How do you deal with reporters who don’t seem organized? There is a formula behind their thought process, and once you understand it, you will have more success in dealing with them.
By Mark Macias
Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Over the years, many publicists have asked me a similar question about the mindset of reporters.
The question is usually framed carefully – as if they don’t want to offend – but the overall premise is clear: “Why do so many reporters seem scatterbrained?”
I’ve observed it myself both inside the newsrooms of NBC, CBS, American Journal. I’ve also listened to smart reporters with intellectual media outlets jump between topics; forget a detail or seem slightly disorganized.
At first glance, it can feel chaotic, but there’s actually a reason for it. And once you understand it, working with reporters becomes much easier.
The Creative Brain Behind Journalism
Many reporters are highly creative thinkers.
Their brains are wired to chase ideas, connect dots, and identify angles quickly. That kind of thinking is often associated with what people describe as right-brain creativity.
Creative thinkers rarely operate in perfectly straight lines. Instead, they jump between ideas, and challenge angles. They also explore different possibilities in real time.
From the outside, it can feel disorganized, or even stressful to the left brain accountant-type. Inside a newsroom, it’s exactly what makes a reporter – great.
Journalism requires a certain kind of intellectual agility, forcing reporters to constantly ask questions like:
- Is there a better angle here?
- Is this story bigger than we thought?
- Is there another source we should call?
- Does this connect to something else happening in the news?
That type of thinking rarely happens in neat, linear steps.
Reporters Are Also Juggling Multiple Stories
There’s another factor many publicists might not see. Most reporters work on several stories at the same time. While a reporter might be speaking with you on one topic, they could also be:
- researching another story
- coordinating with an editor
- fact-checking your statement
- double-checking a source
- preparing for breaking news
What feels like scattered thinking is often just mental multitasking at high speed.
What Publicists Should Do With This Insight
Once you understand how reporters think and operate, you can adjust your approach. Here are four practical ways experienced publicists work with this reality.
1. Make Sure Your Story Pitch Is Organized
If the reporter’s mind is jumping between ideas, your pitch should provide structure.
Clear story angles.
Simple explanations.
A strong headline.
The more organized your pitch is, the easier it is for the reporter to see the story.
Think of your pitch as the anchor in the conversation.
2. Stay On Top of the Reporter’s Schedule
Reporters are constantly shifting between deadlines and assignments.
That means calls can get missed, or schedules can change. A strong publicist keeps the process organized by confirming interviews, following up politely, and making sure the reporter and the client stay aligned.
Sometimes the publicist is the only person keeping the timeline intact.
3. Guide the Story With Helpful Elements
Many inexperienced publicists often make the mistake of trying to overload a reporter with materials too early in the story’s development. I don’t like taking that approach. At MACIAS PR, we offer up story elements after the interview is secured or while the story is being written.
Why Understanding Reporters Makes You a Better Publicist
The best media relations professionals don’t just understand storytelling.
They understand the people inside the newsroom. This includes how reporters think, how they work under deadlines, and how their creative process unfolds. When you recognize these patterns, you stop fighting the chaos, and begin working withi it.
And that’s when media relationships become much easier to manage.
The MACIAS PR Perspective
At MACIAS PR, we approach media relations with a newsroom mindset.
Before founding the agency, Mark Macias served as an Executive Producer at NBC and CBS in New York, where he helped guide editorial decisions and approve story ideas for national newsrooms. That experience provides insight into how reporters actually work — not just how outsiders think they work.
Because understanding the newsroom is often the difference between a pitch that gets ignored and a story that gets covered. Need help identifying your pitch? Feel free to message us and we can schedule a call.