Journalism matters. Its livelihoods are under pressure.
Staff roles are under pressure, while independent journalists face the challenge of turning valuable reporting into a sustainable living.
FOR BETTER PR AND A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR JOURNALISM
Better PR.
Sustainable Journalism.
The world needs journalism. Good stories need human connection.
Backfeed brings PR professionals and journalists into a more open, constructive exchange. Better understanding of what makes a story. More useful insight for clients. More sustainable livelihoods for the people whose journalism we all depend on.
Independent voices. Shared understanding. Stronger journalism.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The world needs journalism. Journalism needs a better deal.
Independent journalism helps us understand the world, question power and hear stories that might otherwise go untold. Supporting the people who do that work matters to all of us.
THE OLD PROTOCOL
More pitches. Less time. Too little understanding.
Journalists cannot triage the volume
Overloaded inboxes make valuable ideas difficult to find and leave little time for explanation or response.
More automation. Less human connection.
AI-generated pitches and outreach bots make it easier to send more. They do not create more time for journalists to read, consider or respond.
An outdated expectation of free attention.
The old pitching model assumes journalists can assess every submission for free. Their time and judgement deserve a more sustainable exchange.
PR firms cannot account for the silence
Clients fund outreach that may never be read, while PR teams lack the evidence to explain rejection or reshape the next pitch.
Independent journalism needs broader income
A democratised media ecosystem needs income beyond advertising without trading away editorial independence.
THE NEW GATEKEEPER
When software screens the pitch, human judgement becomes harder to reach.
Newsrooms are beginning to use AI to sort, rank and route inbound pitches. That may help overloaded desks manage volume, but it can make earned-media outreach even more opaque: PR teams may never know whether a journalist saw the idea, why it was passed over or what would make the next pitch more relevant.
More messages cannot replace a better conversation.A BETTER WAY FORWARD
The best stories start with understanding.
PR and journalism work best when both sides can be clear about what is interesting, what is missing and what could make a story. Constructive feedback helps PR professionals give clients better advice and recognises the expertise behind a journalist’s response.
Backfeed makes room for that exchange: an exact pitch, a journalist’s independent assessment and the opportunity for one clarification. A practical step towards better PR and more sustainable journalism.
TWO PERSPECTIVES. SHARED PROGRESS.
A better exchange starts with both sides.
01
PR and communications professional
→02Create a private request and learn what makes the next pitch better.
Journalist or content creator
→Journalist profiles, membership and contact details are never public.Join privately and earn for candid professional feedback.
ONE GOVERNED JOURNEY
- 01Submit the exact pitch
Name the journalist, choose the response level and attach supporting material. Backfeed preserves the pitch exactly as submitted.
- 02Backfeed handles the private request
The journalist decides whether to accept. Their membership and contact route are never disclosed.
- 03Receive an independent response
Complete the request, ask one clarification or request a refund during the 72-hour review window shown with the transaction.
Fees cover independent feedback. They never create an obligation to publish or provide favourable coverage. Journalists choose whether to accept each request.
EVERYONE BENEFITS
Better understanding. Stronger journalism.
FOR PR PROFESSIONALS
More productive PR
Recover time, reduce blind outreach and improve the quality of client service.
FOR CLIENTS
Better client intelligence
Receive clearer evidence about why a pitch failed and how the next one should change.
FOR JOURNALISTS
More sustainable journalism
Earn from professional judgement without selling coverage or compromising independence.
FOR SOCIETY
A healthier media ecosystem
Support informed people and accountable institutions through more diverse, better-funded journalism.
CHOOSE YOUR SIDE OF THE EXCHANGE