TV producers don’t just want a good pitch—they want the right pitch, at the right time, with the right guest. And while news cycles are faster and more crowded than ever, the most memorable segments aren’t always the ones tied to breaking headlines. Sometimes, what really lands is the expert who can make a story resonate with a community.
To dig into what actually works (and what doesn’t), we caught up with 3x Emmy award winner Hayley Connor, who produces one of CNN’s top newscasts: CNN This Morning. She shares how to break through when a pitch isn’t tied to a headline, what kind of experts make a lasting impact, and the small details PR folks often overlook that can make or break a segment.
Read on for her take—and some honest, actionable advice for getting guests on air.
Q: What makes a pitch stand out even when it’s not directly tied to a news cycle?
HC: If a pitch doesn't have a tie to the news cycle, it needs to answer 1 specific question for me: Why does it matter to our viewers? If the pitch has a reason this is important to regular folks across the country, then it can hook me.
Q: When do you find it helpful to hear from industry experts beyond the usual political voices?
HC: I like to hear from an industry expert when we're telling a powerful follow-on story (because it’s hot in the news cycle) and we need to hear from a different perspective. I also want to hear from an industry expert when we are talking about political stories that impact them. So for example with Trump's tariffs, I would like to hear from an auto industry expert rather than a politician when we already know what they are going to say. The more niche guests can be the most impactful.
Q: What’s an example of a story you didn’t expect to cover but turned out to be a great fit?
HC: We recently did a story on rising prices in coffee driven by tariffs. As a morning show, it seemed like a great fit. But I was worried there wouldn't be enough content to cover at least a 4-minute-long guest interview. But because of the industry expert we booked, she was able to expand it into a story about why our viewers care beyond just the rising prices.
Q: What’s a common misstep PR folks make when pitching you?
HC: When pitching a guest, I need more than just a bio on the guest. We would love examples of past appearances on TV. If they don't have TV experience, that’s ok, but then we’ll need something else that will prove they are a valuable voice we’d want to hear from. Whether it be print interviews, youtube videos, or even X posts are helpful.
Q: If someone has valuable insight but no breaking news, what’s the best way to get on your radar?
HC: Be upfront about that. Call out in the subject line something like “SOURCE: Impact on XYZ”, that way when I’m scrambling through my inbox looking for a potential guest on something we’re thinking of covering, it’s easy to find and consider. We cover every vertical at CNN, so even if your pitch is not part of the current news cycle, there’s a chance I’ll come across it down the line and reach out. Even if it’s weeks or months down the line.