What is a media pitch?

A media pitch is a short email sent to a journalist, editor, or producer proposing a relevant story, segment, or expert opinion for their publication.

How do you write a subject line that gets opened?

Keep subject lines under 60 characters, state the news value clearly, use brackets to show resource type (e.g., [Story Pitch] or [Data Study]), and avoid clickbait.

Should you attach files to a pitch?

No. Never attach PDFs or images to cold emails, as they flag spam filters. Instead, paste the text or link to a cloud-based press kit.

Media Pitch Email Template (Copy-Ready & Editor Pitch)

import CopyButton from ’../../components/CopyButton.astro’;

A successful media pitch must be brief, personalized, and focused on news value. Busy journalists receive hundreds of emails daily, so your pitch must outline the story hook and explain why it matters to their specific readers in the first two sentences.

When to Use This Template

Use this template to pitch startup funding news, exclusive research studies, local community developments, and product reviews to editors.

Copy-Ready Template

Subject: [Story Idea / Hook] for [Name of Publication]
Hi [Journalist Name],
I’ve been following your coverage of [Beat Topic] in [Name of Publication], particularly your recent piece on [Title of Their Article].
Given your interest in this space, I wanted to share a story suggestion: [State the story hook in 1-2 sentences. Highlight the local angle, unique data, or news trend].
Here is why this is timely:

[Fact/Stat 1: Bulleted key development or milestone]
[Fact/Stat 2: Quantitative impact or industry shift]
[Fact/Stat 3: Why it matters to their readers today]

I have [CEO / Industry Expert / Founder Name] available for a brief 10-minute interview to discuss this. We also have high-resolution images and background details compiled in our media folder: [Link to Media Kit].
Would you be interested in exploring this story? I’d be happy to share more details under embargo.
Thanks for your time,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Company Name]
[Phone Number]
[Website URL]

Real-World Example

Here is a customized pitch sent to a technology beat writer:

Subject: [Story Pitch] Local Startup Launches AI Tool to Prevent Coding Errors

Hi Priya,

I enjoyed your recent analysis on how AI assistants are impacting software quality.

Given your focus, I thought your readers would be interested in CodeShield, a Bangalore-based startup that just launched a free tool designed to intercept security vulnerabilities before developers push code to GitHub.

Here are the key points:

Devs using the tool saw a 50% drop in coding bugs during our beta test.

The software runs locally, keeping sensitive intellectual property safe.

The creators are two former ISRO engineers.

I can arrange a demo or interview with our technical co-founder. Let me know if you would like to test the software.

Best,

Karan Mehta
PR lead, CodeShield

Key Pitching Guidelines

Do your research: Never send a mass generic email. Target only writers who cover your specific topic.
Focus on the reader: Focus on why the story is interesting to their readers, not just why it helps your brand.
Always follow up: If you don’t hear back, send a polite, one-sentence follow-up email 3-4 days later.