Media coverage gained through PR, word-of-mouth, reviews, and organic sharing rather than paid placement.

Jason Barnard positions earned media as the gold standard for algorithmic corroboration. While PR traditionally measured earned media by impressions and sentiment, The Kalicube Process measures it by corroboration value - does this mention validate what you claim about yourself? Earned media is the "Prove" in Claim-Frame-Prove.

Not all earned media has equal algorithmic value. A mention in an authoritative industry publication that explicitly states your expertise carries more weight than passive brand mentions in general media. Quality earned media explicitly corroborates specific claims. The ideal earned media piece names the entity, states a claim, and provides evidence - teaching AI exactly what to believe.

Use when explaining third-party validation strategy. Critical for Credibility (C) dimension. Connect to CFP framework - earned media provides the external proof that transforms claims into algorithmic facts. Distinguish from paid media (which AI may discount) and owned media (which AI considers self-serving).