The heatwave is here, and plenty of people have one eye on their out-of-office already. But pitching doesn’t need to wait until you’re back at the desk.
Whether you’ve got expert comment, a timely case study, or a story journalists should know about, send it to pitches@synapse.media and we’ll post it on Synapse for you.
Now, onto The Loop – journo requests, PR tips and the news worth knowing this week.
🔥 MUST READ
…because we want you to hear it from the experts themselves
Steph Spyro, founder of Off the Record, has shared a useful guide for PRs sending pictures to journalists:
“Great pictures won’t rescue a weak story, but weak pictures can absolutely hold back a great one.”
Steph explains why strong images matter just as much as strong copy. A great story can lose space, or coverage altogether, when the pictures are low quality, hard to access or missing the details a journalist needs.
What’s the takeaway? Don’t treat your images as an afterthought. Make them part of the pitch from the start.
👉 Read Steph’s full Off the Record edition here
🗞️ PR-Y STUFF
Here’s what we think you should see this week:
- 2026 is a breaking point, not just an evolution year – Cision’s Inside PR 2026 Report finds that PR professionals name “the changing media landscape” as their top challenge. Attention and influence have shifted fundamentally as media fragmentation, in-platform engagement, the rise of individual voices, and generative AI search all come to a head simultaneously. read more
- Is AI visibility becoming a C-suite reputation issue? – As more people rely on AI-generated answers rather than clicking through to websites, brands are paying closer attention to what tools like ChatGPT say about them. PRovoke Media reports that this is becoming a reputation issue, not just an SEO one, making trusted coverage and strong journalist relationships more valuable than ever. read more
- One in three cyber comms pros admit to spreading misleading claims – New Whiteoaks International research found that nearly one in three cyber comms practitioners have been involved in producing messaging they believed was excessive, misleading or unsubstantiated. With terms like “fully protected” still being used, it’s a useful reminder for PRs: strong claims need solid proof behind them. read more
- Are brands overdoing the AI angle? – The Guardian reports that some PR teams are being pushed to pitch everyday automation as “AI-powered” in a bid to make brands feel more relevant. The problem here is that journalists can spot a stretched angle a mile off. Adding AI to a pitch doesn’t make it newsworthy if the technology isn’t central to the story. read more
- Podcast: Is PR at a turning point? – On the latest episode of The Digital PR Podcast, Steve and Lou are joined by Sarah Waddington CBE, CEO of the PRCA, to talk about the issues shaping the industry in 2026. They cover fake experts, professional standards, the divide between digital and traditional PR, and the industry’s ongoing diversity and class problem. listen to the episode
🔎 JOURNO REQUESTS
Here’s what journalists are currently looking for on Synapse:
Reach plc:
- Looking for an expert comment on a 24-hour rule when purchasing items
- Child Protection Lawyers Commentary Needed
- Looking for a pharmacist on Mounjaro and supplements
- Looking for PRs with weird, wacky launches and events for Daily Star social content push
- Looking for drone expert for quick turnaround comment for national media article
- Seeking relationship experts for quick turnaround Daily Mirror feature
- Looking to speak with criminal psychologists!
- Looking for crime expert for comment on Daily Mirror feature
- Looking for climate expert for the Daily Mirror article
- Best ways to keep your dog cool in a heatwave
Metro:
- Looking to speak with a relevant travel expert about jet fuel shortages, Europe airport chaos, overall travel landscape.
- Seeking traditional-style hotels in Bamberg, Regensburg and Passau for Metro travel feature
- Looking for Cyprus tour guides and boat operators for Metro feature
Daily Mirror:
The Sunday Post:
The i Paper:
Prolific North:
MailOnline:
- Looking for Expert Comment on Tourist Scams Worldwide – Daily Mail
- Experts who can help explain the benefits (or downsides) of an alternative to sunscreen gel/spray/cream: an SPF tablet – DailyMail
Newsweek:
- Looking for urgent comments from two dog trainers
- Quick comment from a vet to discuss dog probiotics
- Looking for quick vet comment for Newsweek feature
National World:
- Looking for expert comments on beauty gadgets or tools that are ideal for travel for review
- Looking for Yorkshire artisan food and hospitality businesses – The Yorkshire Post
Freelance:
- Seeking expat women with return-to-UK regret stories and related survey data
- Looking for bathroom toilet images with scenic window views – Homebuilding & Renovating
- Seeking property litigation solicitor on surface drainage laws
- Medical experts needed to comment on Donald Trump health check coverage – Daily Express
- 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 to speak to NHS staff who have experience using Oxevision on mental health wards! – Novara Media
- Looking to speak to fashion and retail experts about the reports that Shein is acquiring Everlane. – The Independent
- Looking for women earning more than partner to discuss emotional side of money – Stylist
- Looking for jobseekers blocked by recruitment software to share their experiences – KOM Consult Media
- Looking for landlords on rent freeze views – KOM Consult Media
- Looking to speak to Brits who’ve moved from London to Sydney, then back to Bristol – The Telegraph
- Keen to speak to British expats about the aviation fuel crisis! – The Telegraph
- Looking for experts who have interesting hacks, guides, exclusive angles on an array of cost-of-living topics e.g. home/garde – Jam Press
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 June.
📊 2 Jun: Effective interest rates (April 2026) – Covers average interest rates across UK deposit and loan accounts using bank and building society data.
🏦 3 Jun: Bank of England to hear views from people in the West Midlands on the cost of living, as part of its Citizens’ Forum Programme.
🏆 11 Jun: FIFA World Cup starts – For the first time in history, the tournament will be co-hosted by three nations – the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and feature an expanded field of 48 teams.
🏏 12 Jun: Women’s T20 World Cup starts – This tenth edition runs until 5 July, featuring 12 teams across 33 matches.
📊 12 Jun: GDP monthly estimate, UK (April 2026) – Measures the value of goods and services produced in the UK and tracks economic growth.
🎖️ 13 Jun: Trooping the Colour – The Household Division parade runs from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, followed by an RAF flypast at 1:00pm.
🔍 16 Jun: Searches for Father’s Day gifts peak – According to Google Trends.
🎬 19 Jun: Toy Story 5 – Animation / Adventure / Comedy, starring Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks, Annie Potts and Wallace Shawn.
☀️ 20 Jun: Summer Solstice – The longest day of the year and the astronomical start of summer.
👨 21 Jun: Father’s Day
🎬 26 Jun: Supergirl – Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi, starring Milly Alcock, Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts and Jason Momoa.
🎶 27 Jun: BST Hyde Park Festival begins – Runs until 12 July, with headliners including Garth Brooks, Maroon 5, Mumford & Sons, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi.
🎾 29 Jun: Wimbledon begins – According to MailMetro, 1 in 5 men aged 16-34 buy summer fashion items specifically for sporting events.
📊 29 Jun: Effective interest rates (May 2026) – Covering UK deposit and loan account rates.
📊 30 Jun: GDP quarterly national accounts, UK (Jan-Mar 2026) – Provides a revised and more precise estimate of UK economic growth.
Working on something great?
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.
