story-pitch

name	Story Pitch
description	Shape a lead into a story pitch with an angle, sources, and why it matters now.
category	Content

Story Pitch

Turn a raw lead into a pitch an editor can green-light — a clear angle and a reason it matters now.

When to use

• A tip or lead needs assessing before reporting begins.
• The story budget needs fresh pitches to choose from.

Steps

1. Find the angle — the specific story, not the broad topic.
2. Establish why it matters and why now.
3. List the sources and documents you would need.
4. Assess the effort and the risk of not standing it up.
5. State the pitch in a paragraph an editor can decide on.

Output

A one-paragraph pitch: angle, timeliness, sources, and effort, following the [[Editorial standards]]. The editor greenlights or passes.