Pitch Meeting
A pitch meeting is where the BVP Newsroom decides which stories will be reported during the next two-week news cycle. Reporters present their proposed stories, explain why those stories deserve coverage, and show that they have a realistic plan for completing the work.
The meeting is not a brainstorming session where students arrive and begin searching for ideas. It is an editorial meeting where prepared ideas are evaluated, questioned, improved, and either approved or declined.
During the meeting, you will explain what each story is, identify its angle, describe why it matters to our audience, name possible sources, discuss interviews and visuals, and address any problems that could prevent you from completing it. Mr. G and the newsroom may ask questions, suggest changes, narrow the angle, require additional sources, or recommend a different approach.
You must bring two complete story pitches. Either pitch should be developed well enough to become your assigned story. Do not begin full reporting, interviews, or filming until a story has been approved.
This page will teach you how to:
• Prepare two complete story pitches
• Find the story and choose a clear angle
• Show that the story can realistically be reported
• Present the pitch during the meeting
• Record the final decision and begin the approved assignment
The Pitch Meeting is the first working stage of the BVP Two-Week News Cycle. When it ends, every reporter should know exactly what story has been assigned, what angle to follow, what requirements must be met, and what happens next.
Section 1: Come With Two Complete Pitches
The work of a Pitch Meeting begins before the meeting. You are expected to monitor your assigned reporting beats, notice possible stories, and complete enough preliminary research to determine whether those stories are real and reportable.
You must arrive with two different, fully developed story pitches. Both must be serious possibilities, and either one must be ready to become your assigned story.
Each pitch should include:
• A specific story—not merely a broad topic
• A clear angle or central focus
• Why the story matters to our audience
• Why the story should be covered now
• The basic Five Ws and One H
• Possible sources and a realistic live interview
• Potential photographs, B-roll, and natural sound
• A reasonable plan for completing the story by the deadline
A complete pitch does not mean that you have already reported the story. You do not need to conduct interviews, record footage, or write the article before the meeting. You do need enough confirmed information to show that the story exists and that you know how to begin reporting it.
Your second pitch is not a last-minute backup, a vague possibility, or a sentence you invent during the meeting. It must be developed to the same standard as your first pitch.
Before the meeting, ask yourself:
Could I clearly explain either story? If Mr. G approved it today, would I know whom to contact, what I need to learn, what I could film, and how to begin?
If the answer is yes for both pitches, you are prepared.
Section 1: Come With Two Complete Pitches
The work of a Pitch Meeting begins before the meeting. You are expected to monitor your assigned reporting beats, notice possible stories, and complete enough preliminary research to determine whether those stories are real and reportable.
You must arrive with two different, fully developed story pitches. Both must be serious possibilities, and either one must be ready to become your assigned story.
Each pitch should include:
• A specific story—not merely a broad topic
• A clear angle or central focus
• Why the story matters to our audience
• Why the story should be covered now
• The basic Five Ws and One H
• Possible sources and a realistic live interview
• Potential photographs, B-roll, and natural sound
• A reasonable plan for completing the story by the deadline
A complete pitch does not mean that you have already reported the story. You do not need to conduct interviews, record footage, or write the article before the meeting. You do need enough confirmed information to show that the story exists and that you know how to begin reporting it.
Your second pitch is not a last-minute backup, a vague possibility, or a sentence you invent during the meeting. It must be developed to the same standard as your first pitch.
Before the meeting, ask yourself:
Could I clearly explain either story? If Mr. G approved it today, would I know whom to contact, what I need to learn, what I could film, and how to begin?
If the answer is yes for both pitches, you are prepared.
Section 2: Find the Story and Its Angle
Before you can pitch a story, you must understand the difference between a topic, a story, and an angle.
Topic: The broad subject you are covering.
Story: Something specific that is happening within that subject.
Angle: The central focus that guides how you will report the story.
For example:
Topic: Basketball
Story: The varsity basketball team is rebuilding its starting lineup after several experienced players graduated.
Angle: How returning players are becoming leaders and helping new starters prepare for district competition.
Your angle determines whom you interview, what questions you ask, what facts you gather, what footage you record, and what the finished story helps the audience understand. It provides direction, but it is not a conclusion you are trying to prove. Your reporting may reveal that the angle needs to change.
Before the Pitch Meeting, you should be able to explain each proposed story in one clear sentence:
[Something specific is happening], and this story will examine [the central focus] because [why it matters or why it matters now].
Use the Five Ws and One H to test your idea:
• Who is involved, affected, or qualified to explain it?
• What is happening, changing, being achieved, or decided?
• When did it happen, or when will it happen?
• Where is it happening?
• Why is it happening, and why should the audience care?
• How did it develop, and how are people responding?
A strong pitch explains both why the story matters and why it should be covered now. If you can name only a person, team, club, program, or event, you still have a topic. Continue looking until you find the actual story inside it.
