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PIC supports your new year reset

By Andrea Walasek, SCMP

A new year has a way of sharpening our focus. January invites reflection and brings with it a renewed sense of possibility. For communicators, it offers a chance to take stock of where we are, consider where we want to go and approach the months ahead with intention. As we kick off 2026, there is real momentum in looking ahead with curiosity and confidence.

That sense of momentum carries into this issue’s 3x3, where Brent Artemchuk speaks with Roger Morier, Anna Relyea and Gary Schlee. Hearing from professionals who have spent decades adapting to change is both grounding and energizing. Their reflections remind us that while tools, platforms and expectations continue to evolve, the heart of our work remains steady. Clear thinking, strong writing, good judgment and a genuine focus on people continue to define effective communication, no matter the decade.   Those same themes are reflected in the learning opportunities ahead for PIC members. We start the year on January 20 with an interactive session on negotiation strategies with Fotini Iconomopoulos. Whether you’re refining how you price your work, managing scope conversations or looking to approach negotiations with greater confidence, this session offers practical insights you can use right away. Register today.   The conversation continues on February 24 with a peer-driven discussion on AI and independent practice that’s free for IABC/Toronto members. AI is already part of how many of us research, write, plan and advise. This session creates space to talk candidly about what is working, where judgment matters most, and how these tools are influencing pricing, timelines, and client expectations. Designed as a practical exchange among peers, this discussion offers an opportunity to learn from one another as we navigate this shift together. Register now.   As you gear up for the new year and reflect on your accomplishments from 2025, I encourage you to consider submitting an entry for IABC/Toronto’s 2026 Ovation Awards. Each year, these awards bring communicators from across the GTA together to recognize standout work and strengthen our professional community. This year, the ceremony will take place at The Carlu on May 7, 2026. Learn more and submit your entry here; save 10% if you submit by January 19.   As 2026 unfolds, I hope The Buzz remains a place you return to for ideas, perspective and connection, and that PIC continues to support you in strengthening both your craft and your business. If you would like to revisit any of The Buzz issues from 2025, we have included links to them later in this issue. Thank you for being part of PIC and for contributing your experience, insight and generosity. I am looking forward to what we will learn and build together in the year ahead.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, ideas for professional development topics, or an interest in volunteering, reach out to me at toronto-sig@iabc.to. I’m always happy to hear from you.

3x3: Lessons from five decades of professional communication

By Brent Artemchuk

The communications profession has reinvented itself repeatedly during the last half century. It’s moved from press releases and print deadlines to real-time storytelling, digital platforms, data-driven insights and now, AI-assisted creation. Tools have changed, channels have multiplied, and the pace has accelerated beyond anything early practitioners (myself included) could have imagined. Yet beneath this constant evolution lies a striking paradox: While the how of communication has transformed, much of the why has remained remarkably steady. I recently talked to three seasoned professionals – Roger Morier (he/him), Anna Relyea (she/her) and Gary Schlee (he/him) – each of whom has spent 40 to 50 years working at the heart of the communications field. Their careers span eras defined by radically different technologies, organizational structures and audience expectations. They’ve witnessed the rise and fall of platforms, the redefinition of media and the growing strategic influence of communications within organizations.   What emerges from their reflections, I feel, is not nostalgia, but clarity.  They speak of principles that have endured, the skills that continue to matter most and the lessons today's practitioners would do well to adopt. At the same time, they express excitement (and sometimes concern) about emerging trends. This is a conversation not just about where the profession has been, but also what still matters and what comes next.

In the changes you’ve seen over five decades, did any fundamentally change how you approached your work?

