Larissa Padden 00:06
Hello and welcome to Cogcast, Cognito’s podcast where we talk to journalists and media pros on everything that’s happening in the world of media and PR. I’m Larissa Padden, your host this episode and a former journalist turned PR professional. For today’s episode, we are joined by Rachel Curry, a freelance reporter whose work frequently appears in CNBC, and The Observer. Rachel sat down with us for a conversation on how she works with publications and PR as a freelancer, what breaks through the AI noise and the rising newsletter culture, which is appropriate considering she’s launching her own for more details on how to sign up, please enjoy this latest episode. Hi, Rachel, thanks for being here today.

Rachel Curry 00:48
Hi, thanks for having me.

Larissa Padden 00:49
So I wanted to start by having you tell us a little bit about your background as a reporter and how you work now as a freelancer.

Rachel Curry 00:56
Yeah, so I’m a freelance reporter. I regularly contribute to publications like CNBC, Observer, and my local daily LNP. I’m based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and I think independent journalism on the local level is still really important. I write a lot about tech and finance that has evolved over the years I’ve been freelancing for let me think about six years now, and I started in a very different capacity than I right now. So

Larissa Padden 01:28
I remember back when I was in journalism, hearing a speaker they brought in that was like a career freelancer, and kind of how difficult that journey can be sometime. So I was really curious, what made you decide to become a freelancer and go down that route?

Rachel Curry 01:42
Yeah, so I started freelancing with what I like to call my “early 20s optimism”. I was trying to make some extra cash while backpacking through Southeast Asia, and honestly, I had absolutely no plan. But over time, it did become more intentional. I started kind of more on the content writing side, because I was a copywriter for a little bit after college, despite my journalism background, but I realized that journalism was just more rewarding for me, so I focused more on that over the years.

Larissa Padden 02:17
Wow, wllas someone that was not brave enough to ever be a freelancer, but I do understand the desire for freedom and creativity. Can you tell us a little bit about your process for building a story? Do you pitch to publications and or do they contact you for specific stories?

Rachel Curry 02:35
Yeah, it’s a little bit of both, but I will say I do spend a lot of time pitching stories, because if I’m not pitching, then I’m probably not getting the work, or as much work as I would like. A lot of it involves building relationships with editors. The hardest part is getting an in with an editor, and once you’ve got an in, it’s easier for them to open your email because they’re obviously very busy people and getting tons of emails from writers and PR professionals alike. But pitching is an art that takes years to not even master, because I’m not sure if there really is ever a mastering of it, because everyone is different, and the world is constantly changing, but it’s something I’m always working on.

Larissa Padden 03:26
Yeah, it’s something we’re always working on. I mean, that was the most surprising thing for me going from journalism to PR, is just how much work goes into pitches. Because you’re right, journalists get and editors, they get hundreds of them, so you don’t really think about, you know, how much work goes into them, and what differentiates good from bad. So you’re right. It is, I think, an art. But one thing I was curious about is, for me, when it comes to freelancing, it’s always seemed a little bit like chicken or the egg, which comes first the publication or the sources? So I’m wondering if it’s easier to get sources to agree to be in a story, if you can tell them, “Oh, this is lined up for CNBC,” or do you need sources lined up to get the story approved by CNBC?

Rachel Curry 04:09
A little bit of both. Again, it is interesting, because especially with larger publication that’s more of a household name such as CNBC, of course, people are gonna grab for those opportunities a little bit more, but I try to include a starting source or two in my initial pitch to an editor, because it just shows to them that I have a direction in mind, and they can get a better idea of the type of voice that’s going to inform and direct the story. These people that I might include as a starting source might be someone who’s already in my rolodex, who I have talked to in the past, or they might be a name that I received in an email from a PR professional on a topic that I’m referencing for my pitch, which, you know, sometimes those PR pitch emails that I receive will have a really interesting study or story idea, and then they’ll say, here’s someone I can connect you with to start this conversation. I will say that’s usually pretty helpful, because it at least gives me a starting point and takes some of the weight off my back.

