• Tech Writer
• 04 Jul 2026

The Media Coverage Playbook

A practical guide to winning meaningful media coverage through sharper PR, stronger story angles and
better outreach.

Includes media outreach templates, pitch scripts, press release guidance, agency selection advice,
real-world media charts and a 30-day action plan.

No ethical PR professional can guarantee earned editorial coverage. The purpose of this guide is to
improve your odds by helping you shape better stories, target the right outlets and communicate with
journalists in a more useful way.

Media coverage is not won by begging journalists for attention. It is earned by understanding what their
audience needs, packaging useful information clearly, and approaching the right person with a story that
is timely, credible and easy to verify.

1. What media coverage actually is

Media coverage is earned visibility from a third-party publisher, journalist, editor, producer, newsletter writer, analyst, podcaster or industry commentator. It can appear as a news article, interview, expert quote, feature story, podcast appearance, product mention, founder profile, opinion column, trade-publication write-up, local newspaper story, newsletter inclusion or broadcast segment.

The important word is earned. You are not buying the journalist’s opinion. You are not paying for a guaranteed editorial endorsement. You are giving the media something useful enough that they may choose to report, reference, question, investigate or discuss it.

This is why media coverage carries more trust than ordinary advertising. A paid ad says, “Look at us.” Earned coverage says, “An independent outlet considered this worth covering.” That difference matters. Media coverage can build credibility, create search visibility, support investor or customer confidence, help recruitment, open partnership conversations and give sales teams a third-party proof point.

But media coverage is not magic. A single article rarely changes a business by itself. The value compounds when coverage is part of a broader communications system: a clear story, a credible public profile, consistent thought leadership, useful data, a media-ready founder or spokesperson, and a follow-up process that turns attention into action.

What’s the Difference Between Digital PR Different and Traditional PR? 

The fundamental difference lies in both strategy and measurability. While traditional PR largely relied on publishing and hoping, Digital PR is 100% data-driven, completely evolving how smart businesses approach public relations.

Aspect	Traditional PR	Digital PR
Main Focus	Media coverage in print (newspapers, magazines, TV, radio)	Online visibility through digital platforms (websites, blogs, social media)
Channels Used	Offline media outlets	Digital news sites, blogs, influencers, social media, SEO platforms
Goal	Brand awareness and reputation	Brand authority, backlinks, SEO, traffic, and lead generation
Measurement	Hard to measure; based on media impressions	Data-driven; trackable via analytics, backlinks, rankings, traffic
Key Tactics	Press releases, media pitches, events	Online press coverage, influencer marketing, content marketing, link building
SEO Benefits	Minimal to none	Strong SEO impact through high-quality backlinks
Longevity of Results	Short-term media exposure	Long-term digital visibility and search ranking improvement
Approach	One-way communication	Two-way engagement and shareable content
Content Format	Static (articles, interviews)	Dynamic (videos, blogs, infographics, interactive content)

Digital PR doesn’t replace traditional PR entirely – the most effective strategies combine both approaches, using traditional media to build credibility while leveraging digital channels for measurable business impact.

Key takeaways – Media coverage is earned attention, not guaranteed publicity. – Journalists care about their audience before they care about your business. – The strongest stories contain novelty, proof, consequence and relevance. – Coverage is more valuable when it is reused ethically across sales, investor relations, recruitment and owned content.

2. The modern media landscape

The media landscape is fragmented. Traditional newspapers, magazines, broadcast outlets and trade publications still matter, but the path to public attention no longer runs through one gate. Coverage may come from a national reporter, a niche industry site, a respected Substack writer, a podcast host, a LinkedIn newsletter, a YouTube analyst, an event organiser, a local newspaper or a specialist community publication.

This is good news for small businesses and founders. You no longer need to win a front-page national story to build credibility. A precise story in a respected trade publication can be more commercially useful than a broad mention in a mass-market outlet. A local business story can support trust in one region. A podcast can give a founder 40 minutes to explain a complex problem. A newsletter can put your idea directly in front of a concentrated audience.

