4 Healthcare Media Pitching Tips from Journalists

The healthcare industry has been in the eye of the storm over the past year with the evolving COVID-19 situation. The industry has had to rapidly evolve in the outbreak – from scientists developing vaccines in record time to hospitals ramping up the use of technology.

With an influx of developments, there are many opportunities for brands to collaborate with the media to share educational and informative content that addresses the concerns of readers and get them up to speed on the latest healthcare developments.

In PR Newswire’s 2021 Healthcare Media Pitching Kit (APAC Edition), we interviewed 15 editors and journalists in the healthcare, medical, pharmaceutical and lifestyle sectors across 8 markets in the Asia-Pacific region to get pitching tips and healthcare industry insights.

Get the media pitching kit here or start with the main takeaways.

1. Spotlight on COVID-19

When it comes to pandemic-related coverage, journalists are most interested in reporting on the global vaccination drive and the potential side effects of various vaccines.

“Right now, most of my coverage is related to COVID-19. Anything about the virus’ trajectory or how people and companies are responding to it would get my attention,” said Michelle Fay Cortez, Senior Medical Reporter/Editor at Bloomberg News.

“Science stories are also interesting – updates on drugs and vaccine development, new findings and research. Readers are always curious about the statistical model that predicts how and when the pandemic will end,” said Uyung Pramudiarja, Managing Editor of detikHealth.

2. Medical discoveries and breakthroughs backed by research are preferred

10 out of 15 journalists express their interest to follow up with more in-depth coverage on new developments in the healthcare field that are supported by credible data and sources.

“I would also like to receive news of new products, investments, innovations, mergers and acquisitions and innovative technology in the healthcare sector in APAC. From AI applications to industrial tools, technology can solve challenges in the biopharma and healthcare services sector,” said Hithaishi C Bhaskar, Assistant Manager and APAC Coordinator (Content & Coordination) of BioSpectrum Asia.

“Besides COVID-19 news, breaking news in the health and science industries will entice me to do follow-ups. I am also keen on covering medical breakthroughs and developments from well-known scientists,” said Sean Pan, Senior Editor at The News Lens.

RELATED READ: COVID-19 Comms: How Brands are Helping Through Healthcare Initiatives?

3. Address healthcare issues beyond COVID-19

We are in the middle of a pandemic, but life goes on. Journalists seek to report on perennial healthcare issues such as the treatment of chronic diseases, drug developments, surgical techniques and how countries are grappling with their ageing populations.

“I look forward to seeing additional medical start-ups focusing on technology development and innovation in the field of pharmacology, including coming up with innovative drugs and devices. These developments will enrich the local ecosystem while meeting existing needs,” said Liu Zongyu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Content Managing Partner of VC Beat.

“I hope to report on health-related issues beyond COVID-19 such as chronic diseases, or the latest developments in heart surgery and dementia because our readers are relatively older, and Taiwan has a growing ageing population,” explained Sisy Lee, Editor-In-Chief at Evergreen.

4. Skip the jargon

It is best to explain any jargon in your pitch and provide examples and context to help journalists and their readers to understand your news angle and why it matters to them.

“For healthcare-related press releases, avoid using jargon and make the information as clear as possible so reporters can identify the right angle themselves,” said Ho Nhi, Journalist at Giao Duc.

Download the 2021 Healthcare Media Pitching Kit (APAC Edition) to get up to speed with the evolving healthcare industry to craft solid pitches and connect with the media effectively in a COVID-19 world.