Here’s a list of eight reporters who cover Africa — general news and business news — for top-tier publications. Included is SimilarWeb traffic data as of June 2021.
Pitching columnists is often wiser than pitching reporters because they don’t need third-parties to back up their assertions. If they believe it, they can write it. So we have assembled a list of prominent tech columnists at WSJ, NYT and Bloomberg, current as of June 2021.
VC firm Andreessen Horowitz is building what you might call its own Wired — a pro-tech media brand appealing both to consumers and business. It’s unnamed as yet, but A16Z is hiring fast. So far, at least, parts of it appear to be pitchable.
SWMS contributor Rhiannon Pacheco writes: We connected with Bloomberg consumer tech reporter Mark Gurman to explore what it would take for him to cover a less well-established company than Apple, and why he’s excited to explore (and cover) the technology that will follow the smartphone.
Cade Metz is consistent. We interviewed him in 2008, 2012 and 2015. Each time he has carried the same message: though he reports on tech, it’s always about the people. This week we checked in with Cade to discuss Genius Makers, his new book about “the mavericks who brought AI to Google, Facebook and the world.” Again with the people!
Forbes senior editor Alex Konrad gave us a metric ton of insight this month — one article just wasn’t enough. So this week we plumb the notebook of SWMS contributor Rhiannon Pacheco, who interviewed Alex earlier this month, and present the rest of Alex’s thoughtful and heartfelt advice for PR pros looking to win his attention.
Sometimes it pays to go to the top. If you’re pitching something truly conceptual — something that can make a publication look prescient in the long run — then go to the editorial board. We’ve got a list of six boards for you, with contact info.
Christopher Mims isn’t your typical Tier 1 columnist. Chris reports his theses. Coming from a science background, he surrounds his opinions with lots of evidence — much of it empirical. Given the challenges associated with pitching someone like Chris, it might be best to think of him as a proxy for all of “Tier 1.”
Few topics captivate reporters more than the future. SWMS this week studied the past two “The Future of Everything” reports in the WSJ — and a dozen stories in Fast Company’s The Shape of Tomorrow section — to identify pitch approaches that might work for you.
Are you struggling to interest Tier 1 reporters in lesser-known clients? So is Jason Calacanis. The former journalist and well-known investor and podcaster sounded off Jul. 7 to CNBC’s Jon Fortt and two other hosts about the trouble he and other VCs have had in breaking through — especially to the New York Times.
YOUR ACCOUNT
FRIDGE NOTES
… over healthcare benefits. The shop has always been a high-stress place to work. We’ll see who gives in first. The Wrap broke the news.
A thousand words about The Messenger, a well-funded news startup that had a few challenges out of the gate? Read for yourself (password probably required) with an eye toward whether the NYT’s audience is being served.
Mia Sato at The Verge has the story. Hollywood writers aren’t the only writers with livelihoods at stake.
SWMS turns 25 today — only because our subscribers made it possible. Thank you for all the support over all the years.
David Carr has the story on the Similarweb blog.
In descending order: who’s still left at ZDNet and TechRepublic; cheat sheets on SF-based tech reporters and AI in retail; Esther Ajao Q&A; cheat sheets on DEI, AI newsletters, accessibility and podcasts for retail investors; Larry Dignan joins Constellation Research; Robin Wauters podcast; cheat sheet on room videoconferencing systems.
If you’re interested in a truly global picture of how tech is transforming business and society, explore Rest of World, a fascinating newsletter franchise.
The new section, DR Global, will focus on the Middle East and Africa, where build-outs are now off the chart.
The 11-year-old newsletter can’t find a buyer, so 22 more employees are shown the door, says Insider.