Larissa Padden 05:18
Right, that, I mean, that was my next question is, you know, how you engage with PR, and do you accept pitches, and are they helpful? Because I had a conversation, oh, probably months ago, with another freelance reporter, and it kind of seemed like she was undervalued a little bit by PR. And I know sometimes we don’t include freelancers on our list, and that’s something that we’ve had to kind of rethink. So I just wanted to get a sense from you how valuable that is to especially when the pitch is relevant to you, of course. But do you engage with PR and do you appreciate being reached out to?

Rachel Curry 05:48
Yes, I do engage and yes I do accept and love pitches. I actually think that the relationship between PR professionals and journalists is a really unique one, because we both really rely on each other to do good, solid work, but neither of us are actually like paying or being paid by the other. So it’s not something that I think exists a lot in the world today. So I think it’s pretty special. Yeah, I do accept pitches. I love pitches. I also sometimes delete pitches. It’s just the way of the world, like you said, I’m getting as a freelancer, I probably get about 50 or more PR emails a week, and some of them kind of go together in a similar line of thinking for a story, and others just aren’t really relevant to me at all. But there are certain things that get my attention and maybe even a response, if you want me to talk through some of that,

Larissa Padden 06:43
I would love to, because I was looking at some of your recent focus is on tech and AI, and that is very interesting, but can be kind of a daunting space, just because the conversation has become so crowded. So I wanted to get a sense of what currently gets your attention. And what kind of stories within like AI and tech are you currently looking on to report and if someone were to pitch you, what would you respond to?

Rachel Curry 07:09
Yeah, so with tech and AI, there’s really no end to the angles you can take. You know, for example, I wrote about cybersecurity in schools, and then I also wrote about changes in leadership styles resulting from a more AI engaged workforce and you can really niche down with a lot of these things, and it can still be relevant to a ton of people. It’s up to us to keep the conversation fresh and relevant and dig deeper where we think it deserves. I’m especially interested in stories that impact people’s lives in some way, for example, disability rights, gender equality, racial justice, even if it’s not obvious in the headline, because editors do have to cater to clicks. But I always try to answer the equity question in my work in some way, and even with AI and technology, there’s like, a huge bias question and concern here, so that’s always going to be top of mind. As for specific pitches that I’m receiving on these topics. I mean, just to be frank, I like when it’s not trite, like even now, about two years after the GenAI rush started, I still get studies that say X percent of companies are thinking about using AI. And I just feel like that is, I mean, so last year, literally.

Larissa Padden 08:30
Right

Rachel Curry 08:31
Instead, maybe something like x percent of companies are finally seeing ROI from AI is a little bit more relevant to the conversation today. Better yet, if that percentage is low and it’s a little contrarian or or surprising, that’s always something that interests me.

Larissa Padden 08:48
Right. Yeah, it’s moving the story along. Right? Like not, you know, pitching what you’ve clearly already written about, or people have already written about. And we do have those conversations with our clients, frankly, that we need to be pitching them something they haven’t heard before, and especially if we can give them some kind of like measurement or number or data to show like this is something that is actually happening, and not a conversation about a bigger picture thing that will happen.

Rachel Curry 09:13
Right and a lot of times, too, I’ll receive emails from PR firms representing companies or companies themselves, that kind of just seem like they’re trying to sell their own service or product, and they’re not putting enough of an emphasis on the why that is important for for the general public. It’s focusing too much on the what, the end game that they’re trying to reach with this marketing and kind of switching it around and making it less about yourself, and you’ll still have an organic introduction of yourself to the world by doing that.

Larissa Padden 09:55
That’s really refreshing to hear, because that’s actually advice we just gave to focus on how especially within 10. AI, this is impacting everyday lives, and not so much the solution that you’re, you know, talking about as a you know, provider. But I did want to switch gears while we have you, and you shared with us that you are launching your own newsletter very shortly. And I just wanted to get a sense of, you know, what is the focus, what’s going to be about? When will it launch? And just tell us the details.

Rachel Curry 10:22
Sure my upcoming newsletter is called Acronym. The name is a play on TLAs or three letter acronyms that can make corporate speak sound a little bit like word salad. The tagline is the newsletter that cuts through corporate jargon and gets to the good shit and

Larissa Padden 10:41
Oh

Rachel Curry 10:41
Pardon my use of an expletive, but that is sometimes how I talk, and it’s how a lot of people talk, and I think it should tell you how candid I aim to be. In this newsletter, I’m going to interview smart people, and I’m really trying to break the status quo without, of course, forgoing equity and fairness in the process. For example, a story idea I have lined up is a Q&A with a woman in cyber security on how diversity in the industry actually makes us safer. It’s just really a place for me to write in a more authentic style to myself, while still maintaining that journalistic integrity that I care about.