  Roger: The pace at which the communications world operates today has required all of us to change how we work. The multiplicity of traditional media channels, the ubiquity of social media, and the prevalence of messaging platforms has led to a 24/7, always on approach. This has meant that in addition to normal workloads, communicators must be able to initiate and/or respond to some events at almost warp speed.   When I began my career as a journalist, I might ask an organization for a comment about an issue in the morning and get it at the end of the day, or sometimes even the next day. That was good enough. Today, communicators often must act within an hour, if not sooner, if they want to stay ahead of a news cycle or an internal rumour mill. This speaks to the importance of having solid, well-practiced contingency plans and rapid access to the people you need to consult as you navigate the waters of a stormy communications sea.   Everybody on a comms team, whether a staff member or an independent service provider, needs to know their particular skill set, how it contributes to an overall effective communications effort, and how to deliver a quality product or service quickly.   Anna: Advances in electronic and digital communications have been most impactful. In the ’80s, the introduction of the personal computer changed the way communications were delivered. When I started working in the magazine business in 1981, we used electric typewriters and did pasteups to deliver copy to print. When the MacBook was launched in 1984, it revolutionized not only the communications industry but also many sectors in the work world. Then came the telefax, which speeded up the delivery of communications globally. A client in Switzerland introduced the fax machine to the PR agency where I worked, allowing for almost instant transmission of communication any time and anywhere a telephone connection existed. In the ’90s, the changemaker was the internet, which ultimately led to the rise of digital communications and the decline of traditional media that continues to this day. Many media stars from my early work days have disappeared or are shells of their former selves. From the early 2000s onwards, innovations in phone technology were the game changers. The BlackBerry and then the iPhone democratized communications — anyone with a smartphone could become a content creator or break a story. When I started my career in PR, we were pitching stories to traditional media. I had the phone numbers of all the major media outlets memorized. By the 2010s, I was searching out influencers with the most followers. Sure, The Globe & Mail, The Toronto Star and CBC or CTV networks were still important, but I had to learn new skills and develop connections in social media. The digital world was taking over.   Gary: The significant changes have been with the tools and channels that became available in waves — word processing, desktop publishing, social media, AI. The computer and the internet brought a world of information to my workspace. Perhaps, at times, too much information. The breadth of info overload often chipped away at the time needed to think and craft, which meant I had to be more intentional and task-oriented.

What communication skill or principle has remained surprisingly constant over the years — something that has stood the test of time despite massive technological and cultural shifts?

  Roger: I’ve tried to follow one fundamental principle in whatever position I held: to focus on people. I’ve seen an array of technologies and tools give us the capacity to communicate across channels almost without even speaking initially with the people we want to reach. An emphasis on data, audience analysis and PowerPoint briefings, however, can mask what is often the richest way to know your potential audience, whether inside an institution or externally. That is, to talk with people and develop personal connections.   On my first day as an internal communications officer at a large multinational based in Paris, my boss told me that the best way to get to know what global staff were thinking was to use two tools: a cup of coffee and a Boeing 747. The idea of meeting people, asking them questions and most importantly actually listening to what they have to say has helped me a lot in my career. This applies to corporate communicators, whether dealing with internal or external audiences, as much as to freelance contractors who need to understand how their work contributes to communications outreach.   Anna:  Despite all the changes in the communications environment, the most constant communication skill or principle is a dedication to learning or openness to innovation. That stands the test of time despite massive technological and cultural shifts. Without an open mind and willingness to constantly learn as changes occurred, I would not have had a career in communications that lasted over four decades. There is little comfort in growth and little growth in comfort.   Gary: It would be the enduring need for writing or communication that is clear, concise, credible and engaging.

What emerging trends excite or concern you most when you think about the future of how people and organizations communicate?

Roger: The advent of AI is both exciting and concerning. Exciting because it has the potential to significantly reduce some of the work that communicators need to do, from basic content research to initial drafts of content to audience and impact data analysis. That frees up precious time for what should be the real work of communicators: developing a clear, effective strategy with measurable goals, executing it flawlessly and building on those successes to become or remain an integral part of any corporate decision-making process.   On the other hand, AI also threatens communicators since, handled carelessly, it can erode trust quickly. Relying on AI too much may eventually lead to an audience suspecting that a communication effort is not credible or sincere. That would be the kiss of death, for once you lose the trust of your audience it is very difficult to get it back. People want to know that they’re interacting with others like them and not an impersonal algorithm. Back again to the idea of focusing on the needs and wants of people above all.    Anna: How communication develops new ways to innovate taking advantage of AI will be interesting. There’s a real opportunity for communicators to lead the way in setting ethical guidelines for AI use across disciplines. We have an excellent track record for rapid adaptation in the face of change. Based on communications over the decades, I’m certain this leadership will continue.   Gary: Probably no surprise here: AI. I’m excited by its power to ratchet up access to targeted research and the potential to noodle around with communication approaches. But I’m more distressed by its capacity to mislead and incite. Some organizations are already starting to abdicate information checks and filters by shucking professional communicators. The evolution of social media towards corporate greed and bad actors happened rather quickly. It’s occurring even faster with AI, which sometimes makes it hard to be optimistic.   Thanks to Roger, Anna and Gary for sharing.  Across five decades of change, one truth stands out: effective communication has always been about understanding people. Technologies evolve, platforms rise and fall and tactics come and go, but clarity, credibility, empathy and purpose remain the foundation of the craft.   The perspectives shared with me serve as a quiet challenge for today’s professionals. While the profession now moves faster than ever, speed has never replaced judgment. Strategy still matters. Listening still matters. The ability to translate complexity into meaning remains one of the communicators' most valuable skills.

Book Nook: Understanding the power of common knowledge

By Catharine Heddle