Pitch to:
The relevant department head – names are all on the masthead: firstname.surname@BBC.com
Type of article:
Absolutely nothing on spec. We commission main features on food issues, such as carbon labelling/rising prices, and interesting ethical food producers, to experienced food writers; recipe features to experienced recipe writers; restaurant features to restaurant experts; and food-focused, practical travel guides to writers who really know the food scene.
How to pitch:
Email the relevant department head, not me please, with specific ideas that fit into the olive blueprint. Include head, sell and two lines about the content.
Post pitch:
If the idea is a winner we’ll get back to you at once. If you don’t hear within a week, one follow-up email should jog our memories.
What will impress:
Pitches written in the olive tone. Clever angles on restaurant features. Demonstrating you can make serious food issues readable and easy to understand. Original main-feature ideas that make brilliant coverlines.
What won’t impress:
Being pounced on at press launches. Other calls or emails that are unlikely to get a positive response are: ‘I’m going on a press trip to Hong Kong for three days tomorrow and might be able to interview a chef while there. Can you send me a mag so I can see the kind of thing you do…”, ‘I had lunch with Flibberty Gibbertt PR yesterday and he suggested I write about (insert name of client here) for olive.”
Rates for pieces:
Depends on the length of feature and research involved.
Images:
If it shows how well you know a particular producer/destination.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