Larissa Padden 11:23
Awesome. So how can people sign up and how frequently is it going to come out?

Rachel Curry 11:27
Yeah, I’m going to start publishing in December 2024, every two weeks, and you can subscribe for free at acronym.beehiiv.com that’s acronym dot B, E, H, I, I, V, you can also find me on LinkedIn. I’ll be publishing it and cross posting it everywhere.

Larissa Padden 11:45
Great. In general. I feel like our business, we pay a lot of attention to how the media landscape has been evolving through, you know, the frequency of sub stack and Reddit users, you know, just for an example, and, of course, newsletters. So why did you decide when building your own product, to go with a newsletter format versus like a blog.

Rachel Curry 12:05
Newsletters come to you. I think they’re a little bit more convenient than posting a blog on a website that you actually have to go to. They’re still monetizable, which is good for me in the long run, I hope. And I don’t need to be on video, which is honestly what has kept me from YouTube. Even though I love being a user of that platform, I really don’t want to have to put my face on it. And I think that the newsletter thing is really interesting, because it’s a place where journalists can go to to showcase their individual talents without having to get through the gates of larger publications. I know that recently, The Washington Post, which is owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, lost like 250,000 subscribers because Bezos said the publication could not endorse a presidential candidate. For the first time in its history, that kind of influence from from big money, has made people lose trust in some of our legacy publications, which I still place value in. But, you know, we’re welcoming new voices, and I think it’s an exciting time for journalists. It’s an exciting time for readers, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things evolve.

Larissa Padden 13:22
Yeah, I think the way that people consume news, especially with younger generations, has changed. And so I think there’s this, is just my observation, but there’s a pairing of the need for journalists to create their own brand, whether they’re associated with a publication or not, plus, the way that people are consuming news has kind of changed things. But do you think that that’s kind of what has played into why newsletters have become so popular in today’s current media landscape?

Rachel Curry 13:49
It’s definitely playing a role in that. And you know, part of the reason why I’ve continued with my freelance journey and not steadfastly pursued a staff writer role is because I’m seeing how people are just constantly getting laid off. And that security of a full time role isn’t really security. And so, you know, I follow a newsletter, funny enough, called “Journalists Pay Themselves” by Lex Roman, and she’s in my inbox talking about how, you know, journalists themselves are kind of putting the power into their own hands. And it’s really interesting to see.

Larissa Padden 14:29
Well, another thing that you shared with us when we talk about how the media landscape is changing is that you teach journalism to Americans in Australia. So I wanted to hear a little bit about that. But then I’m also curious, just over time, from when you were a student to now teaching other students, how you’ve seen that curriculum change, and how kind of the media landscape has dictated how you teach students today.

Rachel Curry 14:54
Yeah, I’m a University of Delaware alum of the English program, and I’ve been. Fortunate enough to remain involved in the program over the years I graduated in 2017 so obviously, media has changed a lot since then, and nowadays, as I’m generating assignments or changing syllabi from past years with the Head Professor, we are making space for different types of ways that students can submit their work. And it’s not just through the written form. It can be narrating a Tiktok series that’s more long form and really goes in depth about a certain topic. Can obviously be YouTube or another social media platform, it can be podcasts like this format, and those are just some of the ways that students can pursue the stories that they’re interested in. And obviously the way we’re consuming media is changing, so the education around that needs to change too.

Larissa Padden 15:57
Well this has been really interesting, and we’re looking forward to reading your newsletter, and I will be the first. Well, I’m sure we’ve already seen online that you have, how many people have signed up already?

Rachel Curry 16:06
At 50 now, and I haven’t even put the first edition out, so that’s pretty exciting for me. And I’m, you know, just a little grassroots initiative here, but I’m excited.

Larissa Padden 16:18
Yeah, I’ll be 51 so we’ll keep an eye out for it. And it and it was really great to have you here today. Thank you.

Rachel Curry 16:23
Thanks so much.