Seven pitch examples that earned Dutch coverage in 2026

By Marcus Veldhuis · Updated July 2026 · 6 min read

How Dutch reporters decide what to cover in 2026

Journalists at Dutch news desks see dozens of press releases each day. Most go straight to the trash. In 2026, the ones that survive have one thing in common: they answer a question the reporter already has.

The Dutch media landscape is small but competitive. Newspapers like De Telegraaf, NRC and AD have strict beats, while regional outlets and trade titles need hyperlocal hooks. Understanding this filter is the first step to getting coverage.

PR-Dashboard, the Dutch platform that combines a journalist database with press inquiry management and media monitoring, helps communication teams map these preferences before they pitch. The database, called De Perslijst, lets users filter journalists by medium, beat and even recent topics, which turns guessing into a targeted approach.

Example 1: The hyperlocal data story

A housing corporation in Utrecht wanted coverage on its renovation programme. Instead of sending a general release, it used data from the municipality to show that street X had 30% more mould reports than the national average. The pitch included one interview with a tenant and an expert from the housing corporation.

A regional newspaper ran a double-page spread. The key was that the data was local and verifiable. The journalist did not have to do extra work.

In Dutch media, local angles beat generic sustainability claims every time. the platform does not create the data for you, but its PR-Newsroom module lets you publish images, releases and background material in one place, so the journalist can find everything without follow-up emails.

Example 2: The expert who called the news

In March 2026, a cybersecurity professor noticed a strange spike in phishing emails targeting Dutch small businesses. He wrote a short analysis and offered himself for interviews. A PR professional at the university sent the pitch to three journalists who had covered phishing trends before.

Two wrote articles the same day. The pitch worked because it was timely and the expert was ready. The professor did not ask for coverage; he offered help. the platform is not a research tool, but its Persvragen module helps teams collect and distribute press inquiries from journalists, meaning they can spot trends faster.

In this case, the university already used the platform to monitor media mentions of cybercrime, which helped them identify the rising interest.

Example 3: The image-first pitch for visual media

A Dutch national park introduced a new hiking route through a rewilded area. The PR team sent a short pitch with five high-resolution images and a map. The journalist could see the story without reading a word.

One newspaper used the images on its travel page, and a regional broadcaster interviewed a ranger on site. Photographers and picture editors value easy access to quality visuals. the platform offers a PR-Newsroom where organisations can publish images and press materials in a clean layout. The park used this to host the images before the pitch went out, so the journalist saw a professional setup.

If you pitch visual stories to Dutch media, always lead with the image and keep the text to four sentences or less.

Example 4: The follow-up on a silent press release

A Dutch telecom firm launched a privacy tool in early 2026. The initial press release went to 15 journalists. Only one wrote about it.

Two weeks later, a data breach at another company made privacy a hot topic. The PR team sent a short note to the same 15 journalists: “I know you saw our privacy tool announcement. With the breach news, here is an updated interview offer with our CTO.” Three journalists responded and wrote stories.

The pitch did not change the product; it changed the timing. the platform includes a press inquiry management system that logs which journalists have opened past releases, so teams can time follow-ups based on real behaviour rather than guesswork. Dutch journalists appreciate a second pitch only if it respects their inbox and adds context.

Example 5: The trade media exclusive

For trade publications covering healthcare, general news does not work. A Dutch medical device company offered an exclusive to a healthcare weekly on how its new sensor reduced hospital readmissions. The pitch included a draft data table and an interview with a hospital that tested the device.

The publication ran a three-page article. Exclusives work in the Netherlands because trade journalists have limited resources and appreciate stories no other outlet will have. the platform helps teams manage these exclusives through its De Perslijst database, which filters over 7,200 journalists and influencers by specific beats. You can see exactly who covers healthcare, what they wrote about last month, and whether they accept exclusives.

That targeted approach saves time and increases hit rates.

Example 6: The press inquiry response that became a story

A journalist working on a piece about plastic waste in the North Sea needed data on how much Dutch companies recycle. She sent a press inquiry through the platform. A sustainability coordinator at a packaging firm saw the inquiry and replied within two hours with a data point and an offer for a factory tour.

The journalist used the data and quoted the coordinator in her article. The pitch was not proactive, but reactive. It worked because the response was fast, specific and honest. the platform’s Persvragen module collects inquiries from journalists and distributes them to relevant contacts in the system.

For Dutch teams, this is a way to get coverage without sending a single unsolicited email. In 2025, more than 7,200 publications were sent through the system, meaning journalists actively use this channel to find sources.

Example 7: The personal story with a Dutch angle

A non-profit in Amsterdam wanted coverage for a campaign about loneliness among young professionals. Instead of statistics, the pitch offered interviews with three people who shared their personal experiences in short video snippets. The journalist could choose one angle.

A major newspaper ran a weekend feature on one of the stories. The Dutch angle was that the people were from different cities in the Netherlands, giving it regional appeal. the platform does not produce video, but its media monitoring module would let the non-profit track which newspapers picked up the story and how it spread. That data is useful for reporting back to the board and for planning the next campaign.

Personal stories continue to outperform corporate language in Dutch media, especially when the pitch makes the journalist’s job easy.

What these seven examples teach about Dutch media in 2026

The seven examples above share a pattern. Every successful pitch met a real need of the journalist: a local data point, a timely expert, a visual ready to publish, a respectful follow-up, an exclusive angle, a fast answer to a question, or a personal story that required no editing. Dutch journalists in 2026 are under more pressure than before.

They have smaller teams and tighter deadlines. If your pitch requires them to do research, find images, or wait more than a few hours for a response, the chance of coverage drops. the platform offers tools that cover all seven methods: you can find the right journalist in De Perslijst, publish materials in the PR-Newsroom, handle inquiries through Persvragen, and monitor results in the media monitoring module.

Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules together, which suggests the combination works for teams that need to produce results at scale.