What Journalists Look for in Corporate Stories (And How to Get Featured)

Getting your company’s story featured in the media can seem like a mysterious process. You send out press releases but hear nothing back. You have a great announcement, but no one seems to care. The truth is, journalists are overwhelmed with pitches. To break through the noise, you need to stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a reporter. A successful corporate messaging strategy isn’t about what you want to say; it’s about what journalists want to cover.

Securing media coverage requires a strategic approach to media relations for corporates. It’s about building relationships and providing real value. This guide will pull back the curtain on what journalists want from corporate PR. You will learn how to craft stories that reporters find compelling and how to pitch them effectively. By understanding their needs, you can dramatically increase your chances of getting media coverage and earning valuable public attention.

It’s All About Newsworthiness

The single most important quality a journalist looks for is newsworthiness. Your story must be interesting, relevant, and timely to their specific audience. A product update or a new hire, while important internally, is rarely newsworthy on its own. Journalists are not interested in writing advertisements for your company. They are looking for stories that have a broader impact. To determine if your story has legs, ask yourself: Why would a stranger care about this?

A newsworthy story often contains one of several key elements. It might be tied to a current trend, offer a surprising piece of data, or feature a compelling human-interest angle. Another powerful element is conflict or a problem being solved. These are the ingredients of a story that will grab a reader’s attention. A core part of your media exposure strategies should be finding the genuinely newsworthy angle in your corporate announcements. This is a fundamental concept in mastering corporate communications.

Craft a Pitch That Respects Their Time

Journalists are incredibly busy people. Their inboxes are flooded with hundreds of pitches every day. Your pitch needs to be concise, clear, and get straight to the point. Start with a compelling subject line that summarizes the story in a few words. The body of your email should be short, ideally three paragraphs or less. The first paragraph should state the story and why it’s newsworthy for their audience. The second should provide key details and context. The final paragraph should offer a clear call to action, such as an interview with your CEO.

Knowing how to build media relationships starts with respecting their time. Before you even pitch, do your homework. Read their past articles to understand their beat and interests. Personalize your pitch by briefly mentioning why you thought the story would be a good fit for them specifically. A targeted, well-researched pitch to the right journalist is far more effective than a generic blast to a massive list. This thoughtful approach is crucial for getting your pitch read instead of deleted.

Provide Everything They Need in a Press Release

A well-written press release is an essential tool for getting media coverage. The key is to write it for the journalist, not for your internal team. This is a key distinction between internal vs external PR messaging. A press release should provide all the essential information in a clear, standardized format. This makes the journalist’s job easier. They can quickly find the facts they need to write their story. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for them to say yes.

This is how to write a press release that gets picked up: follow the standard structure. Start with a strong headline. Include a dateline and an introduction that summarizes the “who, what, when, where, and why.” The body of the release should provide more detail and include a compelling quote from a key executive. End with a boilerplate paragraph about your company and clear contact information. For those getting started, using a free press release template can be a great way to ensure you include all the necessary elements in the correct format.

Be a Resource, Not Just a Pitcher

The best media relations for corporates are built on trust and mutual value. Don’t just contact journalists when you want something. Position yourself and your company’s executives as expert sources in your industry. When reporters are working on a story, they often need experts to provide context and quotes. If they know they can rely on you for a quick, insightful comment on industry trends, they will be more likely to think of you for future stories.

This long-term approach to how to build media relationships is far more effective than one-off pitches. Follow journalists on social media. Share their articles. Offer insights without asking for anything in return. This transforms the relationship from transactional to collaborative. When you have a real announcement to make, you won’t be pitching a stranger. You’ll be contacting a professional colleague who already knows and trusts you. This is one of the most important corporate communications best practices for long-term success in earning attention.