PR Glossary

Media List

A curated database of journalist contacts relevant to your story or industry.

What is a Media List?

A media list (or press list) is a curated collection of journalist, editor, and blogger contact information relevant to your company's industry or story angle. A good media list includes the journalist's name, publication, email address, beat (topic specialisation), Twitter/LinkedIn handle, and recent coverage. Media lists require constant maintenance because journalists change jobs frequently.

How Media List Relates to PR Outreach

PressPitch.ai builds a targeted media list automatically for every press release you submit. It uses AI topic extraction, Hunter.io email verification, and web scraping to find journalists who actually cover your beat — not a generic spray-and-pray list.

Best Practices

  • Never buy a generic press list. Most are outdated and will damage your sender reputation.
  • Filter by beat: a tech journalist doesn't want healthcare news.
  • Verify email addresses before sending — bounces hurt your domain's deliverability score.
  • Segment your list: tier 1 (top targets), tier 2 (good fits), tier 3 (long shots).

Frequently Asked Questions about Media List

How many journalists should be on my media list?

Quality beats quantity. 20 highly relevant journalists will outperform 500 generic contacts. A targeted list of 50–100 per story is typically optimal.

How often should I update my media list?

Every 3–6 months. Journalist turnover is high — email addresses go stale quickly.

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