.
In FIR 484, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss what this means for trust and the future of #publicrelations.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-484-is-o...
In FIR 484, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss what this means for trust and the future of #publicrelations.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-484-is-o...
Was Tylenol's response to presidential claims that it causes autism in children whose mothers used while pregnant worth holding up as a case study? @nevillehobson.xyz and I break it down in the latest FIR podcast episode. www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-483-how-...
October 9, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Was Tylenol's response to presidential claims that it causes autism in children whose mothers used while pregnant worth holding up as a case study? @nevillehobson.xyz and I break it down in the latest FIR podcast episode. www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-483-how-...
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In #FIRpodcast 482, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz dig into #workslop – workplace content that looks good but adds no real value
Also: human-centred organisations, the evolving role of internal comms, Amazon’s AI audience targeting, AI and press releases, and more.
🎧 bit.ly/42i54Wy
Also: human-centred organisations, the evolving role of internal comms, Amazon’s AI audience targeting, AI and press releases, and more.
🎧 bit.ly/42i54Wy
September 29, 2025 at 8:20 AM
In #FIRpodcast 482, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz dig into #workslop – workplace content that looks good but adds no real value
Also: human-centred organisations, the evolving role of internal comms, Amazon’s AI audience targeting, AI and press releases, and more.
🎧 bit.ly/42i54Wy
Also: human-centred organisations, the evolving role of internal comms, Amazon’s AI audience targeting, AI and press releases, and more.
🎧 bit.ly/42i54Wy
Reposted by Shel Holtz
#AI can polish our words, but at what cost to authenticity? In #FIRpodcast 481, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss tone in AI-assisted writing and the 2025 em dash kerfuffle. Plus, Shel’s project to turn 28 blog posts into a new book with AI’s help.
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/42c8n1n
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/42c8n1n
FIR #481: The Em Dash Panic - AI, Writing, and Misguided Assumptions - FIR Podcast Network
In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel dive into one of the hottest debates in communication today: what happens to tone and authenticity when artificial intelligence steps into the writing p...
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
#AI can polish our words, but at what cost to authenticity? In #FIRpodcast 481, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss tone in AI-assisted writing and the 2025 em dash kerfuffle. Plus, Shel’s project to turn 28 blog posts into a new book with AI’s help.
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/42c8n1n
🎧 Listen: bit.ly/42c8n1n
Reposted by Shel Holtz
AI nightmare by Republicans, medicare. Profit share to deny government claims…https://www.nytimes.... #AI #Republicans #medicare
September 2, 2025 at 10:50 PM
AI nightmare by Republicans, medicare. Profit share to deny government claims…https://www.nytimes.... #AI #Republicans #medicare
Reposted by Shel Holtz
#SEO vs #GEO.
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz ask: is generative optimisation the future, or just the latest acronym soup? Spoiler: trust and clarity still win.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-479-hack...
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz ask: is generative optimisation the future, or just the latest acronym soup? Spoiler: trust and clarity still win.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-479-hack...
FIR #479: Hacking AI Optimization vs. Doing the Hard Work - FIR Podcast Network
Posts and videos featuring Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) hacks and formulas are flooding the web. We reported recently on one such hack focusing on press releases. But when you consider the kin...
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:29 AM
#SEO vs #GEO.
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz ask: is generative optimisation the future, or just the latest acronym soup? Spoiler: trust and clarity still win.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-479-hack...
In #FIRpodcast 479, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz ask: is generative optimisation the future, or just the latest acronym soup? Spoiler: trust and clarity still win.
🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-479-hack...
Reposted by Shel Holtz
Silence isn’t golden - or neutral. In FIR 478, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I ask: when does not speaking up do more damage than saying something?
We also dive into AI, PR’s reputation, deepfakes, and more.
🎧 Tune in: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-478-when...
We also dive into AI, PR’s reputation, deepfakes, and more.
🎧 Tune in: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-478-when...
August 25, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Silence isn’t golden - or neutral. In FIR 478, @shelholtz.bsky.social and I ask: when does not speaking up do more damage than saying something?
We also dive into AI, PR’s reputation, deepfakes, and more.
🎧 Tune in: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-478-when...
We also dive into AI, PR’s reputation, deepfakes, and more.
🎧 Tune in: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-478-when...
Reposted by Shel Holtz
#Wikipedia is under pressure from AI “slop” and from UK regulation.
In FIR 477, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss Wikipedia’s new speedy deletion policy, and losing a legal challenge under the UK’s Online Safety Act. What does it all mean for communicators?
🔗 bit.ly/4fOwRUc
In FIR 477, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss Wikipedia’s new speedy deletion policy, and losing a legal challenge under the UK’s Online Safety Act. What does it all mean for communicators?
🔗 bit.ly/4fOwRUc
FIR #477: Deslopifying Wikipedia - FIR Podcast Network
User-generated content is at a turning point. With generative AI models cranking out tons of slop, content repositories are being polluted with
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
August 19, 2025 at 7:39 AM
#Wikipedia is under pressure from AI “slop” and from UK regulation.
In FIR 477, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss Wikipedia’s new speedy deletion policy, and losing a legal challenge under the UK’s Online Safety Act. What does it all mean for communicators?
