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About eight out of 10 self-publishing creator journalists (82 percent) say that at least some of their stories are based on a PR pitch, according to a study from Muck Rack.
According to The State of Creator Journalism 2025, almost a third of the more than 500 self-publishing creator journalists surveyed (32 percent) think their relationships with PR pros are “very important” to being successful at their jobs, with another 25 percent calling that relationship an “important” one.
That tops non-creator journalists by a considerable margin. Only about a fifth of them (21 percent) said that the PR pro-journalist relationship is very important.
Creator journalists also respond to PR pitches more frequently than their non-creator peers do. Twenty-nine percent of creator journalists said that they either “always” or “usually” respond to PR pros who pitch stories, while only 17 percent of non-creators said the same.
However, the survey suggests that PR pros are dropping the ball when it comes to accurately targeting pitches to the creator journalists who receive them. Only 6 percent of the creator journalists surveyed said that the pitches they receive are “always” relevant to the topics they cover, with another 22 percent saying that they pitches they get “usually” hit the mark.
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That leaves almost three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) saying that half or fewer of the pitches they receive are relevant to their beat.
What do creator journalists want to see in a pitch? In addition to relevance (60 percent), they are looking for interview access to relevant sources (61 percent), original data or research (40 percent), high-resolution images (38 percent) and exclusive or embargoed content (32 percent).
They also want pitches that don’t waste time getting to the point. A majority (58 percent) prefer that pitches be between 100 and 300 words, while 17 percent want them to be under 100 words.
Muck Rack’s report also goes into the factors behind the growth of creator journalism. Creative or editorial freedom is the biggest motivator for 57 percent of those who venture into self-publishing, with 13 percent citing professional branding or career development, and 10 percent saying they are trying to fill a gap in media coverage. Only 9 percent look at creator journalism as a “financial opportunity.”
As for where they publish, 53 use personal websites or blogs as a preferred medium, with email newsletters such as Substack or Ghost being used by 41 percent. Platforms including Instagram (30 percent), LinkedIn (29 percent) and X (26 percent) followed behind, and only 18 percent distribute their work via podcasts.
Any while it is growing, creator journalism still remains largely a niche platform. Almost eight out of ten (78 percent) said they have fewer than 10,000 followers or subscribers, with 40 percent recording audiences of less than 1,000. Only 5 percent were in the 100,000 or higher range.
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