How to Pitch Stories that Land an Assignment
Breaking into today’s media landscape takes more than a good idea — it requires a strong angle, cultural insight, and good understanding of what editors actually want.
Hosted by the Asian American Journalists Association New York Chapter and the Deadline Club, the New York chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, this panel brings together editors across beats to demystify the pitching process for journalists.
Panelists Vivian Toy (The New York Times), Althea Chang-Cook (Consumer Reports), and Manisha Krishnan (WIRED), moderated by AAJA New York President Tina Wang, will discuss how they evaluate pitches, common mistakes that hold stories back, and how cultural depth can strengthen reporting rather than dilute it. The evening will conclude with an open networking session for attendees to connect, exchange ideas, and spark future collaborations. This event is in partnership with Weber Shandwick.
Agenda
5:30 PM - 5:50 PM: Check-in (please arrive by 5:50 pm to make time for check in. Panel will start at 6 pm.)
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Panel
6:30 PM - 6:45 PM: Q&A
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM: Open Networking
Vivian Toy (panelist)
As a senior editor and head of the newsroom's Culture and Careers department, I help manage the newsroom, overseeing a team that focuses on making the newsroom a better place to work, as well as on recruitment and programs for early career journalists. We help editors strengthen their management skills and help all colleagues navigate a newsroom that can often feel immense and intimidating. I have been at The New York Times for 30 years, first as a reporter on the Metro and Real Estate desks, and then as the editor of the Real Estate desk for nearly eight years before helping launch the Culture and Careers department. Born and raised in New York's Chinatown, I live in Brooklyn now and have three children and a rescue dog named Bagel.
Althea Chang-Cook (panelist)
Althea Chang-Cook is a writer and editor at Consumer Reports, where she works to inform consumers about household products, product safety, and more, with a focus on reaching and engaging a younger and more diverse audience. Prior to working at CR, she edited freelance writers at an automotive enthusiast site, The Drive, wrote technology reviews for Tom's Guide, covered the stock market at various publications and was a video producer, writer, and editor at CNBC. She's been a member of the Asian American Journalists Association for about 20 years and now serves as its Director of Operations.
Manisha Krishnan
Manisha Krishnan is an Emmy award-winning journalist and senior culture editor at WIRED. Prior to joining WIRED, she was a senior reporter and editor at VICE News for nearly nine years, covering drugs, race, guns, and many different subcultures. Her work has also appeared in the Guardian, Business Insider, CNN, CBC, and the Toronto Star, among other publications. Manisha grew up in Vancouver, Canada and is now based in New York City.
Xintian Tina Wang (moderator)
Xintian Tina Wang is a culture and arts journalist whose work has appeared in TIME, HuffPost, NBC News, VICE, ELLE, ARTNews, Observer, and Business Insider, among others. Her reporting and documentaries have earned recognition from the Gracie Awards, the United Nations Correspondents Association, the Italgas Global Prize, and the Boston Short Film Festival. Beyond the newsroom, Wang champions civic engagement and media equity. As the President of the Asian American Journalists Association’s New York Chapter, she leads programs that amplify underrepresented voices in media.