But journalists still need stories.
In fact, quieter periods can be some of the best times to get noticed, as newsrooms continue searching for expert comments, case studies, data and fresh angles to fill the diary.
So if you’ve got something worth sharing, send it to pitches@synapse.media, and we’ll help get it in front of the right journalists.
Now, welcome back to The Loop – your weekly scroll of live journo requests, sharp PR tips and news worth knowing.
🔥 MUST READ
…because we want you to hear it from the experts themselves
Nick Huber, content and media consultant, shared a reminder for PRs this week:
“Either you think you’ve something interesting to say, or you don’t.”
His point? Don’t get caught up asking who else is being interviewed or trying to manage every detail of a journalist’s process.
The takeaway? If your expert has a strong perspective and adds value to the story, focus on that. The best media relationships are built on trust, not control.
👉 Read Nick’s full LinkedIn post here
🗞️ PR-Y STUFF
Here’s what we think you should see this week:
- The pitching landscape might not be as bleak as it feels – Freelance journalist Rosie Taylor argues that while inboxes are more crowded, newsrooms are more stretched than ever, which means strong story ideas still have plenty of value. Her view is that the old playbook of generic surveys and mass pitching is losing effectiveness. read more
- Tech platforms overtake publishers as the world’s go-to news source – The 2026 Digital News Report shows social and video platforms have overtaken TV and publisher websites for news, while trust, interest and direct traffic continue to fall. read more
- Publishers are fighting back against AI scraping – A group of UK publishers have launched a new approach to tackle AI companies using their content without permission. Backed by the Movement for an Open Web, more than 30 websites have introduced “Search-Only Contracts” that aim to charge AI firms for scraping and repurposing content, with publishers potentially able to pursue claims through the courts if payment isn’t made. read more
- World Cup PR is entering its reputation era – In the latest Beyond the Noise podcast, PRWeek looks at why the upcoming World Cup could be one of the biggest comms and reputation moments FIFA has ever faced. The discussion covers brand opportunities, political risk, criticism around FIFA, and why comms teams will need strong scenario planning as the tournament takes place. listen to the episode
- PR salaries show only modest movement in 2026 – New PRWeek data shows average PR salaries have stayed fairly steady across consumer, corporate, tech, in-house and freelance roles. Mid-level roles saw some of the strongest movement, while senior consumer PR talent has faced a tougher market with fewer opportunities and more competition. read more
🔎 JOURNO REQUESTS
Here’s what journalists are currently looking for on Synapse:
Reach plc:
- Seeking gardening experts to explain benefits of mulching for roses
- Looking for cleaning hacks and gardening hacks
- Looking for food cooking hacks
- Looking for any food storage hacks you have
- Looking for a crime expert for comment on Daily Mirror feature
- Best ways to keep your dog cool in a heatwave
- Looking for couples forced to live together amid cost of living crisis
- Looking for Huyton residents to discuss youth unemployment and local job prospects – Daily Mirror
Metro:
- Seeking traditional-style hotels in Bamberg, Regensburg and Passau for Metro travel feature
- Looking for Cyprus tour guides and boat operators for Metro feature
- Looking for travellers who have visited La Gomera and El Hierro in the Canary Islands – Metro
The Sunday Post:
MailOnline:
- Looking for an expert who can help advise tourists and highlight the risks of exploring dangerous swimming/underwater cave systems – Daily Mail Online
- Seeking expert to explain why UK train Wi-Fi lags behind in-flight connectivity – Daily Mail
- Seeking animal rights experts to discuss when animal welfare concerns go too far – Daily Mail
National World:
- Seeking lawnmowers for review for NationalWorld feature – National World
- Looking for all things of my favourite colour, particularly focusing on fashion, beauty and lifestyle products! – NationalWorld
- Looking for real-life health stories for a women’s weekly – Women’s weekly magazine
BBC News:
Newsquest:
- Health expert commentary on nutrition advice for women going through menopause – Newsquest
- Beer scientist reveals one trick to making your pint better’ – Newsquest
Iconic Media Group:
