Inside the Newsroom: What PR People Often Get Wrong About Journalists 

I’ve had two stints at the same local regional newspaper. First, as a young reporter cutting my teeth on the front line of journalism, chasing 11pm print deadlines and learning the fundamentals under pressure. Later, I returned to lead the live news team covering breaking news in a digital-first newsroom.

When I went back the second time, I naively assumed it would be like riding a bike. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. In the eight years that had passed, the newsroom had changed beyond recognition.

Don’t get me wrong, the core skills remained: recognising a good story, building trust with sources, communicating clearly, and producing copy that was grammatically sound and legally watertight.

But everything around those basics had changed - how stories were selected, how they were framed and, most importantly, how they were sold to readers in a completely new digital landscape.

Audience first

My starting point when choosing stories was always: Who doesn’t know about this yet, and who’s going to care? If I believed more than 100 people would be interested, I was in. Anything less meant the audience wasn’t strong enough to justify the time or platform.

Angle is everything

In saying this, if a story didn’t immediately land, I challenged myself to find a better angle. I’d put myself in the reader’s shoes and ask: Would I click on this if it popped up on my newsfeed? If not, I’d go back and rethink how we were framing it.

Exclusivity matters

We valued original, exclusive content. Stories that offered readers something they couldn’t find anywhere else were always the goal - fresh reporting and unique access made all the difference.

Selling the story

The substance of a story is crucial - but it’s the headline, striking feature image, and killer SEO that get it in front of readers. Stories that ticked those boxes were always more likely to fly. 

I learned a huge amount in that fast-paced newsroom, lessons I now carry into my work in PR. The truth is many PR professionals still don’t fully understand how journalists think, and I saw it firsthand, day in and day out, from the other side of the inbox.  

So, let’s break it down

• Volume vs value: Journalists are drowning in pitches. Most are deleted without being opened. If your story doesn’t stand out quickly, it doesn’t stand a chance.
• What doesn’t get covered: Often, it’s not about what’s wrong with your story. It’s that there’s a better one. Timing, news value, and relevance matter.
• Relationships > press releases: A press release is helpful. A trusted contact is invaluable. If you’ve built credibility with a journalist, they’ll read your email. If not, it’s a gamble.
• Building a story: Journalists need more than a headline. Think stats, quotes, context, and a clear angle. Give them the building blocks.

Cutting through the noise: This is where PR adds real value. It’s not about shouting louder. It’s about knowing exactly what to say, to whom, and when. 

At Fifth Ring, we help brands do just that - with strategies shaped by firsthand newsroom experience.