Want coverage in charity sector press? Stop treating us like local news outlets.
____________________________________________________________________

Every week, my inbox fills with hundreds of press releases from charity media teams. Most of them are well-intentioned, some are beautifully written, and yet for the majority, I’ll glance over the subject title and delete before reading any further. Unfortunately, many miss the mark. Why? Because they’re not tailored to the audience we serve.

After over four years as a charity sector journalist, I’ve found that there’s a fundamental misunderstanding at play: many media teams treat sector journalists like national/local reporters. We’re not the national press, and we’re not your local paper either.

We’re the charity sector press. We cover issues relating to charity sector management; think policy shifts, funding trends, regulation, leadership changes, technology, and innovation that affect how charities operate. Unless your story has wider implications for the sector – for example, a model others could learn from, a partnership that changes how fundraising works, or data that reveals something bigger – it’s not news for us.

We don’t and can’t cover the charity sector as a collection of isolated stories. We cover it as an ecosystem. That means we’re interested in stories that speak to wider sector issues: regulatory changes, leadership movements, crosssector collaborations, funding trends, and innovations in service delivery. If your press release or story doesn’t connect to a broader theme or issue affecting the sector, it’s unlikely to land.

This disconnect creates friction. Media teams follow up repeatedly, asking why we haven’t covered their story. The truth is, we simply can’t respond to every pitch – especially when the story isn’t relevant to our audience. Following up once is fine. Chasing us multiple times about a story that was never sector-relevant to begin with? That’s a waste of everyone’s time.

The more time we spend sifting through irrelevant pitches, the less time we have to spot and develop the ones that are important. Earlier this year, I came back from a ten-day holiday to 400 emails. Once I deleted the irrelevant ones, there were less than 70 that warranted a further look. It’s not just about relevance, it’s about understanding the role of sector media. As great as the work is, we’re not here to promote individual charities. We’re here to inform charity leaders, policymakers, and sector professionals about the forces shaping their work.

So what’s the fix?
Many media teams need to learn the difference between sector press and national/local press.

For coverage in Charity Times, pitch stories that speak to the sector. So before hitting send, ask:
• Does this story have implications beyond my own charity?
• Will this help others in the sector learn, adapt, or think differently?
• Would I read this in a magazine about charity leadership and policy?

If the answer is no, it might be better suited to local or national media, and that’s okay. But if you want to engage sector journalists, tailor your messaging accordingly. It will save time, reach websites quicker, and keep sector journalists engaged in your work, too.

The charity sector deserves thoughtful, informed coverage. And journalists deserve pitches that respect the purpose of sector media. Let’s bridge the gap, not with more press releases, but with smarter ones.

---