Networking In Journalism

Want to unlock career secrets and get advice straight from the insiders? 🔑 Stop guessing and start asking! One of the most powerful (and underused) networking tools is the Informational Interview. This isn't a sneaky job hunt trick! It's a brief, 15-20 minute chat focused on learning from someone's experience – their career path, industry insights, or company culture. Think of it as a career exploration coffee chat, often virtual! But how do you ask without sounding awkward or demanding? Use this simple email/message prompt to craft the perfect request: 👇 Prompt: -------------------- Help me write an email asking for an informational interview. To: [Person's Name] ([Person's Job Title] at [Company Name]) From: [Your Name] ([Your relevant status, e.g., Student, Job Seeker in X field]) How I found them: [e.g., LinkedIn, mutual connection, saw them speak] Goal: Learn more about their experience in [Their field/company/role]. Ask for: A brief 15-20 minute virtual chat. Keep the email polite and respectful of their time. -------------------- This structure shows you've done your research, clarifies your intent, and makes it easy for them to say YES. Start building meaningful connections and gaining invaluable knowledge! Found this prompt useful for your networking toolkit? Hit the like button 👍 or reshare it 🔄 so others can benefit too!

✍ PR/Comms tip: As a journalist, I get dozens of email pitches a day. Here’s how to pitch to a reporter vs. an editor. 📝 For a reporter: - Get their name right. (The number of times I received “Hello, Narayan,” “Hello FirstName,” or—my favorite—“Hello Next Media Round,” during my reporter days was too many to count.) - The topic, including who/what you’re pitching, must be relevant to their coverage area. - Make sure sources are ready to interview (asap in some cases) if there’s interest. - Align with the news cycle as often as you can, but offer something unique. Oftentimes, reporters get pitches on stories they just wrote about.  - Offer exclusives or embargoes. - Localize it and/or go beyond the event. (What works for a national outlet is not going to work for a local or regional one.) 📝 For an editor: - Explain why it’s newsworthy. - The pitch is in their team’s area of coverage. - Understand that the pitch is just to get on the editor’s radar. If it’s a good pitch, it will be forwarded to the appropriate reporter or writer. Pitches may get assigned depending on how newsy the topic is, but sometimes (in the case of profiles, features, trend stories, etc.) it will be at the discretion of the reporter to write about it. - I can tell when a pitch is customized versus an email blast. Always customize—tell me why it’s relevant to me, my news organization, and our readers. ✨ Most importantly, having a professional relationship already established with a reporter or editor will always serve you better. Be proactive rather than reactive, especially in news. 

Don't reach out cold until you have spoken and reconnected with all these people first and have asked for AIR + explained exactly what you are looking for. 🎈 Advice - career advice, job search advice, career pivot advice 🎈 Information - What's going on in the company, industry? What trends are they seeing? 🎈 Recommendations - Who do they recommend you speak with to learn more? What professional associations or groups do they recommend? Where do they go or what do they read to stay current? 🎯 Contact ALL these People So They Know What You Are Looking For 1. People You Used To Work With Your past work colleagues have seen you perform in the job and know your strengths and work ethic. These people make an excellent source of information to find out what changes are going on in the business and industry. You want to let them know you are looking for a new opportunity. 2. Friends, Family, Neighbors People you know are most likely to want to help you if they can. Your friends have a vast network of contacts you don’t know about. 3. Past Managers Assuming you and your previous manager or supervisor got along, it’s a good idea to reach out to them. Your past boss may know of upcoming opportunities at your old company 4. Target Company Employees Talking with people who work inside a company you're interested in allows you to learn what it is really like to work there. Plus they can provide advice and/or insight on the best way to apply. 5. Alumni/Classmates Don’t forget to tap into classmates, professors, and alumni as another potential pool of people to network with. Use LinkedIn's Alumni tool plus your school’s Advancement or Alumni office database. 6. Customers/Clients The people you’ve served already know you and are familiar with your work. Lean on them as a source of information about what’s going on. Your customers and clients have a feel of the work landscape and future needs. This information will help you position your most important skills and experience. 7. Vendors/Suppliers Similar to your clients and customers, these people know what it’s like to do business with you. They also have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in your industry because they are still servicing businesses. 8. Service Providers (Doctors, accountants, hairdresser, etc.) Don’t overlook the business relationships you have with professionals who provide you with services. These people have their own vast network of contacts. 9. Fellow Volunteers If you volunteer, you’ve likely established relationships with other volunteers and people within the organization. These people have seen you give your time and effort.

