Great media lists are built on relevance, consent, and respect for a journalist’s time. Check how to research beats, personalize outreach, and nurture relationships that lead to coverage.
Which outreach channel do most journalists say is best for receiving pitches?
Mass BCC email blasts
Cold phone calls during deadline
A concise, personalized 1:1 email
Unsolicited social DMs
What is the top reason journalists reject pitches, according to 2025 data?
They’re not relevant to the journalist’s beat or audience
They are too short to read
They have no attachments
They include too many links
A practical target length many journalists prefer for pitches is ______ words or fewer.
about 50
about 200
about 1,000
about 500
Which behavior most risks getting a PR contact blocked by website journalists?
Following submission guidelines
Sending irrelevant, repeated pitches
Providing expert sources
Including a clear subject line
What is the best first step in building a media list for a new story?
Research outlets and reporters covering that exact topic
Pitch before reading prior articles
Start with any national outlet regardless of beat
Only scrape email addresses
Which follow‑up approach aligns with journalist preferences reported in 2025?
Send one thoughtful follow‑up with new context if truly newsworthy
Call every hour until they answer
Use caps‑lock to draw attention
Forward the same email daily
How should social media factor into your media‑relations workflow in 2025?
Rely on unsolicited DMs as the main pitch channel
Publicly pressure reporters to respond
Ignore a reporter’s posted preferences
Use it to build rapport and understand interests; pitch via email
What should you document in your media‑list notes to improve future outreach?
Personal details unrelated to work
Only the email address
A generic ‘likes tech’ tag with no sources
Beat, recent stories, preferred topics and formats, and pitching preferences
Which subject line is most likely to be opened by the right reporter?
Specific, benefit‑oriented line tailored to their beat
Clickbait without substance
ALL CAPS ANNOUNCEMENT
Generic ‘Great story for you’
What’s the most relationship‑friendly way to handle a ‘no’?
Argue with them over email
Add them to every future blast anyway
Demand feedback repeatedly
Acknowledge quickly, thank them, and only pitch again when truly relevant
Starter
You’re on your way. Build smaller, relevant lists and personalize by beat before hitting send.
Solid
Nice targeting and tone. Maintain clean notes, give value, and follow up sparingly with new context.
Expert!
Excellent stewardship of relationships. You pitch with precision, respect preferences, and stay useful over time.
