Media Magnet

56: Rebekah Scanlan & Inbox Overload: Life as Australia’s Most-Pitched Journalist

Media Magnet

Show Notes

Today’s episode is one I’ve been patiently waiting to record - and I know a lot of you have been, too. Because if you’ve ever wondered who’s behind those must-read stories on news.com.au, or if you’ve sent a pitch to the “lifestyle editor” and crossed your fingers, today you’ll finally meet the woman with arguably the busiest inbox in Australia: Rebekah Scanlan.

Rebekah is not just news.com.au’s Lifestyle Editor—she’s officially Australia’s most-pitched journalist. We’re talking up to 500 emails a day (yep, I had to ask how on earth she deals with that—spoiler alert: it involves a LOT of unopened emails and a sixth sense for sniffing out the real stories).

In this episode, we get right into the nitty gritty of what makes a pitch stand out from the crowd, the real reason why brands like Woolies, Kmart and Maccas constantly make headlines, and Rebekah’s take on why our social media habits are changing the face of digital journalism forever. She’s got sharp advice for getting your story up, the pet peeves that will see your email deleted, and what she actually looks for when she opens a pitch from a total stranger.

We also chat about the art of storytelling for a mass Aussie audience (and why EVERYONE has an opinion on Vegemite and Meghan Markle), plus the joys of seeing everyday stories go viral.

So... whether you’re a founder desperate for a little media magic, a PR pro wanting to sharpen your pitch game, or just nosy like me, you’ll love Rebekah’s candid, behind-the-scenes take on what really gets covered on the biggest online news site in Australia.

Let’s dive into Rebekah Scanlan’s Guide to Getting Noticed at news.com.au

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