Want to be an authority in your space? There's an easy way to get featured as an expert in major publications. It's called H.A.R.O. Here's how it work in 7 simple steps: 1/ Authority = Value As a professional, your trajectory is tied to your perceived value. If you're viewed as an authority in your space? You'll see: - More inbound opportunities - Better opportunities - $$$ The best part? Anyone can do this with a site called HARO. 2/ What Is HARO? HARO = Help A Reporter Out Reporters write stories about every topic under the sun (including the space you work in). They need sources to help provide information and data. HARO helps connect industry professionals (like you) to reporters for this purpose. 3/ How To Get Started 1. Head over to HelpAReporter .com 2. Click on "Sign Up" 3. Choose the topics you want to comment on HARO will send you 3 emails / day with upcoming stories. When you see one you like? Submit your response! 4/ Writing A Great Response Lots of people use this tool. If you want to win, your response needs to stand out: 1. Introduce yourself and your qualifications 2. Provide unique, tangible insights 3. Offer real, personal examples if possible 4. Keep it <250 words 5/ Play The Numbers Game Getting featured is a volume game. You may need to submit 10-20+ responses before a reporter bites. But when they do? You can land in places like the NY Times, WSJ, Mashable, ABC, & more. For best results, aim to reply to one request every day. 6/ Feature Your Features When you finally land that feature? Share it far and wide! - Repost the article on LinkedIn - Add it to your Featured section - Put it on your resume - Share it with colleagues and friends Most importantly, include it in future replies to reporters 😉

🗞️ 🇺🇸 « Who Controls the Story Controls the Future » Stimulating week-end read : new report by MediaJustice, the U.S.-based nonprofit advocacy organization working at the intersection of media, technology, civil rights and social justice ⚠️ MediaJustice’s lens is explicitly activist. But it asks a key question resonating beyond the U.S.: what happens when the infrastructure, distribution and production of information converge in the hands of a few private actors? Written by Steven Renderos and MediaJustice, the report argues that media capture is not about ownership only but about ecosystem control. 5️⃣ main takeaways: 1. Tech oligarchs are buying media companies & ownership increasingly sits with actors whose core power comes from tech, data and infrastructure (not journalism) 2. Tech companies are creating financial dependency with the very newsrooms meant to scrutinize them. Through ad models, cloud infrastructure and commercial partnerships, major platforms have become structural funders of journalism = an editorial independence issue. 3. AI partnerships are accelerating the capture. Licensing deals between publishers and AI firms: media outlets increasingly depend on the same companies disrupting their business model and competing for audience attention. 4. Platforms control distribution = visibility. Social media, search engines and AI interfaces increasingly determine what information is seen, amplified or ignored. 5. Beyond media concentration : an actor like Larry Ellison represents a new model of concentrated power spanning cloud infrastructure, AI, platform governance and information distribution : a convergence of influence that goes beyond classic media concentration.

Why Mongabay moved beyond the advertising model I recently spoke with Maurice Oniango for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford about Mongabay’s evolution from a personal rainforest website into a global environmental newsroom. One theme we discussed was how journalism models shape coverage itself. Advertising-driven media often pushes outlets toward scale, speed, and broad audience appeal. That can make it difficult to sustain reporting from places that matter enormously for the planet but may not generate large traffic numbers or commercial returns: remote forests, Indigenous territories, small island states, or industrial fishing fleets far from public view. One reason Mongabay transitioned to a nonprofit model was to create room for a different set of incentives. The goal was not simply to publish more stories, but to support reporting that requires time, local knowledge, language capacity, and long-term presence. Over time, that led us toward a decentralized structure with regional bureaus and local editorial autonomy. Our Indonesian operation, Mongabay Indonesia, was the first major step. Today, much of our reporting is produced by journalists based in the regions they cover, often in local languages and through partnerships with local media organizations. I think this matters beyond environmental journalism. In an era of declining trust and growing news avoidance, newsroom structure shapes what gets covered, who gets heard, and what kind of accountability journalism can endure. Technology is expanding what journalism can do. But in many cases, the limiting factor is still human infrastructure: local reporters, editors, partnerships, and institutional patience. The Reuters Institute interview is here for anyone interested in newsroom models, nonprofit media, environmental accountability reporting, or my journey with Mongabay. 🌿 The piece: https://lnkd.in/gSzqwZ7z 📸 Me with a green tree python I encountered in the forest in Waigeo in 2024. By Hans Nicholas Jong

I didn’t know a single person working in research, policy, or international relations. No network. No referrals. Just late-night Google searches, LinkedIn deep dives, and a lot of awkward messages sent into the void. But somehow… ✅ I landed research roles my field ✅ Won a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship to study in the UK ✅ Attended global conferences hosted by Harvard and UNDP I didn’t crack networking. I built it, slowly, quietly, without pretending to be someone I’m not. And here’s are some things I wish someone had told me earlier: 1. Show up before you feel ‘ready’. I started posting when I had no big wins to share, just thoughts, reflections, questions. That built more trust than polished highlight reels ever could. 2. Network like a researcher, not a job-seeker. Before messaging anyone, I’d read what they wrote, watch what they said, and think about what I could learn, not what I could get. 3. Create proof of interest, not just intent. Instead of saying “I’m interested in xyz” I wrote about it. Posted about it. Took up projects around it. That way, when I reached out to people, they already knew I meant it. 4. Don’t just meet people, map them. I kept a check of people I admired: what they worked on, where they moved, what fellowships they did. Not to copy but to learn the terrain. 5. Add value, quietly. I’ve shared links. Introduced people. Given feedback on essays. Never expected anything in return. And months later that generosity came back in surprising ways. 💬 What’s a networking tip you swear by or one you’re still figuring out? LinkedIn Guide to Creating LinkedIn News India #LinkedInNewsIndia #Networking #research

