PM Journalism

Pitch a news or feature story to an editor — the angle, why now, and how you'll report it. Use when a reporter or freelancer needs to pitch a story, sell an editor on an angle, or write a query letter to a publication. Produces a tight pitch: the hook and angle, why it matters and why now, the reporting plan and sources, your access/credibility, and the format/length fit. Distinct from media-pitch (PR pitching a story TO journalists).

Run a claim-by-claim fact-check pass on a draft article, script, or report before publication. Use when asked to fact-check a piece, verify claims before publishing, or do editorial verification. Produces a claim inventory (every checkable assertion pulled out), a verification status and source for each (confirmed / needs sourcing / unverifiable / wrong), the fixes, and a flag on the high-risk claims (numbers, quotes, names, legal/defamatory statements) that must not go out unverified.

Prepare a journalist to interview a source or subject — including hostile or accountability interviews. Use when a reporter needs to prep an interview with a source, plan questions for a subject, handle an on-the-record accountability interview, or get a reluctant person to talk. Produces a question plan sequenced from rapport to the hard asks, ground-rules handling (on/off record, attribution), techniques for evasive or hostile subjects, and a capture plan. Distinct from expert-interview-prep (learning from an expert).

Assess and reduce the risk of exposing a confidential journalistic source. Use when a reporter is working with a confidential source, a whistleblower, or sensitive leaked material and needs to protect the source's identity. Produces a risk assessment (how the source could be identified — metadata, comms, patterns, documents), secure-communication and handling practices, a redaction/anonymization plan for what's published, and the promises to make (and not make) about protection. Guidance is defensive; it is not legal advice.