Digital PR glossary

Media pitch

A media pitch is a short, personalised message, usually an email, that offers a journalist a story, data, an expert or an exclusive relevant to what they cover. Unlike a press release sent to a list, a pitch is written for one reporter and explains in a few lines why their readers would care.

Reviewed by Gareth Hoyle, Managing Director
Last reviewed 31 October 2026

What do journalists want from a pitch?

Muck Rack's State of Journalism 2026, based on 897 journalist responses collected between 30 January and 2 March 2026, gives clear benchmarks. 86% of journalists said at least some of their stories started with a PR pitch, but 88% immediately disregard pitches that miss their beat.

62% prefer to be pitched by one-to-one email
69% prefer pitches under 200 words
78% want to receive pitches before noon
50% say one follow-up is ideal, and 51% say it should come 3 to 7 days later
70% value clear relevance to their beat, 58% interview access and 40% original data

How to structure a pitch

The subject line states the story, not the brand. The first sentence gives the news and why it matters to that outlet's readers. The next few lines give the evidence: the key figure, who is available to comment and what images or data exist. The close says what the journalist can have and by when.

Pitch or press release?

A press release is a formal announcement written for wide distribution. A pitch is the note that persuades one journalist to use it. Many campaigns use both, with the pitch in the body of the email and the release or methodology linked underneath.

Example

Rather than 'Brand X launches new renters survey', a pitch to a Manchester property reporter might open with the share of take-home pay that Manchester renters in the survey spend on rent, how that compares with other UK cities, and the offer of an interview with the researcher who ran it.