Beyond the Pitch: Building Stronger Media Relationships
In a rapidly evolving media landscape, tools and tactics will continue to change, but the importance of human connection remains constant. For PR professionals, strong media relationships are essential.
Members of the media rely on sources they trust, professionals who consistently provide accurate information, relevant stories and timely responses. When PR professionals understand journalists on a deeper level – their beat, their audience, their style – they can craft pitches that resonate.
Building this trust takes time and proactive effort. It requires PR professionals to understand what reporters need, respect their deadlines and offer value without always expecting immediate coverage in return.
At The Hodges Partnership, we regularly host members of the media for casual lunch-and-learn conversations. It’s a fun way to step away from the day-to-day pace of pitching and deadlines and simply connect as professionals and people. These gatherings have become a valuable way to strengthen relationships with our media partners, better understand how their outlets are evolving and learn what they need from PR professionals to do their jobs well.
Our team comes prepared with thoughtful questions about newsroom dynamics, audience trends and editorial priorities, and in turn, journalists often ask us about the challenges and opportunities we’re seeing on the PR side. These friendly conversations have reinforced an important truth: the strongest media relationships are built not just through successful pitches, but through ongoing dialogue, mutual understanding and genuine trust.
Here are some highlights from recent conversations with media:
Joel Vazquez-Juarbe is a multimedia journalist with 12 On Your Side in Richmond.
Local news reporters need to know how your news affects the greater community. Subject matter experts like CEO’s are valuable and appreciated, but it’s equally important to hear from the people directly impacted by the issue or story being discussed. Journalists are often looking for the human side of a story – the real-life experiences that help audiences connect emotionally and understand why the news matters. PR professionals can strengthen their pitches by identifying customers, employees, community members or other individuals who can speak authentically about the impact of the topic at hand.
Every newsroom operates differently and some have fuller staffing from Tuesday through Thursday, with lighter staffing particularly over the weekend. A thoughtful understanding of newsroom operations is important to keep in mind when considering your pitching schedule or planning media events. Timing matters, and recognizing when reporters and producers are stretched thin versus when they have greater bandwidth can make outreach more effective and respectful.
Joel also encouraged PR professionals to be mindful of national days, weeks and months tied to awareness campaigns or observances. While these moments can create a timely news hook, reporters still need local relevance and meaningful depth to make a story truly newsworthy. Simply tying a pitch to a national observance is rarely enough on its own. Stronger stories demonstrate a clear connection to the local community, current issues or compelling personal experiences that give the topic broader significance.
Scott Wise is the Digital Director at WTVR CBS 6 News in Richmond, where he leads a team of journalists responsible for publishing content to WTVR.com and producing videos and graphics across the station’s social media channels.
Scott emphasized the importance of keeping web and digital teams looped in on pitches. In many newsrooms, digital teams play a major role in deciding how stories are packaged, promoted and shared across platforms. A story that may not make a television broadcast could still find strong traction online or through social media. Including digital contacts in outreach helps ensure more opportunities for visibility and demonstrates an understanding of how modern newsrooms operate beyond traditional broadcast segments.
He also shared that many reporters walk into their morning editorial meetings already knowing which stories they plan to pursue that day. Because of that, same-day pitches for events or coverage opportunities are often difficult to accommodate unless they involve breaking news. Providing advance notice gives journalists time to plan, ask questions, coordinate logistics and determine whether a story fits their coverage priorities.
Marissa Hermanson Moomaw is a freelance writer and editor in Richmond who writes for a variety of lifestyle publications and brands.
Marissa recommends sending pitches that are as close to “fully baked” as possible. Freelance writers are often juggling multiple assignments and tight deadlines, so the more clearly a pitch is organized, the easier it is to evaluate and pursue. PR professionals should clearly outline the story angle, identify available interview subjects and explain why the story matters to a publication’s audience. Anticipating follow-up questions in advance can also help streamline the process and position a pitch as publication-ready.
She shared an example of a story she produced for a national outlet that was originally focused on design, but evolved into more of a lifestyle feature as the editor learned more about the homeowner at the center of the narrative. The takeaway was a reminder that strong stories are often multidimensional. What may begin as a straightforward product, design or business story can become far more compelling when there is a personal narrative or emotional connection woven throughout. PR professionals who can identify those deeper layers help create richer storytelling opportunities for journalists and editors alike.
Erin Bagnell
Erin is one of our media relations pros, with more than two decades of experience, first at D.C.-area trade associations followed by 14 years at Richmond Region Tourism where she helped to promote the best of the region to travel writers and content creators while landing high-profile placements.
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