Pitching journalists with Muck Rack’s The State of Journalism 2026


Each year, the public relations platform Muck Rack comes out with a report called “The State of Journalism,” which surveys journalists across the globe to examine trends and provide insight into the industry. The yearly report is a valuable tool for PR and communications professionals, prompting conversation about how to work with journalists — especially about how best to pitch stories. Here are some key takeaways about pitching from The State of Journalism 2026 report:

  • 86% of journalists say at least some of their work began with a PR pitch
  • 43% of journalists said it was rare to get pitches relevant to their beats
  • In a pitch, journalists most valued clear relevance to their beats (70%), interview access to relevant sources (58%), original data or research (40%) and high-resolution images (37%).
  • 62% of journalists prefer to be pitched in a 1:1 email
  • Half of journalists don’t care what day of the week they are pitched, but if they do, 18% prefer pitches on a Monday
  • 78% of journalists prefer pitches to be sent before noon
  • 69% of journalists prefer pitches under 200 words

For questions about public relations strategy, reach out to the University Marketing Communications Public Relations team at [email protected]. 

Topics: Media Relations