The USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations 2026 Global Communications Report, titled A Quiet Shift, surveyed over 700 PR professionals, more than 1,000 members of the general public, and conducted one-on-one interviews with Fortune 500 chief communications officers. Karen and Michelle read it with the solo and independent practitioner in mind and pull three findings that are immediately relevant to how you counsel clients, frame messages, and navigate a landscape that has shifted more dramatically in two years than many expected.