The challenge is that journalists and editors are dealing with shrinking resources, misinformation, AI-generated clutter and inbox overload. Cision’s 2026 State of the Media analysis reported that misinformation, resource constraints and the impact of AI are among journalists’ major challenges. Cision also reported that most journalists receive 50 or more pitches a week and that relevance is the deciding factor for whether a pitch survives the first scan.

The practical lesson is simple: do not spray the same generic pitch across hundreds of contacts. The modern media environment rewards sharper targeting, stronger evidence, clearer timing and genuine understanding of what a particular outlet actually covers.

Key takeaways – Niche media can be more valuable than broad media when the audience fit is strong. – The best media strategy combines earned media, owned content and relationship building. – AI-generated PR spam has made human judgment more valuable, not less. – A smaller list of highly relevant journalists usually beats a large list of random contacts.

3. PR agencies, communications agencies and what they really do

A good PR or communications agency helps an organisation understand what it should say, who needs to hear it, when it should be said and which channels are most likely to carry it. The best agencies are not just email senders. They are story strategists, reputation advisers, message architects, media trainers, campaign planners and relationship builders.

PR agencies are useful when your organisation has regular news, complicated stakeholders, a founder who needs positioning, a sensitive reputation issue, investor or government audiences, or a need for consistent visibility over time. They can help refine your message, identify journalists, prepare spokespeople, write press materials, manage announcements, coordinate interviews, monitor coverage and advise on risk.

The mistake many businesses make is hiring a PR agency without having a story engine. If you have no real news, no data, no customer proof, no spokesperson availability, no point of view and no willingness to respond quickly, even a strong agency will struggle. PR is not a substitute for substance.

When assessing an agency, ask for examples of relevant media outcomes, not just logos. Ask how they build media lists. Ask who will actually work on the account after the sales pitch. Ask how they define success. Ask whether they understand your industry and whether they can challenge weak story ideas. A good agency should be willing to tell you when something is not newsworthy.

Key takeaways – Hire PR support when you need strategy, relationships, positioning and consistent execution. – Do not judge an agency only by a glossy pitch deck. – Ask for relevant examples, process detail and account-team clarity. – The best agency relationship still requires your business to provide proof, access and speed.

4. Traditional digital marketing agencies and where they fit

Traditional digital marketing agencies usually focus on traffic, leads, paid media, SEO, social media, conversion rate optimisation, email marketing and website performance. These skills are valuable, but they are not the same as media relations.

A marketing agency may be excellent at ranking a landing page, running Google Ads or building a funnel, yet weak at understanding newsroom judgment. Media outlets are not advertising platforms. Journalists do not exist to publish your campaign copy. They need facts, context, relevance and a reason their audience should care.

That said, digital marketing and PR should work together. A media story can support SEO because it creates branded search demand, referral traffic and trusted third-party references. A good article can be reused in sales materials, investor decks, email newsletters, website proof sections and social updates. Digital teams can also help by creating newsroom pages, tracking referral traffic, building remarketing audiences from coverage spikes and making sure published media is linked from owned channels.

The ideal arrangement is not PR versus marketing. It is PR for credibility, marketing for conversion and owned content for depth. Media coverage gets attention. Your website, sales process and content system must turn that attention into business value.

Key takeaways – Digital marketing agencies are usually stronger at traffic and conversion than editorial judgment. – PR is strongest when connected to owned content and measurable follow-up. – Do not ask a journalist to publish marketing copy. – Coverage should be reused ethically across your funnel after it appears.

5. The newsworthiness test

Before you pitch anyone, test the story. Most weak outreach fails because it starts with the company instead of the news. “We launched a product” is not automatically a story. “A product launch reveals a wider industry shift, solves a measurable problem or affects a recognisable group of people” has a stronger chance.

A story becomes more newsworthy when it has at least three of the following: timing, consequence, novelty, conflict, human impact, local relevance, credible data, expert insight, public interest, industry significance, unusual access, visual material or a strong case study.

Timing answers: why now? Consequence answers: who is affected? Novelty answers: what is new? Data answers: what proof do you have? Human impact answers: who can bring this to life? Audience fit answers: why would this outlet’s readers care?

