Charities invest significant time and effort in media engagement. But what makes journalists want to cover a story?

To explore this question, nfpResearch spoke in depth with nine journalists working across Ireland’s national media landscape. Despite their different roles and deadlines, their messages were remarkably consistent. Journalists remain strongly interested in the issues charities work on, but the media environment has changed. News cycles are faster, resources are under pressure and journalists are navigating an increasing volume of emails and story pitches. For charities, gaining media coverage depends less on sending more press releases and more on understanding how journalists operate.

Here are five key lessons from our research.

1. Lead with people

The clearest finding from our interviews was how journalists want voices, not numbers. Statistics and campaign messages are important, but they rarely capture attention on their own. They emphasised how data is most effective when it supports a real story, rather than being the story itself and how a human angle helps illustrate the impact behind the numbers and makes issues more relatable to audiences. They need to show readers and listeners what an issue means in someone’s life. This means finding people who can speak about their experience.

Frontline staff can also provide powerful perspectives. Outreach workers, nurses and volunteers see the impact of social issues every day. However, journalists expressed these voices are rarely offered; charities often default to senior leadership.

2. Pitch the right journalist

Journalists regularly receive hundreds of emails each day, which means generic press releases sent to large mailing lists rarely stand out.

Instead, journalists are much more likely to engage with a story that is tailored to their area of coverage and writing style. In practice, that means doing some research before approaching a journalist. The journalists we talked to encouraged charities to read what a journalist has previously written and consider whether this journalist would have an interest covering their story. Although this requires more effort, a thoughtful pitch to the right journalist will almost always outperform a generic press release sent to various journalists.

3. Be ready when the story breaks

Several journalists described a common frustration: charities issuing press releases but having nobody available to speak when reporters call. In a fast-moving news cycle, this can mean the opportunity for coverage is lost. Hence, if you send a press release, make sure the spokesperson quoted is available that day.

A quick turnaround is especially crucial for radio, with broadcast journalists operating on very tight deadlines. Radio bulletins refresh throughout the day, meaning interviews and audio often need to be arranged quickly. The broadcast journalists emphasised the huge demand they have for content and encouraged charities to engage with them, noting that any audio provided would almost certainly be used.

4. Build trust through reliability

We asked journalists about relationship building and received mixed views on networking meetings. Some were open to informal conversations, while others preferred to keep interactions strictly professional. However, there was clear agreement on how important reliability is to build trust.

Journalists remember charities that respond quickly and can provide people with lived experience. They also value contacts who consistently pitch stories that are relevant to the issues they cover.

Over time, these are the charities journalists are most likely to approach when they need a comment or perspective. Maintaining strong, professional relationships with journalists therefore benefits charities in the long term.

5. Accept editorial independence

Finally, journalists emphasised the importance of editorial independence. Journalists and charities often share an interest in highlighting important social issues. However, charities need to recognise that they cannot control how a story is ultimately covered. While charities aim to raise awareness of their work, journalists need to tell the full story and stories which engage their audiences. Journalists therefore highlighted the importance of trusting them to explore issues honestly and allowing space for complexity. Ultimately, when charities embrace this approach, it leads to stronger and more credible coverage.

What this means for charities

Our research highlights the importance of providing voices and how journalists appreciate charities who are able to do this. Moreover, they remember the charities that respond quickly and can connect them with people who have lived experience. They also value contacts who consistently bring forward stories that are relevant to their work.

When charities are reliable, journalists are far more likely to approach them for comments or insight. Strong relationships with the media therefore create opportunities for future coverage.

Read the report below, or find out more on nfp Free Resources.

And, if you have any questions about the findings or would like to explore our research for charities in Ireland, get in touch with Sofia at publicireland@nfpresearch.com.