To build a UK press list: research journalists by publication and beat using Cision/MuckRack/Response Source, segment by tier and topic, verify contact details manually, maintain notes on each journalist’s recent coverage and pitch preferences, and update quarterly as journalists move roles. A strong press list of 50-80 named contacts outperforms a 500-contact generic list every time.
UK press list building tools
- Cision PR Edition (comprehensive but expensive).
- MuckRack (affordable, good for US + UK).
- Response Source (UK-specific, journalists request sources here).
- Manual research via X/LinkedIn profiles.
Press list maintenance
- Check quarterly for journalists who have moved roles.
- Note each journalist’s 3-5 most recent articles.
- Record their pitch preferences (email only, subject line style, etc.).
- Track your pitch history with each journalist.