“What is your type?” is the most quintessential first date question. Whether the answers lead you to a thank you, next situation or a love story one, at least you are aware of the expectations now and can prepare for future dates (if you make it past the first one) based on your next move.
This is something that PR pros should take a page out of the modern dating book. They should find out their journalists’ type before making any detrimental moves that might jeopardize any chances of building a trusted relationship.
Just like how daters have access to an unlimited number of matches, journalists also are also overwhelmed – half of journalists receive 50 pitches a week. That’s a lot of competition, but what if we said we’ve got the answer? Our 2025 State of the Media Report (2025 SOTM Report) has figured out journalists’ type – relevance!
Below, we’ll dive into the key driver of staying relevant and how you can put it into practice.
Relevance= Providing Value to Journalists
Just like with any relationship, both parties have to bring value to the table. The top 3 forms of value that PR pros can provide in the eyes of journalists globally are “they connect me with relevant sources,” “Facilitating access to key people and places” and “providing relevant story ideas”.
See how the word – relevant appeared in two out of three of the answers?
Providing relevant pitches is valuable because journalists are adapting to changing audience behavior around media consumption. In fact, this is the biggest challenge cited this year! As more media outlets and publishing platforms populate our feeds, journalists are after content that will resonate with target audiences on their chosen platforms.
However, when comparing on a regional level, only 45% of APAC journalists proritize the ability to provide relevant story ideas less than their North American counterparts, at 52%. EMEA journalists come in at 38%, prioritizing it the least.
Such a discrepancy could stem from APAC journalists’ preference for exclusive news and content in the form of value from PR pros. In many societies in APAC, “face” and prestige are important components of relationships. Landing an exclusive can possibly enhance a journalist’s reputation in APAC.
In Their Own Words: Journalists had plenty of additional insight and clear advice when it came to how to build relationships with the media.
APAC journalists could also deem exclusives as a form of establishing trust and rapport with PR pros.
How to Avoid Ending Up in the “Deleted” Folder?
1. Deep Media Research
It’s not enough to just understand the publications and journalists you’d like to pitch too! You’ve got to go dig a little deeper and analyze their recent works, audiences, platform preferences, provide sufficient time for the journalists to act on your pitch and check to ensure that you’ve got a compelling angle.
Tip: Social media could come in extremely handy here as 96% of journalists use it as part of their job. For most of APAC, Facebook comes up as the top platform which APAC journalists are spending most of their time and energy on, while LinkedIn is the preferred choice for journalists EMEA and North America.
2. Platform and Region-Specific Content
Now that you’re aware of the consumption rate of the various social media platforms, you’d also need to adapt and craft content formats for optimal performance on them.
Multimedia in pitching is no novelty but has now become a pitching must-have! Images take the top spot among assets that journalists have included in their content in the past year.
In second place, APAC and EMEA journalists are more inclined on incorporating data visualization and infographics than those in North America. Based on where your journalists and based in, you would also have to tweak your content to increase your chances of coverage.
Journalists are no longer looking at just announcements, they want compelling data and statistics (ranked 1st in APAC) that are not only relevant to their beat but also genuinely newsworthy!
3. Targeted Pitching and AI
Interestingly, almost 50% of journalists in North America are resistant to AI, but only a mere 11% are in APAC. In APAC, generative AI is being used first to conduct outlines or early drafts. Research, transcription and summarization are the three most common ways in which journalists in EMEA and North America use AI. All are useful in supporting targeted pitching. However, it is imperative to never take AI at face value as what might be ironically relevant and authentic and even compelling to AI, might not be the same for us or our intended audiences.
A little bit of trial and error to supplement efficiencies and creative thinking is highly harmless if the final vetter requires caffeine to somewhat function properly in the morning.
The Path Forward on Relevance
With the relentless stream of information vying for attention - you've probably seen a few notifications already while reading this article, relevance is the signal that cuts through the noise for journalists. By embracing diligent media research, creating content that speaks directly to specific platforms and regions, pitching with precision, and smart use of AI, you can ensure that your pitches resonate.
This article just scratches the surface of what the 2025 State of the Media Report uncovers. Download the full report to learn more insights on journalists’ expectations and preferences globally.
About Weiying Chong
Wei Ying is a Content Marketing Executive at PR Newswire APAC. With an avid love of writing from lifestyle to thought-leadership topics, she has adopted an honest voice that gives her articles a refreshing take. Always informed of the latest trends, Wei Ying will bring you appealing content as she crosses her fingers that it doesn't get a scroll past.