Inside a journalist’s mind: What we learned from an 'Ask Me Anything' session
Without sounding clichéd or ancient — absolutely everything is digital nowadays. Which is why one of the most traditional aspects of PR — meeting journalists in person and building real relationships — remains so valuable.
While emails, social media, and virtual briefings dominate our day-to-day interactions, nothing can beat — or replace — face-to-face conversations when it comes to building trust, gaining real insights, and making genuine connections with journalists.
At Wildfire, we’ve always encouraged proactively engaging with journalists to deliver exceptional media coverage and drive brand awareness for tech brands. What’s more, we’re dedicated to ensuring that the face-to-face element of media relations never fades away.
That’s why I decided to work with the team to set up a regular series of informal 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) sessions with a range of journalists, giving our team direct access to their unfiltered insights, invaluable opinions, and (often) eye-opening experiences.
Our recent session with tech journalist Jasper Hamill, who has just launched his own publication Machine, reinforced just how valuable these conversations can be.
Why these sessions matter
Journalists receive hundreds of pitches every single day. And yet so many of them miss the mark. Whether it's irrelevant stories, lengthy emails or being overly promotional, these oversights or missteps can mean the difference between securing coverage or being ignored.
AMA sessions give PR teams a chance to hear directly from journalists about what works — and what doesn’t. They help us move beyond transactional interactions to building genuine relationships with the people we’re pitching to, so we’re adding value — not adding to their headaches.
Key takeaways from our session
During our session with Jasper, he shared invaluable insights into how journalists think, work, and engage with PR professionals.
His insights served as a great reminder to the team, reinforcing lessons that they already knew, but in a way that made them more tangible and impactful. Hearing these takeaways directly from a journalist, rather than through second-hand advice, really brought the realities of media relations to life. It’s one thing to understand best practices in theory, but another to hear them from someone who lives and breathes journalism every day.
Jasper covered a lot of ground in his session. A lot supported the top tips we already know (like the importance of researching your ‘target’ and keeping emails concise), while other advice was more thought-provoking. Some of the standout takeaways included:
Don’t overcomplicate it — A clear, concise angle beats a convoluted pitch any day. If it takes too long to explain or get to the point, then it’s probably not the right story or you’re selling it in wrong. Imagine you’re telling your mate in the pub — “You’ll never guess what…”
Leave a 'curiosity gap' — Journalists are drawn to intrigue. Whether it’s the subject line or the opening line of your email, tease the story in a way that makes them want to ask more questions or click for further details.
Avoid jargon — Unsurprisingly, journalists dislike marketing phrases like “pushing the boundaries of”. Shocker. But business-speak — that many of us are guilty of using — like 'Q2 results' or 'EOB' are also a turn-off. The solution? Simply speak to journalists like real people.
How to run a successful AMA with a journalist
If you're considering setting up a similar session, here are some key things to keep in mind:
Choose the right journalist — Find someone who understands your industry and is open to candid conversations. Start by checking LinkedIn and X to see who’s making the right noises
Structure it loosely — While having a few discussion points helps, the best insights and the most interesting anecdotes often come from open Q&A and informal chit-chat
Make it a safe space — This isn’t about defending PR, it’s about learning. Encourage honest feedback and use it constructively to inform your media strategy and advise your clients
Why we’re making this a regular thing
These AMA sessions are set to be a game-changer for our team, providing practical insights we can apply immediately. Moving forward, we plan to invite more journalists into our office for these informal chats, further strengthening our media relationships and refining our pitching strategies on an ongoing basis.
For any journalists who’d be up for joining one of these sessions, I’d love to hear from you. Or, to learn more about how we approach media relations, get in touch here.