Use the “so what?” test. After every claim, ask: so what? If the answer is “because we want publicity,” the pitch is not ready. If the answer is “because this affects how small businesses handle cybersecurity insurance,” “because it shows a shift in consumer behaviour,” or “because it reveals a problem regulators have not addressed,” you are closer to a media-ready angle.

Key takeaways – Never pitch before the story passes the so-what test. – A company announcement needs wider meaning to become media-friendly. – Data, consequence and timing make a story easier to justify. – The more specific the audience impact, the stronger the angle.

6. Finding your strongest story angles

A business usually has more potential stories than it realises. The problem is that founders and marketers often look inward. They see features, milestones, partnerships and internal wins. Journalists look outward. They want change, tension, consequence, proof and human relevance.

Start by listing what has changed. Has the market shifted? Has customer behaviour changed? Has regulation created pressure? Has technology made an old process obsolete? Has a new risk emerged? Has a cost increased? Has a community been affected? Has your organisation gathered data that shows something surprising?

Then translate the business update into an editorial angle. A software launch can become a story about the productivity pressure facing accountants. A cybersecurity service can become a story about small-business exposure. A logistics platform can become a story about supply-chain fragility. A founder profile can become a story about regional entrepreneurship, migrant business ownership, a comeback after failure or a new generation of industry leadership.

The best angle is not always the biggest. Sometimes the strongest media opportunity is a narrow story with a defined audience. “Australian retailers face higher chargeback risk during peak shopping periods” is usually stronger than “Company launches new payments platform.” Specificity creates relevance.

Key takeaways – Translate business milestones into audience consequences. – Look for change, pressure, risk, cost, regulation, behaviour or human experience. – A narrow angle can be more powerful than a broad announcement. – Write multiple angles before choosing what to pitch.

7. Pitching your own story to media outlets

Pitching is not sending a press release and hoping. A pitch is a short, targeted argument for why a specific journalist should consider a specific story now. It should show that you understand the journalist’s beat, the outlet’s audience and the public relevance of the story.

A strong pitch usually has five parts: a subject line that clearly signals the story, a first sentence that gives the news, two or three lines of context, proof or data, a clear offer such as an interview, comment, images or early access, and a simple close. Keep it short. The first screen matters.

Do not begin with flattery unless it is specific and genuine. Do not say you are a “big fan” of a journalist if you cannot name what they cover. Do not attach large files in the first email. Do not send the same email to dozens of unrelated reporters. Do not demand links, headlines or publication timing in an earned-media pitch.

Your pitch should make the journalist’s job easier. Include enough material for them to understand the story, but not so much that the email becomes work. If the journalist is interested, have the full release, images, spokesperson bio, data, customer example and background material ready.

Key takeaways – A pitch is a targeted argument, not a mass email. – Lead with the news, not with your company biography. – Make the story easy to assess, verify and act on. – Relevance matters more than volume.

8. Building your own outreach database

An outreach database is not just a list of email addresses. It is a working intelligence file that helps you understand who covers what, how recently they covered it, how to approach them and what relationship history exists.

Start with 25 to 50 highly relevant contacts, not 1,000 random names. Search target outlets manually. Read recent articles. Note the journalist’s beat, recurring topics, geography, preferred format and whether they use experts, data or case studies. Add newsletters, trade publications, podcasts and industry analysts as separate categories.

Useful database columns include: outlet, journalist or editor name, role, beat, email, social profile, recent relevant article, article date, why they are relevant, pitch angle, contact status, last contacted date, response, follow-up date, notes and outcome.

Keep your database clean. Remove people who move beats. Do not scrape personal emails from unrelated sources. Respect unsubscribe requests. Do not buy spam lists. A database built from careful reading will outperform a purchased list because it reflects actual editorial relevance.

Key takeaways – Build a small, accurate media list before building a large one. – Record why each journalist is relevant. – Track relationship history and previous coverage. – Treat the database as editorial intelligence, not a spam engine.