Section 2: Find the Story and Its Angle
Before you can pitch a story, you must understand the difference between a topic, a story, and an angle.
Topic: The broad subject you are covering.
Story: Something specific that is happening within that subject.
Angle: The central focus that guides how you will report the story.
For example:
Topic: Basketball
Story: The varsity basketball team is rebuilding its starting lineup after several experienced players graduated.
Angle: How returning players are becoming leaders and helping new starters prepare for district competition.
Your angle determines whom you interview, what questions you ask, what facts you gather, what footage you record, and what the finished story helps the audience understand. It provides direction, but it is not a conclusion you are trying to prove. Your reporting may reveal that the angle needs to change.
Before the Pitch Meeting, you should be able to explain each proposed story in one clear sentence:
[Something specific is happening], and this story will examine [the central focus] because [why it matters or why it matters now].
Use the Five Ws and One H to test your idea:
• Who is involved, affected, or qualified to explain it?
• What is happening, changing, being achieved, or decided?
• When did it happen, or when will it happen?
• Where is it happening?
• Why is it happening, and why should the audience care?
• How did it develop, and how are people responding?
A strong pitch explains both why the story matters and why it should be covered now. If you can name only a person, team, club, program, or event, you still have a topic. Continue looking until you find the actual story inside it.
Section 3: Prove You Can Report It
A promising idea is not enough. Before a story can be approved, you must show that you can realistically gather the people, information, interviews, visuals, and sound needed to complete it.
Begin by identifying your sources. A source should have firsthand knowledge, official responsibility, useful experience, or reliable information connected to the story. Do not simply say that you will “talk to some students.” Name the people or types of people you need and explain what each could contribute.
Your pitch should identify:
- At least one realistic live interview
- Additional sources who can confirm facts or provide another perspective
- Several starter questions connected to your angle
- The action, locations, details, and people you could film
- Opportunities to record useful natural sound
- Any access, scheduling, transportation, or permission requirements
- A backup source, filming opportunity, or reporting approach
Be honest about what has and has not been confirmed. Finding someone’s name is not the same as contacting them, and sending a message is not the same as receiving permission or confirming an interview.
You must also consider the complete deadline. Reporting has to finish early enough for you to review your material, verify facts, write the article, edit the package, receive feedback, and make corrections.
Before presenting the pitch, ask:
Can I reach the people involved? Can I access and record the necessary locations or activities? Will everything happen in time? What will I do if my primary source, event, or filming opportunity becomes unavailable?
If the essential interviews, information, visuals, or access cannot realistically be obtained, the story is not ready for approval.
Section 3: Prove You Can Report It
A promising idea is not enough. Before a story can be approved, you must show that you can realistically gather the people, information, interviews, visuals, and sound needed to complete it.
Begin by identifying your sources. A source should have firsthand knowledge, official responsibility, useful experience, or reliable information connected to the story. Do not simply say that you will “talk to some students.” Name the people or types of people you need and explain what each could contribute.
Your pitch should identify:
- At least one realistic live interview
- Additional sources who can confirm facts or provide another perspective
- Several starter questions connected to your angle
- The action, locations, details, and people you could film
- Opportunities to record useful natural sound
- Any access, scheduling, transportation, or permission requirements
- A backup source, filming opportunity, or reporting approach
Be honest about what has and has not been confirmed. Finding someone’s name is not the same as contacting them, and sending a message is not the same as receiving permission or confirming an interview.
You must also consider the complete deadline. Reporting has to finish early enough for you to review your material, verify facts, write the article, edit the package, receive feedback, and make corrections.
Before presenting the pitch, ask:
Can I reach the people involved? Can I access and record the necessary locations or activities? Will everything happen in time? What will I do if my primary source, event, or filming opportunity becomes unavailable?
If the essential interviews, information, visuals, or access cannot realistically be obtained, the story is not ready for approval.
Section 4: Present the Pitch
A strong verbal pitch is brief, clear, prepared, and open to newsroom feedback. Your job is to make the proposed story easy for the newsroom to understand and evaluate.
Do not read your entire preparation form aloud or spend several minutes explaining background information. Use your notes as a guide and summarize the most important parts of the story.
Present each pitch in this order:
- State the story: Explain what is happening in one clear sentence.
- Give the angle: Identify the particular focus you want to pursue.
- Explain its value: State why the audience should care and why the story matters now.
- Describe the reporting plan: Identify the main sources, live interviews, visuals, and natural sound.
- Address feasibility: Explain the timing, access, permissions, possible obstacles, and backup plan.
- State the intended result: Explain what the audience should understand after seeing or reading the completed story.
After you present each pitch, Mr. G and the newsroom may ask questions, identify missing information, suggest stronger sources or visuals, narrow the angle, or recommend a different approach. Answer directly and honestly. If you do not know something, explain how you will find out.