🤦🏼♀️You don’t know what networking is. Sending a cold dm to a stranger on LinkedIn isn’t networking, it’s asking a stranger for help. It’s telling someone you need a job. And that’s fine and you need to do that but don’t get it twisted that is NOT networking. 🟢Networking is building relationships. 🟢Networking is getting to know other people. 🟢Networking is not about YOU. Here are some tips on how to network 1. Shift Your Mindset 🧠 Give first: Don’t just ask for favors; ask, "How can I support you?" or share helpful resources.   2. Be Selective 📈 Quality over quantity: One meaningful conversation is better than cold emailing 50 cards strangers. Personalized outreach: Never send a generic connection request. Add a note mentioning a shared interest, a recent article they wrote, or a mutual connection.   3.Long-term focus 📆 Networking is a marathon. Cultivate relationships before you actually need a job or a favor.     4. Be Ready 💃 Have your pitch down. Know your unique value proposition. Be memorable. 5. Leave the house 🚗💨 Go to in person industry events, conferences and happy hours. Play pickle ball. Go with your friend to their work event. Join a chamber of commerce. Make friends at a café. 6. Don’t be shy 🤝 How to break the ice: Approach people standing alone or in groups of three (they are easier to enter than pairs). Introduce yourself simply and ask open-ended questions like, "What brought you out here tonight?" or "What exciting projects are you working on?" 7 Follow Up 📱 The 48-hour rule: Always follow up within 48 hours of meeting, send a thank you note or a thank you. Better yet send an article or resource that connects back to the conversation you had. (Go back to step 1 be a resource) Mention something specific you discussed (e.g., "I loved hearing about your experience transitioning into tech") to jog their memory   8. Be active on social 👩🏼💻media: Share industry insights, comment on others' posts, and reach out to professionals for 15-minute informational interviews.   9- Nurture consistently 🎯 Check in occasionally with a quick text or email just to share a relevant article, say congratulations on a milestone, or see how they are doing   10- It’s not about YOU🤗Networking is about building a relationship that is mutually beneficial. GIVE VALUE. #howtonetwork #careeradvice #jobsearchtips #linkedin

I was a business reporter before moving to PR. 10 things I’d tell anyone in media relations. (Save this before your next pitch call) I remember being on the other side of PR pitch emails. Deleting some in seconds. Saving others to use later when writing stories. I made this for anyone just starting out. To help you create more value for your clients. 01 Find the story Remember, if there's a story, it will sell. No amount of follow-up calls help if you don't have a story. 02 Know the journalist Meet journalists when you don't have an immediate need. Get to know their workstyle, best ways to reach out, kind of news that interests them. Build trust. 03 Personalise follow-ups After sending a press release, ensure your follow-up communications are tailored to add value. You won't say the same thing to a business publication and a B2B magazine. 04 Create unique pitches Avoid sending the same pitch to numerous reporters with "exclusive" in the subject line. Invest time in crafting unique and relevant pitches. Know the publication’s audience. 05 Allocate time to update your media list Keep your media list up to date. Clients expect you to be well-versed in the media landscape, and outdated contacts can hinder your efforts. 06 Manage client expectations Do not chase a journalist just because your client insists. If a story can't fit a certain publication, be polite but firm in your pushback. But be super cautious because if the work can be done, it will be done. If you don't do it, someone else will. 07 Read more, find trends Read newspapers daily to stay informed about industry trends where your client can fit in. 08 Invest in training, self-learning PR agencies and schools should train professionals on how newsrooms work before they make their first media call. Understanding the news cycle is important. PR professionals should also invest in self-learning, especially in content and the use of AI. 09 Use social media to stay up-to-date Check LinkedIn and other social media platforms to verify if the journalist is still with the same publication and covers the relevant industry before making contact. Avoid making calls that resemble those vague credit card sales pitches. 10 Be patient Be patient when contacting journalists or PR colleagues. Wait before reaching out to others if they don't answer, and refrain from immediately complaining about unavailability to the corporate communications team. Bonus tip: Think of Gmail as a search engine. Your subject line should help you show up when a journalist searches the topic even weeks after you sent the mail. Those are the 10 really basic things I keep coming back to.  Hope you find them useful. ✨ PS: By the way, where do you get your news these days?

As a former producer, I have taught my team at Krupp to develop something I call the "of the media" mindset.   It means you understand and anticipate what journalists need before they even know they need it. Most importantly, it means you pitch as if you are them, practically producing the story for them.   Muck Rack’s State of Journalism 2026 report shows why this mindset is so important: 86% of journalists say PR pitches inspire at least some of their stories But 43% say truly relevant pitches are rare   Journalists want to work with PR agencies, and having an “of the media” mindset can help us help them.   In my latest newsletter, I break down exactly what the "of the media" mindset looks like, and why it's the most valuable skill in PR right now.