9. Writing your own news story or PR material

Writing your own PR material is not the same as writing advertising copy. The goal is clarity, evidence and usefulness. Avoid hype. Avoid corporate slogans. Avoid empty phrases such as “revolutionary,” “game-changing,” “world-class” and “cutting-edge” unless you can prove them.

A useful press release or news-style article answers the basic editorial questions quickly: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, where it applies, when it happened and what evidence supports it. The opening paragraph should carry the story. A reader should understand the news without reading the entire document.

Use quotes carefully. A quote should add judgment, explanation or human perspective. It should not repeat the facts already stated above it. Bad quote: “We are excited to announce our innovative solution.” Better quote: “Small operators are being asked to manage enterprise-level security risks without enterprise-level staff. That gap is where we are seeing the market move.”

Strong PR writing is plain, specific and structured. It respects the reader’s time. It gives editors usable material without pretending to be independent journalism.

Key takeaways – Write for clarity before persuasion. – Put the news in the first paragraph. – Use quotes to add interpretation, not filler. – Remove hype unless you can support it with evidence.

10. Press releases, media alerts, op-eds and expert commentary

Different media materials serve different purposes. A press release suits announcements with clear facts: funding, launches, appointments, research, partnerships, acquisitions, events or policy responses. A media alert is shorter and used when you want journalists to attend or cover a scheduled event. An op-ed is an argued opinion piece from a named author. Expert commentary is a short, timely response to a live news issue.

Do not use the same format for every story. If you have a new report with data, use a release plus a one-page findings sheet. If you have a founder with a strong opinion about regulation, prepare an op-ed. If there is breaking news in your industry, send expert commentary quickly. If you are launching a product with no wider angle, you may be better off writing an owned article first and pitching only selected trade media.

Speed matters for commentary. If a major event happens in your industry and you can provide a credible expert within one or two hours, you may be useful. A thoughtful quote delivered the next day can still help for analysis pieces, but it may miss the first news cycle.

The rule: choose the format that makes the story easiest for the media to use.

Key takeaways – Press releases are not the only PR format. – Use media alerts for events, op-eds for arguments and expert comments for timely reactions. – Prepare spokesperson material before news breaks. – Match format to the journalist’s likely use case.

11. Media kits, proof assets and newsroom pages

A media kit makes your organisation easier to cover. It should give journalists quick access to accurate names, titles, company facts, spokesperson bios, approved images, logos, product screenshots, data points, background documents, contact details and recent announcements.

A good media kit saves time. A weak one creates friction. If a journalist has to email three times to get a founder headshot, clarify a job title or confirm a company description, you slow down the story and reduce your chances of inclusion.

Your website should include a simple newsroom or media page. This does not need to be complex. Include a short company overview, leadership bios, high-resolution images, media contact, recent releases, key facts and links to credible coverage. Keep it updated.

Proof assets matter. If your story depends on customer results, provide a case study or named customer quote. If it depends on a trend, provide data. If it depends on a product, provide screenshots or video. If it depends on an event, provide images and timing details. Journalists need material they can verify and use.

Key takeaways – A media kit reduces friction for journalists. – Keep names, titles, images and company facts current. – Create a newsroom page before you need one. – Proof assets can turn a weak pitch into a usable story.

12. Follow-ups, relationships and journalist etiquette

Follow-up is part of pitching, but it should be restrained. One short follow-up is usually acceptable if the story is relevant and timely. Three or four reminders can become annoying. Phone calls without a strong reason are often unwelcome, especially for journalists working under deadline pressure.

A useful follow-up adds information. It might include a new data point, a confirmed spokesperson, a customer example, an updated timing detail or a shorter summary of the original pitch. Do not write “just bumping this” unless you have nothing else to say.

Relationships are built between pitches. Share a journalist’s work when it is genuinely useful. Send a brief introductory note explaining your area of expertise. Offer background context without demanding coverage. Be available when they need comment. Respect a no.

Cision’s 2026 commentary reported that a large majority of journalists are open to introductory emails when they are relevant and explain why the connection makes sense. That does not mean they want vague networking. It means they value clear, respectful contact with credible sources.

Key takeaways – Follow up once with value, not pressure. – Never guilt a journalist for not replying. – Build relationships before you need coverage. – Be useful even when there is no immediate article.

