NICK TOMMARELLO, GRADUATE ASSISTANT AT POINT PARK UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR MEDIA INNOVATION, IS SPENDING TIME IN MARKET SQUARE THIS SUMMER, DRESSED AS A NEWSPAPER COURIER. HE’S TALKING TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT LOCAL NEWS. | PHOTO BY THOMAS CHARYTON

There are so many stories yet to be told in Pittsburgh, why not yours? 

The Pittsburgh Pitch provides the opportunity for all journalists and members of the public to pitch their stories and win $1,000 to support reporting and publication. There will be a category for students, journalists and the public.

“The goal behind the Pittsburgh Pitch is to reconnect journalists with their audiences,” said Andrew Conte, director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University, which launched the initiative. “We’re asking them to pitch directly to the public. The people who are going to consume the news get to decide what stories are going to be in the news.” 

The Pittsburgh Pitch is a part of Newsapalooza, a new event Sept. 26-28 that aims to amplify the importance of local journalism in the Pittsburgh community. Presented by the Center of Media Innovation, Newsapalooza will offer workshops, local newsroom tours and a speaker panel of journalism professionals. 

“It’s going to be a chance to meet other people and remember why journalism matters so much to our democracy, Pittsburgh, and all of our communities,” says Conte. “This is an opportunity to remember that it [local news] can be fun and it can mean a lot to our communities. It’s really about great local storytelling and just getting people to come together.”

Applications for the Pittsburgh Pitch are open until Aug. 15. Selected individuals will pitch their stories during Newsapalooza on Sept. 27 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Downtown.

Neil Strebig won the first Pitch Pittsburgh in 2018 while working for the Northside Chronicle. His pitch was centered on how local newspapers in Western Pennsylvania were shrinking due to causes like misinformation or political movements. 

“For me, it helped me understand the local news crisis from a much different angle. I think that it helped me grow as a reporter as far as understanding empathy and how to talk to different residents,” he says. “It helped me understand that I might have an idea for a concept for a story, but really until you start writing and start talking to people, it’s always going to pivot.”  

Strebig. who now covers business and economics as a journalist in Memphis, Tennessee, is excited to see the return of the story contest. With local newsrooms continuing to see a reduction in staff and funding, the Pittsburgh Pitch provides journalists with the resources to complete their passion project. “It’s about communicating your nut graph and your lead effectively and trusting yourself,” said Strebig, “There’s a lot of stories that go unchecked and untold just because reporters don’t have the means to do it.” 

As part of Newsapalooza, the center’s graduate assistant Nick Tommarello is spending time in Market Square this summer, dressed as a newspaper courier. 

“We wanted to interact more directly with members of the public, specifically talking about local news,” says Tommarello, “How do they get their news? How do they stay informed throughout their day and throughout their week? What local publications and organizations are they following?”

Newsie Nick is collecting these interactions with the public in a short video series where residents and community leaders share how local journalism is important to them. “The whole point about local news and local journalism is that it is for your community, but also by your community,” he says. “Change happens on a local level. If you really want to change something, it starts within your communities.” 

And to get the public excited for Newsapalooza, the Center for Media Innovation will be holding Market Square NewsBreaks on the stage. From topics on supporting Downtown residents, street harassment and how to react, audiences can engage with the community and local journalists. The live discussions will be held at noon Wednesdays on July 24, Aug. 21, and Sept. 18 at noon.

As far as the Pittsburgh Pitch, Conte says: “Take that first step in the application and think creatively. There’s so many stories that aren’t being told. Just look around and think about what’s the one thing you want people to know about Pittsburgh.” 

Jilian Musser’s reporting is supported by the Pittsburgh Media Partnership.