Which of the following best describes the PESO model components?

• A. Direct media and Paid media as separate channels
• B. Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media
• C. Paid, Earned, Shared, and Influencer media
• D. Paid, Earned, Social, and Owned media

Answer: (B)

The PESO model groups a company’s communications into four main types: Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media. This framework helps plan how to reach audiences across different channels in a coordinated way, so messages stay consistent and amplify each other.

Paid media covers advertising and sponsorships you pay for. Earned media is the publicity you gain through PR, news coverage, and third-party mentions—not paid placements. Shared media refers to social conversations and content that are co-created or amplified through audiences, such as shares, comments, and collaborations on social platforms. Owned media includes channels you control directly, like your website, blog, and email newsletters.

The option listing Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media is the best answer because it matches the standard PESO taxonomy that integrates paid promotion with third-party credibility, collaborative social activity, and your own controlled channels. The other options omit or replace one of these four components (for example, splitting direct channels from paid, swapping shared for influencer, or using social instead of the conventional shared category), which misses a key part of the holistic framework.