13. Digital PR, SEO, backlinks and ethical link building

Digital PR sits at the intersection of media coverage, search visibility, authority and brand reputation. It can help a business earn mentions, links, referral traffic and third-party credibility. But it becomes risky when reduced to link chasing.

Legitimate media outlets are not link vending machines. Demanding do-follow links, anchor text control or guaranteed placement can damage trust. A serious media strategy focuses on news value first. Links may follow, but they should not be the only reason for outreach.

The strongest digital PR campaigns often use original data, useful tools, industry rankings, research reports, expert commentary, public-interest analysis or compelling human stories. These assets give journalists something worth citing. A small business can do this without a massive budget by surveying customers, analysing public data, releasing anonymised internal trends, or producing a genuinely useful guide.

Measure digital PR by more than links. Track referral traffic, branded search, qualified enquiries, newsletter sign-ups, sales conversations, speaking invitations, investor interest, search visibility, citation quality and relationship growth.

Key takeaways – Digital PR works best when it starts with a real story or useful asset. – Do not treat journalists as link sellers. – Original data and expert insight are strong media assets. – Measure credibility and commercial outcomes, not links alone.

14. Podcasts, newsletters, trade media and creator-led channels

Not every valuable media opportunity looks like a newspaper article. Podcasts, newsletters, webinars, YouTube channels, LinkedIn newsletters, analyst communities and trade publications can reach highly relevant audiences.

Podcasts are useful when your story needs explanation, personality or depth. Trade media is useful when you need industry credibility. Newsletters are useful when you want to reach a focused professional audience. Creator-led channels can be useful when the creator has earned trust within a niche.

Pitch these channels differently. A podcast host wants a strong guest and a conversation arc. A newsletter writer wants a concise, useful item for their audience. A trade editor wants industry relevance and reliable facts. A YouTube analyst may want visuals, demos or access.

Build a media map that includes non-traditional outlets. In many industries, the most commercially valuable attention does not come from the biggest publication. It comes from the channel your buyers, peers or investors actually trust.

Key takeaways – Media coverage is broader than newspapers and TV. – Match your pitch to the format and audience. – Podcasts need a guest angle, not a press release. – Niche channels can produce stronger commercial value than mass coverage.

15. Crisis, reputation and sensitive stories

Not all media attention is positive. If your organisation faces a complaint, breach, legal issue, staff dispute, customer harm, safety incident, regulatory concern or public criticism, your response must be careful, accurate and fast.

The first step is fact-gathering. Do not issue a defensive statement before you understand the situation. Confirm what happened, what is known, what is not known, who is affected, what action has been taken and who is authorised to speak.

A crisis statement should acknowledge the issue, state the facts you can confirm, avoid speculation, explain immediate action and provide a contact point. Do not hide behind empty language. Do not attack the journalist. Do not overpromise. Do not blame customers, staff or third parties unless the facts are clear and legally safe.

For sensitive stories, involve legal, leadership and communications early. But do not let legal caution turn into silence when stakeholders need information. Silence can create a vacuum that others will fill.

Key takeaways – Gather facts before issuing statements. – Acknowledge, explain action and avoid speculation. – Never argue with journalists on emotion. – Prepare holding statements before a crisis happens.

16. Measuring results and proving value

Media coverage should be measured according to the goal. If the goal is awareness, track reach, share of voice, quality of outlets and social amplification. If the goal is credibility, track third-party quotes, analyst references, sales-deck usage and investor conversations. If the goal is demand, track referral traffic, landing-page conversion, enquiries and branded search. If the goal is SEO, track quality mentions, links, rankings and search visibility.

Avoid vanity measurement. A huge audience number from a low-relevance article may be less valuable than a smaller article read by the right decision-makers. A no-link mention in a respected publication may still help credibility. A podcast that sends no immediate traffic may create a valuable sales proof point.

Create a coverage report after every campaign. Include what was pitched, who was contacted, what coverage appeared, what messages landed, what did not work, what follow-up opportunities exist and what owned content should be created next.

