What “Skeleton Crew” Editors Want from Your PR Pitch

Insider tips from the lead editors at CMSWire, FSR/QSR, Supply & Demand Chain Executive/Food Logistics, and TV Technology

Landing a story in a major outlet is great, but some of the best opportunities come from smaller newsrooms flying under the radar. In today’s media world, where many editorial teams are running lean, building relationships with niche publications can be a smarter, more targeted way to get your story heard. These skeleton crew outlets may have limited staff, but they offer direct access to engaged, specialized audiences that major media can’t always reach.

To shed light on the intricacies of pitching these scrappy teams, we spoke to four seasoned editors who oversee newsrooms of fewer than 10 journalists: Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief at Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics; Dom Nicastro, editor-in-chief at CMSWire; Danny Klein, VP editorial director, food, retail, and hospitality at FSR and QSR magazines; and Mike Demenchuk, content manager at TV Technology.

For instance, none of the above publications has a dedicated op-ed editor, which is something to keep in mind when pitching thought-leadership essays. It’s either a team effort or the lead editor wearing the “contributors gatekeeper” hat, too. “Right now, I'm very short-staffed,” Mayer explained, “so it's just me [reviewing submissions].”

With limited time and resources, these editors know precisely what makes a pitch stand out—or get ignored. Here’s how they recommend approaching small but mighty newsrooms to build better relationships and land meaningful coverage.
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What are the biggest misconceptions PR pros have about pitching small newsrooms?

Mayer: The misconception is that all B2B media companies operate the same. That's incorrect. Every B2B newsroom is composed of different staffing structures; we do not have a “breaking news” editor on staff, so we really need to prioritize our time.

Nicastro: I actually don't think it should matter how small a newsroom is. Good pitches are good pitches. Any newsroom will drop what they're doing if the pitch is strong enough. 

Klein: I think you just need to get to know the editor a bit. If you're pitching blindly, it will be tough to align.

Demenchuk: In B2B journalism, useful is more important than sexy. If the pitch you're making strays too far from our publication's focus, you're likely wasting our time.

With no excess bandwidth among your staff, what gets your attention?

Nicastro: Pitch us something we haven't covered yet. The pitches that intrigue me are those that offer incredible, provocative sources. Not companies or products, but people who are driving engaging dialogue. I track LinkedIn posts that get a lot of attention/debate and often say, “I want that person on our site.”'

Klein: I'm a big believer in the email sender being as important as the pitch. Unless you're pitching on behalf of the largest brands in the space, that's the most impactful part of the process. Do I know you? Have we interacted before? Have you made an attempt to form a relationship beyond a transactional one?

Mayer: The subject line of the email is what draws me in, and the pitch itself [if it] correlates to stuff we're working on. We publish content in accordance with our editorial calendars. However, some agencies repeatedly send emails without understanding how we operate. Those go to the trash.

Demenchuk: The main thing that makes a pitch stand out is relevance — knowing the publication and what its target audience wants. For TV Tech, that's a very targeted audience of engineers and aligned tech vendors. A pitch that's too general market or programming-oriented isn't likely to make the grade.

Beyond newsworthiness, what other factors influence your decision to cover a story? 

Nicastro: Editorial calendar alignment. Things that surprise me. Studies from legitimate research firms not connected to the potential source's company. Lastly, offering up the people doing the work we cover. Not tech providers so much, but the people using the tools/trying to create customer experiences, which is our coverage area. 

Klein: I do feel a roadmap to the coverage is important. “Here's the source. They are available in the next two weeks.” Things of that nature.

Mayer: It has to align with a topic outlined on our editorial calendar.

Demenchuk: Industry relevance, whether it aligns with coverage areas or themes, making sources readily available to us, and, of course, timing. 

What information is essential for you to see in an initial pitch?

Demenchuk: A clear headline/story angle that tells us why the story matters and is relevant to our audience. Are there any available images, quotes, or sources? And a contact person to follow up with.‍

Mayer: I'd like to see the company name included, and a brief outline of why this particular pitch is different.

Nicastro: It would be great to see more of why my readers should care.

Klein: I want as much information as possible. If there's a press release, include it. Don't say things like, “Would you like to see the news?”