How Communicators Can Make Sense of a Year in Flux

A year marked by political shifts, global conflict, social movements and rapid technological change has challenged communicators to navigate unprecedented levels of uncertainty. From Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the debate over immigration enforcement, to the release of the Epstein files, nationwide “No King” demonstrations, the fragile Gaza peace agreement and the acceleration of artificial intelligence, 2025 has tested every facet of media, messaging and public understanding.

By any measure, 2025 has been a consequential year.

To gain perspective on how these developments shaped the media and communications landscape, CommPRO spoke with journalists and communications professionals about the stories that defined the year and what they mean for public affairs and strategic communication.

Ellen Ferrera, contributing writer for the Moultrie County News-Progress, says 2025’s turbulent news environment demanded constant recalibration from communicators.

“2025 started with the inauguration of Donald Trump, and from day one his administration has dominated the headlines,” she says.

Ferrera points to several moments that fueled intense media scrutiny, from debates over immigration enforcement to the overwhelming congressional vote to release the Epstein files. She describes a cascade of policy controversies that kept communicators in continuous response mode, including tariff proposals under review by the Supreme Court, shifting foreign policy positions and federal spending priorities that sparked widespread debate.

“The pace and volume of developments this year challenged even seasoned communicators,” she notes. “Every day brought a new story that required context, clarity and accuracy.”

Ferrera also highlights the rise of nationwide “No King” protests, which drew millions and reignited conversations about democratic norms and civic engagement. For communicators, she says, the scale and speed of these demonstrations underscored the importance of monitoring sentiment, understanding public frustration and anticipating rapid shifts in narrative.

She adds that global stories also shaped the information environment, including the death of Pope Francis and the installation of the first American-born pope, health updates concerning members of the British royal family and a cease-fire agreement in Gaza that allowed hostages and displaced families to return home.

As the year concludes, she observes that public sentiment remains unsettled, with economic pressures, political polarization and legal disputes contributing to a national sense of uncertainty.

Richard Greb, a veteran journalist who has reported for the Associated Press, Reuters and the Chicago Tribune, agrees that the White House has been at the center of many of the year’s biggest domestic and global stories. But he also points to a development outside Washington that significantly shaped media coverage: the affordability crisis that helped propel Zohran Mamdani into the New York City mayor’s office.

“It was a defining issue in New York, and it resonated in the off-year elections in Virginia and New Jersey, where Democrats prevailed,” Greb says.

On foreign policy, Greb calls the Gaza agreement “a hopeful development” while noting that long-term peace remains complex. He is less optimistic about Ukraine, given the ongoing conflict and geopolitical tensions that continue to drive global news cycles.

Greb also points to extreme weather as a major storyline, citing catastrophic flooding in Texas from Hurricane Melissa. He says disputes over federal disaster aid further complicated coverage and raised questions about policy, governance and equity.

Artificial intelligence was another dominant theme in 2025. Mark Perlman, adjunct professor of public relations at Columbia College Chicago, notes that AI’s rapid evolution reshaped media narratives almost daily.

“The competition among AI companies and the speed of new capabilities drove enormous coverage,” he says.

But Perlman warns that the downside of AI also became a major story, with job cuts, automation concerns and uncertainty for entry-level workers prompting important conversations about the future of work — and the role communicators must play in contextualizing those shifts.

For Gen Z audiences, the year looked different but no less dramatic. Jayla Griggs, an honors student at Columbia College Chicago, says her peers were immersed in a news cycle defined by political flashpoints, cultural trends and new social debates.

“There were so many events that topped the charts this year,” she says, pointing to the attempted assassination of Charlie Kirk, the government shutdown, nationwide immigration enforcement actions, Trump’s disputes with the media, Mamdani’s mayoral victory and the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

She adds that cultural topics also dominated Gen Z discourse, including the rise of “Labubus” and renewed debate over fast fashion’s impact.