The point of measurement is not just proving value. It is learning. Every campaign should improve your understanding of which stories, outlets, angles and spokespeople perform best.

Key takeaways – Measure against the original goal. – Do not confuse reach with relevance. – Track commercial and credibility outcomes. – Use every campaign to improve the next one.

17. The 30-day media coverage action plan

The 30-day plan is designed for a founder, marketer or communications assistant starting without an agency. It focuses on building the foundations before pitching at scale.

Days 1 to 3: clarify your objective. Decide whether you want awareness, credibility, SEO value, lead generation, investor visibility, recruitment support or reputation positioning. Choose one primary goal.

Days 4 to 7: identify your strongest story angles. Use the worksheets in this guide. Score each angle for timing, consequence, novelty, proof, audience fit and spokesperson strength.

Days 8 to 12: build your media database. Start with 25 highly relevant contacts. Read their recent work and record why each contact is a fit.

Days 13 to 16: prepare your assets. Write a short pitch, a press release or backgrounder, spokesperson bio, company boilerplate, image folder, data sheet and FAQ.

Days 17 to 22: send your first targeted pitches. Send in small batches. Personalise each email. Track opens only if you use compliant tools and do not obsess over them.

Days 23 to 25: follow up once with extra value. Add data, an interview window, a customer example or a sharper summary.

Days 26 to 30: measure and improve. Record responses, refine the angle, reuse any coverage ethically and plan the next story.

Key takeaways – Do the foundation work before outreach. – Pitch in small, targeted batches. – Follow up with value. – Use results to strengthen the next campaign.

18. Templates, scripts and worksheets

This section contains reusable assets. Copy them into your own documents, CRM, email platform or project-management system. Replace placeholders before use.

Worksheet 1: Story angle planner

Question	Your answer
What has changed?
Why does it matter now?
Who is affected?
What evidence do you have?
What is surprising, new or useful?
Which audience would care most?
What spokesperson can explain it?
What visual or proof asset can support it?
What is the plain-English headline?

Worksheet 2: Newsworthiness scorecard

Factor	Score 0-5	Notes
Timing – why now?
Consequence – who is affected?
Novelty – what is new?
Data – what proof exists?
Human impact – who brings it to life?
Audience fit – why this outlet?
Spokesperson strength
Visual or supporting assets

Scoring guide 0-15: not ready. 16-25: needs sharper evidence or timing. 26-35: pitchable to niche or trade media. 36-40: strong candidate for broader outreach.

Template 3: Outreach database structure

Column	What to record
Outlet	Publication, podcast, newsletter or media channel.
Contact name	Journalist, editor, producer, host or writer.
Role / beat	What they actually cover.
Email / contact method	Use publicly available professional contact details.
Recent relevant article	A recent story that proves relevance.
Why they are a fit	One sentence explaining the match.
Pitch angle	Which version of the story suits them.
Status	Not contacted, pitched, replied, declined, interested, covered.
Last contacted	Date of most recent email.
Follow-up date	Planned follow-up, if appropriate.
Notes	Preferences, response history, timing notes.

Email scripts

Introductory relationship email

Subject: Introduction – [your area of expertise]

Hi [Name],

I am [Name], [role] at [company]. I have been following your coverage of [specific topic], especially your recent piece on [article/topic].

I am not pitching a story today. I wanted to introduce myself as a potential source on [specific area], particularly around [two or three expert topics]. If you are ever working on a piece where that background would be useful, I would be happy to help with context, data or a quick comment.

Best,

[Name]

Short news pitch

Subject: [Clear story angle in 8-12 words]

Hi [Name],

[One sentence with the news.]

The wider issue is [explain why this matters to their readers]. We can provide [data/interview/customer example/images/background].

This may suit your coverage of [beat/topic] because [specific relevance].

Would you like the release, a short briefing or an interview with [spokesperson]?

Best,

[Name]

Expert commentary pitch

Subject: Expert comment available – [breaking issue/topic]

Hi [Name],

If you are covering [issue], [spokesperson name], [title] at [company], can provide comment on [specific angle].

Their view: [one-sentence summary of the useful opinion].

