Pitch Practice: Smithsonian Story Ideation
Below is an assignment for a Medill course in Winter 2021. For the assignment, we chose a publication to create short and long pitches for, line edit an existing piece for the publication, and create pitch packages, including social media plans. Please feel free to email me (kaitlyn@mediafeed.org) if you have questions or would like to discuss my editing or pitching process.
Smithsonian Short Pitches (NOTE: I’m pitching for its online audience since its print stories are far longer.)
The Secret Origin Of Cupid’s Big Day
Brief: This story would discuss Valentine’s Day’s history and how it became a “Hallmark holiday” full of roses and chocolates. Before the Westernization of the holiday for largely capitalistic purposes, the Romans used this day to sacrifice animals and whip women, which they believed helped make them more fertile.
Why this story and social media package: The story would run near Valentine’s Day, making it a timely arts & culture piece. I would run it with the lede as a tease on Facebook and Instagram the week of Valentine’s Day and again on February 14. I would use archival sketching of the ceremony, similar to NPR’s, to hint at the holiday’s darker origin.
https://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day
The Rise of Esports During The Pandemic
Brief: Esports started with old-fashioned Nintendo arcade tournaments and have morphed into a billion-dollar industry. Many colleges even have Esports teams that compete nationally. This piece would describe how the pandemic and platforms like Twitch have helped the industry become more mainstream, especially during the pandemic.
Why this story and social media package: Many Twitch “streamers,” who live stream their gameplays, have amassed thousands of followers during the pandemic. Since the magazine’s average audience is older, it would be interesting and timely to explain what Twitch, streaming, and Esports are and why many of the younger people in their lives may have started watching streamers during the pandemic. On social media, I would run this around the same week as the Super Bowl and post photos of popular streamers and past tournaments.
https://medium.com/@BountieGaming/the-history-and-evolution-of-esports-8ab6c1cf3257
The First 100: How Biden Stacks Up So Far
Brief: The piece would be a listicle briefly comparing the critical moments of the past three presidents’ first 100 days in office. Smithsonian commonly does listicles such as this to provide historical context to explain today’s news. It would have a brief nut paragraph to introduce it and then a list of key accomplishments underneath each president’s photo.
Why this story and social media package: While Biden hasn’t finished his first 100 days yet, many news sites have dedicated tabs called “The First 100 Days” already, mainly because Biden has already passed and reversed many orders. On social media, I would run this story with a description of one of the most interesting accomplishments on the list as the post body and update the list after Biden’s first 100 days are over.
https://www.history.com/news/fast-facts-on-the-first-100-days
Can’t Get Tickets To The Super Bowl? You Can Still Do The Wave.
Brief: The Wave is a popular fan phenomenon that isn’t likely to happen at this year’s Super Bowl. Instead, this article would focus on giving the history of The Wave and how it became an integral part of the spectator’s stadium experience.
Why this story and social media package: The piece would run the week of Super Bowl and contain a video of fans doing “the wave.” It’s timely because the Super Bowl is coming up, and fans will be nostalgic for their past stadium experiences.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article243595627.html
https://www.espn.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/18888/its-settled-where-the-wave-first-started
https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-21439,00.html
The Little-Known Drug Bust That Took Down Wall Street
Brief: The nut graf would briefly explain the GameStop stock fiasco. It would explain that this isn’t the first time traditional Wall Street brokers have debatably gotten their “just desserts.” It would then describe a lesser-known example of this called Operation Buy And Cry, where, in 1987, police arrested 16 brokers for drug charges.
Why this story and social media package: People are still talking about the recent GameStop stock fiasco. This piece would provide another example of Wall Street executives not exactly coming out on top for once. The social media package would include a brief teaser about the event and a photo from the arrest, if possible. Otherwise, it would run with a stock image of Wall Street or GameStop.
https://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/08/10-outrageous-wall-street-storiescommentary.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/4-crazy-wall-street-stories-162433462.html
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-04-17-8701290335-story.html
No, Alexa Isn’t Recording Your Every Word
Brief: While home devices like Alexa do listen to you for their “wake” word, they can’t use whatever you say before or after that command to “listen” in on your 24/7. Amazon can’t use this information to send you targeted ads since it would take an absurd amount of time, manpower, and gigabytes to do so. Additionally, Alexa just isn’t good enough at understanding human voices to decipher every word you say when you’re not giving “her” a command.
