---
title: "Media pitch"
url: https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/media-pitch
type: Page
---

# Media pitch

Media pitches explained: what journalists say they want, ideal length, timing and follow-up, how to structure a pitch and how it differs from a release.

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.

## 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.

## Related terms

- [Newsjacking](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/newsjacking)
- [Reactive PR](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/reactive-pr)
- [Data-led PR](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/data-led-pr)
- [Journalist requests](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/journalist-requests)

## Further reading

- [How to pitch a journalist: What an ex-Reach PLC pro really thinks of your pitch](https://marketingsignals.com/insights/how-to-pitch-a-journalist-what-ex-reach-plc-pro-thinks-of-your-pitch)
- [The must-have tools for any Digital PR pro](https://marketingsignals.com/insights/the-must-have-tools-for-any-digital-pr-pro)

Our [Digital PR](https://marketingsignals.com/service/digital-pr) service puts this into practice for brands in the UK and US.

## Sources

- [The State of Journalism 2026, Muck Rack (PDF)](https://media.muckrack.com/documents/State_of_Journalism_2026_1.pdf)
- [Muck Rack's 2026 State of Journalism report finds 82% of journalists use AI, GlobeNewswire (19 March 2026)](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/3/19/3259178/0/en/Muck-Rack-s-2026-State-of-Journalism-Report-Finds-82-of-Journalists-Use-AI.html)

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