Available today: [times].

Short quote if useful: “[insert quote].”

Best,

[Name]

Follow-up email

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

A quick follow-up with one extra detail: [new data point, confirmed interview access, customer example or timing update].

The short version is [one-sentence story summary].

No problem if it is not a fit. I can also send background only if useful.

Best,

[Name]

Press release template

[HEADLINE: clear, factual and news-led]

[Subheading: one sentence explaining the wider significance]

[CITY, DATE] – [Company/organisation] has [announced/launched/released/published/appointed] [the news], in a move that [explains why it matters to a defined audience, industry or community].

[Second paragraph: provide context, scale, timing, data or market background. Explain why this is happening now.]

[Third paragraph: include evidence, customer example, survey result, product detail, funding amount, partnership detail or regulatory context.]

“[Quote that adds interpretation, not repetition],” said [Name], [Title] at [Company]. “[Second sentence with a specific point of view, implication or future outlook].”

[Additional paragraph: explain who benefits, what changes or what happens next.]

[Optional second quote from customer, partner, analyst or independent expert.]

[Availability: interviews, images, demo, report, event time or background material.]

About [Company]

[Boilerplate: 50-80 words. Keep it factual.]

Media contact

[Name]

[Email]

[Phone]

[Website]

Agency selection scorecard

Assessment area	Score 0-5	What to look for
Relevant media experience		Evidence they have worked with outlets and sectors similar to yours.
Strategy quality		Clear thinking beyond sending press releases.
Media list process		Manual research and relevance, not spam lists.
Account team clarity		Who will actually do the work after the pitch meeting.
Writing quality		Plain, strong, evidence-led writing.
Reporting and measurement		Coverage quality, message pull-through, commercial outcomes.
Candour		Willingness to say when a story is weak.
Ethics and compliance		No spam, false claims or guaranteed editorial promises.

Media kit checklist

• [ ] Company overview: 50-word, 100-word and 250-word versions.
• [ ] Founder or spokesperson bios.
• [ ] High-resolution headshots and approved image captions.
• [ ] Company logo files in PNG and SVG formats.
• [ ] Product screenshots or demonstration images.
• [ ] Fact sheet with founding date, location, leadership, customer numbers and key statistics.
• [ ] Recent press releases or announcements.
• [ ] Customer case studies or named examples where approved.
• [ ] Media contact details with a monitored inbox.
• [ ] Links to previous credible coverage.
• [ ] FAQ for common journalist questions.
• [ ] Clear usage notes for images and logos.

Pre-send pitch checklist

• [ ] I can explain the story in one sentence.
• [ ] I know why this journalist or outlet is relevant.
• [ ] The subject line is specific and not clickbait.
• [ ] The first paragraph contains the actual news.
• [ ] I have proof, data, access or a credible spokesperson.
• [ ] I have removed hype and generic marketing language.
• [ ] I am not demanding a link, headline or guaranteed coverage.
• [ ] I have checked names, titles, dates and facts.
• [ ] I have supporting material ready if the journalist replies.
• [ ] I have a polite follow-up plan.

19. Research notes and references

The strategic guidance in this product is based on newsroom practice, practical media-relations principles and recent public research into journalism, PR and news consumption. Key references used when preparing this guide include:

Source	Why it matters	URL
Muck Rack, The State of Journalism 2026	Based on responses from nearly 1,100 journalists. Covers journalist workflows, AI, pitching and PR relationships.	https://muckrack.com/resources/research/state-of-journalism
Cision, 2025 State of the Media Report	Based on more than 3,000 journalists globally. Covers media relations, pitching, channels, AI and journalist preferences.	https://www.cision.com/resources/guides-and-reports/2025-state-of-the-media-report/
Cision, 2026 State of the Media topline lessons	Reports that misinformation, resource constraints, AI, pitch relevance and relationship building remain major issues for journalists and PR teams.	https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/pr-lessons-state-of-the-media/
Reuters Institute, Digital News Report 2026	Explores changes in news consumption, smartphone attention, AI, disengagement, audience trust and platform shifts.	https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2026/dnr-executive-summary