Why this story and social media package: This is a timely story because many people are using home assistants like Alexa during the pandemic to set school reminders, order groceries, and check in on family. However, many people, including Smithsonian’s target audience, still carry misconceptions about what exactly Alexa is recording and why “she” records you at all. The social media package would run with the header and a photo of an Alexa.
https://www.cnet.com/news/we-tried-to-get-facebook-to-send-us-ads-based-on-our-conversations/
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/amazons-alexa-never-stops-listening-to-you/
https://news.northeastern.edu/2018/07/06/is-your-smartphone-spying-on-you/
America’s Troubled Vaccine Rollout History
Brief: Many people have said they won’t take the COVID-19 vaccination because they don’t yet trust it. People often cite some of its failed rollouts as part of the issue. However, Americans were quick to line up for the polio vaccine, even though its rollout was arguably far more flawed. The article would focus on comparing the two vaccines’ rollouts and public reactions to the vaccines.
Why this story and social media package: As more companies get vaccines for Covid-19 ready, many Americans are still reluctant to get it and don’t trust the rollout. This brief would provide historical context that shows that, while the rollout wasn’t exactly smooth, it still wasn’t nearly as fatal as the polio vaccine rollout was. For social media, I would start with a poll asking users if they plan on taking the Covid-19 vaccine, with options ranging from “no, not ever” to “I already had my first or second dosage,” with intermediates such as “yes, after more people have taken it.” A few days after it, I would post the article with the survey results, both in the story and in the post.
https://khn.org/news/trust-fear-and-solidarity-will-determine-the-success-of-a-covid-vaccine/
Rethinking Tourism For The Earth’s Sake
Brief: Several cities across the world have seen decreases in air pollution during their mandated shutdowns. Many Austrian cities are now using this information to rethink their post-pandemic tourism plans to find ways to promote more eco-friendly travel options, such as discouraging airfare and car travel, and using “free spaces” more wisely in densely populated areas.
Why this story and social media package: With Biden recommitting the U.S. to the Paris Climate Agreement, more Americans are interested in ways overseas climate issues affect the U.S., including limiting where they can travel and how they can travel. The social media post would include graphics that show the air pollution pre-pandemic and during lockdown orders to show the difference in air quality.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213078020300530
Brief Story Write Up: Can’t Get Tickets To The Super Bowl? You Can Still Do The Wave
Last year, just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Super Bowl drew in a crowd of over 65,000 fans to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Now, with the virus still an ongoing threat, the NFL announced that it only sold 14,500 tickets. That’s on top of an additional 7,500 to vaccinated health care workers, The New York Times reports.
While that means a few lucky fans will be able to enjoy the game in-person, the smaller crowd leaves another fan-favorite tradition in limbo: The Wave. Fans once called it “The Mexican Wave,” since it became most popular after the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, ESPN reports.
However, The Guardian found its origin was actually earlier than that. Professional cheerleader “Krazy” George Henderson led The Wave at a Major League Baseball game on October 15, 1981, in Oakland, California.
For years, the University of Washington claimed that the first Wave happened at their school on October 30, just 15 days after Henderson’s televised Wave. Oakland Athletics settled the feud in 2013 when it released a highlight reel backing up Henderson’s claim to fame.
No matter if The Wave happens at the Super Bowl this year or not, Henderson previously told ESPN that he was glad the situation was over. “After all, October 15 comes before the 31st,” Henderson said.
ESPN said that Henderson, 68, now lives in Maryland. Since the fiasco, he posted the highlight reel on his website so doubters can see it for themselves.
"I don't claim I invented The Wave,” Henderson told ESPN. “I did invent The Wave."
Super Bowl 55 airs on February 7. The Kansas City Chiefs will verse the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Raymond James Stadium.
-30-
Word Count: 281
Heds and Deks
Hed: Have You Done The Wave? Thank “Krazy” George.
Dek: Whether you were lucky enough to score Super Bowl tickets or not, this professional cheerleader hopes you’ll still do The Wave on February 7
Hed: Meet The Professional Cheerleader Responsible For The Wave
Dek: "Krazy" George led the first televised Wave in 1986. After years of debate, ESPN proved it in 2013.
Hed: Can’t Get Tickets To The Super Bowl? You Can Still Do The Wave.
Dek: Viewers watching from home can thank "Krazy" George for this fan-favorite tradition.
Hed: This Cheerleader Fought A University for Taking Credit for The Wave. 27 Years Later, He Won.