Freelance:
- Seeking startups that learned hard lessons from AI product development mistakes
- Looking to speak to people who have fallen victim to locksmith scams for a Guardian feature! – The Guardian
- Seeking skincare experts and dermatologists to comment on peptides in skincare – Metro
- Seeking football fans from Qatar and Saudi Arabia for World Cup feature – GQ
- Seeking football fans from Belgium, Algeria, Argentina and Ecuador for World Cup feature – GQ
- Looking for UK retirees who have chosen to rent in later life for feature insight
- Seeking umbrella samples for IndyBest roundup – Indybest
- Looking for home experts to recommend gadgets/hacks for dealing with temporary heat spikes, for the i newspaper. – The i Newspape
- Looking for career coaches on job “hunkering down” – The i Paper
- Looking for PRs that can help finding football fans from the following WC countries: Austria, Bosnia, Croatia, Curacao …!!! – GQ
- Seeking expert views on best colours for outdoor kitchens – Livingetc
- Seeking GP or surgeon insights on gallstones
- Looking for people feeling left behind by friends or family using weight loss jabs
- Seeking interior designers to share common en-suite bathroom design mistakes – Livingetc
- Looking for family-friendly places to visit on the Isle of Wight
- Looking for women earning more than partner to discuss emotional side of money – Stylist
- ASAP – looking for a registered sports dietician to comment on a Fit&Well article around nutrition / running
Or head to the marketplace now to look at the full list of requests yourself.
📆 NEXT MONTH’S HOOKS
…because we don’t want you missing out on stuff in July.
📊 2 Jul: Business insights and impact on the UK economy – Covers the impact of economic challenges and other events on UK businesses, including performance, workforce, trade and resilience.
🏎️ 3 Jul: British Grand Prix begins – The 2026 Formula 1 British Grand Prix takes place at Silverstone Circuit.
📚 3 Jul: Bradford Literature Festival – This buzzing book festival brings big literary names to West Yorkshire, with panels, readings, lectures and more.
🚴 4 Jul: Tour de France begins – it’s the 113th edition of the Tour de France, taking place until the 26th July 2026, starting in Barcelona.
📊 7 Jul: Financial Stability Report – Published by the Bank of England, setting out its view on UK financial system stability and key risks.
🏰 9 Jul: Buckingham Palace Summer Opening
🎬 10 Jul: Moana (2026) – Action / Adventure / Comedy, starring Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson, John Tui and Frankie Adams.
🎾 11 Jul: Wimbledon Women’s Singles Final – Provisionally scheduled at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
🎾 12 Jul: Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final – The 2026 Wimbledon Championships run from 29 June to 12 July, with video reviews introduced for the first time.
⚽ 14 Jul: First FIFA World Cup Semi-Final
⚽ 15 Jul: Second FIFA World Cup Semi-Final
😀 16 Jul: World Emoji Day – “Face with bags under its eyes” was recognised as the emoji of the year in 2025.
📈 16 Jul: GDP monthly estimate, UK (May 2026) – GDP measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK.
⛳ 16 Jul: The Open Championship 2026 begins – officially the 154th Open Championship, is a golf tournament to be played from 16-19 July 2026 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. It will be the 11th Open held at the club.
🎂 17 Jul: Queen Camilla’s Birthday
🎬 17 Jul: The Odyssey (2026) – Adventure / Fantasy, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson.
🏆 19 Jul: FIFA World Cup Final – The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
🏖️ 21 Jul: Schools break up for the summer
📊 21 Jul: UK Labour Market: July 2026 – Covers employment, unemployment, inactivity, earnings, vacancies and labour market stats.
📊 22 Jul: Consumer price inflation, UK (June 2026) – Covers price index changes and weights across inflation measures.
🏅 23 Jul: Commonwealth Games begin
⛳ 29 Jul: Women’s Open – Held at Royal Lytham & St Annes, with some of golf’s biggest names competing.
📊 29 Jul: Effective interest rates (June 2026) – Covers average interest rates across UK deposit and loan accounts.
🎬 31 Jul: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) – Action / Adventure / Fantasy, starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink and Jacob Batalon.
Working on something great or out of office?
Head to the marketplace now or simply send it to pitches@synapse.media (or add us to your media list) and we’ll make sure it reaches the right journalists.
