Media trends: How to get UK press coverage in December

What are journalists looking for as 2024 draws to a close? Festive content is obviously prevalent, but the media are using the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service for a lot more, too.

Find out below what was popular in November and what could get you featured in the press during December and into the New Year.

Last minute Christmas content

Unsurprisingly, ‘Christmas’ was the top keyword used by journalists for a third month running as it cropped up in 18.5% of the total requests sent in November. ‘Gift guide’ was prominent within this as nearly 8% of those journalist enquiries were for products and items to feature in a guide or round-up.

Some of the more unusual Christmas-related requests included a journalist looking to speak to someone who is giving some of their pension cash this Christmas, and another wanting to speak to interior designers about Christmas styles that remain popular every year.

Going forward? While there is relatively little time left until the ‘big day’, the media will still be looking for the best last minute gifts so have products ready to review. Fashion and food are also regular requests in December with advice on what to wear for the holidays and what to cook. The i paper, Ideal Home, Yahoo! Style, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist all sent an enquiry last month so there is the opportunity for national press or consumer magazine coverage.

2025 in focus

The end of one year traditionally gets journalists looking ahead to the next one and it’s proved no different this year with ‘2025’ featuring in just over 7% of the requests last month. ‘New year’ has similarly proved popular with just under 3% of enquiries containing that phrase.

Journalists at The Daily Express, PA Media and The Guardian sent enquiries in November with ‘2025’ in them including looking for new beauty launches for women, GenAI trends to watch out for, and new hotel and restaurant openings in the new year.

Going forward? December last year saw nearly 14% of journalists send enquiries for the year ahead, wanting information on travel, fashion, beauty, technology, and more. Have press releases ready on trends and predictions for 2025 and experts in areas such as fitness and wellness to tie in with events like Dry January and Veganuary.

Heating up for the Winter

We’ve mentioned in previous posts that seasonal requests are popular with journalists and ‘Winter’ has proved no different as it received 4.5% of the total enquiries last month. But there has been an increased focus recently on staying warm this winter with ‘heat’ or ‘heating’ cropping up in nearly 3% of requests.

Some specific enquiries included looking to speak to pensioners struggling to heat their homes, wanting to know the cheapest way to heat one room, and asking for comment from a health expert on the health risks of not putting your heating on.

Going forward? December and January are traditionally the coldest months of the year and journalists will be looking to get expert advice on what to do with your heating without spending too much. There will also likely be requests for case studies of clever techniques for staying warm and how the Winter fuel payment changes are affecting people.

Other opportunities for PRs in December and beyond

Returning to the Christmas theme again and journalists could be looking to cover Christmas Jumper Day and any other festive charitable events, so have information ready to send along these lines.

Get lists prepared for the best places and ways to see in 2025 to get potential media coverage. Plus, after the festivities of Christmas Day, Boxing Day brings with it the chance to get a bargain in the sales. Product reviews and round-ups will be in demand, as well as retail experts to pass comment on the state of the industry.

To connect with the media on these topics, and much more, check out the Journalist Enquiry Service and the Vuelio Media Database.

Find out more about how Vuelio can help you gain and track your coverage in the media here.