Dek: "Krazy" George led the first televised Wave in 1986. Until 2013, The University of Washington tried to prove him wrong.
Hed: The Super Bowl Will Look Different This Year, But This Tradition Doesn’t Have To
Dek: No matter where you watch this year’s Super Bowl, be sure to thank "Krazy" George for The Wave.
Tweets:
Are you planning to do The Wave during the Super Bowl? Thank “Krazy” George Henderson.
You may not be able to watch the Super Bowl in person this year, but “Krazy” George Henderson hopes you still do The Wave from your couch.
Thought the Super Bowl was competitive? This professional cheerleader fought a university for ownership of The Wave.
Smithsonian Long Pitches
The Big Apple Is Shrinking During Covid-19
Dek: New York City has been a metropolitan powerhouse for decades. But this isn’t the first time city-dwellers fell out of love with metropolitan life.
Social media strategy:
“Did you leave NYC during the pandemic? You’re not alone.”
“Many people left NYC during Covid-19. It’s likely many won’t return.”
“People fled NYC in fear of Covid-19. But this isn’t the first time many have doubted the charm of big-city living.”
Description
New York City’s population decreased during the pandemic. People left because of fears that being in such a densely populated area would lead to an increased risk of contracting Covid-19. However, even before the pandemic, New York City and other major cities saw significant decreases in their populations.
Some commonly cited reasons for this include job opportunities, safety concerns, high-stress lifestyles, commute issues, and high living costs. As people who “temporarily” left the city see the benefits of living in the suburbs and more remote areas, experts believe many of these individuals won’t return, especially as experts expect more jobs to stay remote or offer some remote options after the pandemic.
In 2010, more people left New York City than ever before. Economists cited the after-effects of the Great Recession as a significant reason why people left. They believed that many people stayed away from the city even as the economy bounced back because of the perks they found to living outside of the city.
Economists and environmentalists believe that New York City will lose those who left during “pandemic flight,” as they do not believe many of them will return after the pandemic. The story would expand upon this “pandemic flight” phenomenon and explore whether the flight actually ever stopped after 2010 or if it carried on to the present day.
Additionally, the story would use a mix of expert sources and locals who have decided to leave, stay, and want to leave but can’t for various reasons. It will explore the challenges of diverse populations, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses. The overall piece will explore the history of depopulation in New York City and why that trend isn’t likely to stop even after the pandemic.
Special Treatment: This piece would focus on why people historically leave big cities, emphasizing different reasons for different ethnicities (such as gentrification, job promotions, wanting to live somewhere safer, getting a bigger home, etc.)
Ideal Sourcing: Ideal sourcing would include:
Data from Bloomberg on depopulation trends in NYC
Experts interviews with historians or professor specializing in urban trends and/or gentrification (such as Justin Hollander, urban and environmental policy and planning professor at Tufts)
Individuals who have left NYC during the pandemic
Individuals who have left NYC before the pandemic (ideally for a variety of reasons, such as safety concerns or job opportunities)
Individuals who have opted to stay in NYC and are working to help with volunteer efforts, Covid-19 contact tracing, etc.
Individuals who are still in NYC but want to leave
Health experts who can provide an intersectional view of “white flight” and other population trends and health concerns, such as Deepti Adlakha, an environmental health researcher at Queen’s University Belfast
Est WC: 1500
Smithsonian Long Pitches
Sanford Strong: The ‘500-Year Flood’ That Destroyed A Village
Dek: In May 2020, a dam in Midland County, Michigan, breached, causing historical damage and triggering a major disaster declaration. A year later, Sanford Village is still struggling to recover.
Social media strategy
In May 2020, historic flooding destroyed Michigan’s Sanford Village. A year later, they’re still recovering.
A year ago, a ‘500-Year-Flood’ struck Midland County, Michigan. While Midland City is steadily recovering, Sanford Village hasn’t been as lucky.
Last year, Mid-Michigan’s ‘500-Year-Flood’ decimated Sanford Village. Today, locals are still struggling to recover.
Description
In May 2020, Midland County, Michigan, experienced record-level flooding after heavy rainfall and a local dam breach. Over 10,000 people fled their homes, but no one died because of the flood. This piece would be a one-year follow up scheduled to run in May.