Your pitch may receive one of these decisions:
- Approved: The story may move forward as presented.
- Approved with changes: The story may move forward after required changes are added to the assignment.
- Hold: The idea may be useful later, but it is not approved for the current cycle.
- Needs development: More research or planning is required before a decision can be made.
- Not approved: The newsroom will not pursue the idea in its current form.
Listen carefully, take notes, and record the exact decision. Positive comments do not automatically mean that a story has been approved.
Do not begin reporting until Mr. G has clearly approved the story and its assigned direction.
Section 4: Present the Pitch
A strong verbal pitch is brief, clear, prepared, and open to newsroom feedback. Your job is to make the proposed story easy for the newsroom to understand and evaluate.
Do not read your entire preparation form aloud or spend several minutes explaining background information. Use your notes as a guide and summarize the most important parts of the story.
Present each pitch in this order:
- State the story: Explain what is happening in one clear sentence.
- Give the angle: Identify the particular focus you want to pursue.
- Explain its value: State why the audience should care and why the story matters now.
- Describe the reporting plan: Identify the main sources, live interviews, visuals, and natural sound.
- Address feasibility: Explain the timing, access, permissions, possible obstacles, and backup plan.
- State the intended result: Explain what the audience should understand after seeing or reading the completed story.
After you present each pitch, Mr. G and the newsroom may ask questions, identify missing information, suggest stronger sources or visuals, narrow the angle, or recommend a different approach. Answer directly and honestly. If you do not know something, explain how you will find out.
Your pitch may receive one of these decisions:
- Approved: The story may move forward as presented.
- Approved with changes: The story may move forward after required changes are added to the assignment.
- Hold: The idea may be useful later, but it is not approved for the current cycle.
- Needs development: More research or planning is required before a decision can be made.
- Not approved: The newsroom will not pursue the idea in its current form.
Listen carefully, take notes, and record the exact decision. Positive comments do not automatically mean that a story has been approved.
Do not begin reporting until Mr. G has clearly approved the story and its assigned direction.
Section 5: Approved! What Happens Next?
Approval does not mean wait. It means that your pitch has become an assignment and the work begins immediately.
The story you are assigned may not be identical to the one you originally proposed. Mr. G may approve it with a narrower angle, additional sources, different visuals, or other required changes. Write down exactly what was approved instead of relying on memory.
Before leaving the Pitch Meeting, record:
- The approved story and exact angle
- The intended value to the audience
- Required sources or perspectives
- Required visuals, sound, or format
- Every change requested by Mr. G
- Reporting checkpoints and final deadlines
- Any condition that must be confirmed before continuing
Turn the feedback you received into specific tasks. For example, “add another perspective” becomes “contact a second student for an interview,” and “get better visuals” becomes “film the activity in progress using wide, medium, close-up, and detail shots.”
Your first actions after approval are to:
- Contact the essential sources
- Schedule interviews and filming
- Prepare complete questions for each source
- Finalize the footage and natural-sound plan
- Confirm access, permissions, equipment, and transportation
- Assign responsibilities if you are working with a team
- Begin gathering verified information and usable footage
If reporting reveals that the original angle is inaccurate or that the story has significantly changed, speak with Mr. G. Do not silently change the assignment or force the facts to fit the original pitch.
You should leave the Pitch Meeting knowing exactly what story you are reporting, what you must accomplish, and when everything is due.
Approved is not the finish line. It is the starting signal.
Section 5: Approved! What Happens Next?
Approval does not mean wait. It means that your pitch has become an assignment and the work begins immediately.
The story you are assigned may not be identical to the one you originally proposed. Mr. G may approve it with a narrower angle, additional sources, different visuals, or other required changes. Write down exactly what was approved instead of relying on memory.
Before leaving the Pitch Meeting, record:
- The approved story and exact angle
- The intended value to the audience
- Required sources or perspectives
- Required visuals, sound, or format
- Every change requested by Mr. G
- Reporting checkpoints and final deadlines
- Any condition that must be confirmed before continuing
Turn the feedback you received into specific tasks. For example, “add another perspective” becomes “contact a second student for an interview,” and “get better visuals” becomes “film the activity in progress using wide, medium, close-up, and detail shots.”
Your first actions after approval are to:
- Contact the essential sources
- Schedule interviews and filming
- Prepare complete questions for each source
- Finalize the footage and natural-sound plan
- Confirm access, permissions, equipment, and transportation
- Assign responsibilities if you are working with a team
- Begin gathering verified information and usable footage
If reporting reveals that the original angle is inaccurate or that the story has significantly changed, speak with Mr. G. Do not silently change the assignment or force the facts to fit the original pitch.
You should leave the Pitch Meeting knowing exactly what story you are reporting, what you must accomplish, and when everything is due.
Approved is not the finish line. It is the starting signal.