🔗 bit.ly/4fOwRUc
In FIR 477, @shelholtz.bsky.social and @nevillehobson.xyz discuss Wikipedia’s new speedy deletion policy, and losing a legal challenge under the UK’s Online Safety Act. What does it all mean for communicators?
🔗 bit.ly/4fOwRUc
Reposted by Shel Holtz
RSS never died, it just faded from view. In #FIRpodcast 475, @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social talk about the quiet comeback of RSS, powered by AI and fediverse vibes. That's powerful, and it might be key to taking back control from the algorithms.
bit.ly/4lYTZ4h
#RSS #AI #fediverse
bit.ly/4lYTZ4h
#RSS #AI #fediverse
FIR #475: Algorithms Got You Down? Get Retro with RSS! - FIR Podcast Network
It has been 12 years since Google shut down Google Reader, its popular RSS news reader. The rise of social media newsfeeds had rendered RSS useless for many people, and declining usage led Google to s...
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
August 5, 2025 at 12:31 PM
RSS never died, it just faded from view. In #FIRpodcast 475, @nevillehobson.xyz & @shelholtz.bsky.social talk about the quiet comeback of RSS, powered by AI and fediverse vibes. That's powerful, and it might be key to taking back control from the algorithms.
bit.ly/4lYTZ4h
#RSS #AI #fediverse
bit.ly/4lYTZ4h
#RSS #AI #fediverse
Reposted by Shel Holtz
In a new FIR Interview, @nevillehobson.xyz, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @silviacambie.bsky.social speak with Monsignor Paul Tighe from The Vatican on the ethical challenges AI poses to humanity, work, and dignity.
Tune in: 🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-intervie...
#AI #ethics #AntiquaEtNova
Tune in: 🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-intervie...
#AI #ethics #AntiquaEtNova
July 29, 2025 at 8:00 AM
In a new FIR Interview, @nevillehobson.xyz, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @silviacambie.bsky.social speak with Monsignor Paul Tighe from The Vatican on the ethical challenges AI poses to humanity, work, and dignity.
Tune in: 🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-intervie...
#AI #ethics #AntiquaEtNova
Tune in: 🎧 www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-intervie...
#AI #ethics #AntiquaEtNova
Reposted by Shel Holtz
➡️ FIR 474 is out now. @shelholtz.bsky.social @nevillehobson.xyz discuss AI and PR, covering:
– Synapse: an AI tool writing expert quotes
– Press releases as AI training data
– The comeback of brand newsletters
💡Plus @danyork.bsky.social and more
🔗 bit.ly/4oaEace
#FIRpodcast #AI #PR #Comms
– Synapse: an AI tool writing expert quotes
– Press releases as AI training data
– The comeback of brand newsletters
💡Plus @danyork.bsky.social and more
🔗 bit.ly/4oaEace
#FIRpodcast #AI #PR #Comms
July 28, 2025 at 7:44 AM
➡️ FIR 474 is out now. @shelholtz.bsky.social @nevillehobson.xyz discuss AI and PR, covering:
– Synapse: an AI tool writing expert quotes
– Press releases as AI training data
– The comeback of brand newsletters
💡Plus @danyork.bsky.social and more
🔗 bit.ly/4oaEace
#FIRpodcast #AI #PR #Comms
– Synapse: an AI tool writing expert quotes
– Press releases as AI training data
– The comeback of brand newsletters
💡Plus @danyork.bsky.social and more
🔗 bit.ly/4oaEace
#FIRpodcast #AI #PR #Comms
Reposted by Shel Holtz
Who really owns the digital employee experience (DEX)? In FIR 473, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz argue it's time internal communicators step up. It's not just about the tech - it's about how employees feel when using it.
🎙️ Listen: bit.ly/4mdE7ed
#DEX #InternalComms #FIRpodcast
🎙️ Listen: bit.ly/4mdE7ed
#DEX #InternalComms #FIRpodcast
FIR #473: The Digital Employee Experience is the Message - FIR Podcast Network
It has been more than 60 years since Marshall McLuhan told us that the medium is the message. The decades that have passed since then have done nothing to diminish the truth of McLuhan's prescient sta...
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
July 23, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Who really owns the digital employee experience (DEX)? In FIR 473, @shelholtz.bsky.social & @nevillehobson.xyz argue it's time internal communicators step up. It's not just about the tech - it's about how employees feel when using it.
🎙️ Listen: bit.ly/4mdE7ed
#DEX #InternalComms #FIRpodcast
🎙️ Listen: bit.ly/4mdE7ed
#DEX #InternalComms #FIRpodcast
B2B decision-makers see the importance of trust. Companies that measure trust as a board-level KPI are over 3x more likely to report higher profits, yet only 22% of boards have trust as a KPI. Learn more in this short midweek FIR podcast episode: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-472-the-...
FIR #472: The Evolution of Trust - FIR Podcast Network
New research reveals that B2B decision-makers have increasingly recognized the importance of trust. The study also showed that companies that measure trust as a board-level KPI are over three times mo...
www.firpodcastnetwork.com
July 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
B2B decision-makers see the importance of trust. Companies that measure trust as a board-level KPI are over 3x more likely to report higher profits, yet only 22% of boards have trust as a KPI. Learn more in this short midweek FIR podcast episode: www.firpodcastnetwork.com/fir-472-the-...