While the floods impacted Midland City residents, many of its residents were older and had other homes outside the city. However, in neighboring Sanford Village, the damage was much more severe since the floods ravaged the town and destroyed most homes and businesses. My previous reporting estimates that the flood created over $23 million of damage in Sanford alone, not taking into account shared or jointly owned bridges and roads.
FEMA and other forms of aid have helped residents around Midland County. Still, most Sanford residents I spoke with said their insurance agencies denied flood insurance, saying they didn’t offer it. Additionally, already-struggling businesses are still struggling to reopen. Even before the flood, many business owners said locals often traded them for goods or kept credit tabs that most of them now can’t repay.
As an added complication, Boyce Hyrdo, the company that owns the dam that breached, has had repeatedly failed state safety inspections. Now, there is an ongoing feud between the company and Four Lakes Task Force for ownership of the Sanford Dam, creating additional friction between locals and government agencies.
The story would focus on grassroots efforts a Facebook group called Sanford Strong has largely organized. Local attorneys, business owners, and anyone else capable of helping are still volunteering whenever possible. The story would also compare how, like other natural disasters, the 500-Year-Flood disproportionately hurt those who were already suffering, as evidenced by the progress Midland City has made compared to Sanford Village. Experts would compare this natural disaster with others in U.S. history to examine their impacts on poorer and minority populations.
Special Treatment: Be careful to make the Boyce Hydro lawsuits more of an aside than the main focus. Several other stories have already focused on this angle. The focus here should be on comparing how the wealthier Midland City has recovered vs. the resource-strapped Sanford Village, which bore the brunt of the flood’s damage, and how that’s a trend throughout natural disaster history in the U.S.
Ideal Sourcing:
First responders (such as firefighters and police I’ve already interviewed)
Sanford Strong Facebook group members (especially leader and attorney Angela Cole)
Flood victims (already interviewed; revisit them)
Sanford and Midland City officials (already interviewed; revisit them)
Boyce Hydro officials
Experts or professors focusing on natural disasters and social impacts
Experts or professor focusing on natural disasters and economic recovery
FEMA volunteers and officials (already interviewed; revisit them)
Est WC: 3000
Line Edit Practice
As America’s business landscape continuously changes, people scatter to the latest job hubs either after facing layoffs or in hopes of finding a better-paying job. This is causing more metropolitans to feel the growing pains of becoming a job hub, including California’s Bay Region. As a result, a recent Apartment List study indicates that the region is seeing one of the country’s worst housing crises due to population increases.
Before the current post-Great Recession rent increases, America’s rusting auto industry in the 1980s caused workers to flee to other metropolitan areas for new work opportunities. However, these flights have led to increasingly sparse housing as many metropolitans struggle to keep up with their booming populations.
In 2017, Apartment List estimated that only 10 of 50 American metropolitan areas are building new housing units fast enough to keep up with job growth. In an already tight, post-recession housing market, finding a place to live will get even tougher.
The study added that housing shortages will hit the Bay Area worse than any other metropolitan area. San Jose came in at number one on the list, with the lowest rates of new construction and the fastest rent growth at 57%. San Fransisco, which is also in the Bay area, has the second-largest rent increase.
Overall, San Fransisco County saw the highest-growing rental rates, according to the study. The city has added 6.2 jobs for every livable housing unit from 2005 to 2015. For comparison, the study estimates that cities need to add at least one unit for every one to two new jobs.
According to Apartment List, continuously increasing housing demands in the Bay Area will likely price out low and middle-income residents. Skyrocketing rent could therefore result in further gentrification in the already hard-hit area.
-30-
Word Count: 294
Hedline: The Hidden Cost Of Job Growth In California's Bay Region
Dek: American metropolitans are growing faster than their rural counterparts. As more people move to California hoping for a job, Bay Area’s already sparse housing marketing can’t keep up.
Facebook status: “People are flocking to the Bay Area for jobs, driving up demand for already scarce housing. Even as jobs in the area increase, skyrocketing rent is displacing California’s middle and lower classes.” I would include a graphic showing Bay Area’s housing availability from 2010 to the present.
Instagram: “While job growth may sound great to most metropolitans, California’s Bay Area housing marketing is struggling to keep up with demand.” I would include an image of a packed Bay Area apartment complex, if available, or a Bay Area stock image if necessary.
Tweets:
“An increase in jobs could displace California’s Bay Area middle and lower classes from their homes.”
“As more people move to California hoping for a job, Bay Area’s already sparse housing marketing can’t keep up with demand.”
