Welcome Back to Now Pitching!
Whether you’re a first-time or long-time reader, we’re excited to welcome back our series, Now Pitching, Matter’s Q&A series where we interview journalists, so PR pros can get a better sense of what’s actually landing in their inboxes and what isn’t.
It’s been a few years since our last installment and a lot has changed. As Matter’s PR Media Group is launching to help clients navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, we’re picking the conversations back up with the reporters shaping today’s news cycle about the stories they’re chasing, the trends they’re watching and the pitches that stand out.
Meet Anastassia Gliadkovskaya
This month, we’re spotlighting Anastassia Gliadkovskaya, Senior Writer and Podcast Co-Host at Fierce Healthcare. Based in New York, Anastassia has cemented herself as a must-read voice in the industry, tackling the complex intersections of health equity and the systemic failures of healthcare delivery systems.
Anastassia is an award-winning journalist covering the convergence of health equity, system delivery and digital disruption and has become a vital voice driving the toughest, most necessary conversations in healthcare today. Her reporting goes beyond hard news, diving into some of the healthcare industry’s biggest trends on her podcast. From the C-suite of major hospital chains to the front lines of physician practices, she captures the nuanced stories that define the future of care.
We sat down with Anastassia to talk about her beat, what’s missing from the media landscape and the healthcare trends PR media strategists should be acting on.
Q&A with Anastassia
You’re covering a complex, fast-paced beat that meaningfully impacts many lives. How do you decide what’s actually worth writing about versus what’s just noise?
It starts with evaluating the PR: does it have jargon? What is a piece of news really about, in simple terms? From there, I consider: if it’s already been done 100 times before; what its scale/reach will be; what parties are involved and how credible they are; how mindful they are of tracking outcomes + impact.
You’ve written about health tech, health equity, the human side of healthcare, and failures of the current system. Are there trends or stories that you feel are currently being overhyped by the industry?
As in every other industry, AI very much feels overhyped. We know it has potential, but it’s just too soon to speak of any real lasting results and ROI. I think some wellness/longevity products are also overblown in terms of their impact, including supplements. And, I think there are too many at-home tests to make sense of with questionable patient outcomes.
The “Podnosis” podcast recently released its 100th episode (congratulations!). What’s one topic or story that you’re most proud of?
It’s hard to pick one, but any of the under-reported topics are a source of pride, including the episode about disparities in eating disorders and the lack of insurance coverage for cold caps for cancer survivors.
Is there a healthcare industry vertical you feel is underreported or we’re missing the real story?
Care for folks with intellectual/developmental disabilities or for folks recovering from traumatic injuries.
Given your background in investigative journalism and your coverage on systemic issues in the healthcare space, what kind of data-backed insights or original research would you find most compelling to cover right now?
Big data companies in healthcare are awesome. They have access to aggregation and analysis that sometimes even the government doesn’t. They should leverage that by sharing trends/insights with reporters. I often reach out to big data companies myself with specific requests. But I appreciate companies that proactively monitor and share trends, too. Any data that challenges common notions of a particular space, that is surprising, that has changed in an interesting way over time is of interest.
What’s the story you most want to tell right now that no one is bringing you?
How hospital efforts to minimize their emissions are going and why so little data collection is standardized.
Rapid Fire Round
We wrapped up our conversation with Anastassia with a rapid-fire round covering everything from pitching preferences to embargoes and inbox pet peeves.
Matter: How many pitches do you receive daily?
Anastassia: I get pitched every few minutes.
Matter: How and when do you prefer to be contacted generally? How do you prefer NOT to be contacted?
Anastassia: Email only please, no calls or DMs.
Matter: What type of subject line is grabbing your attention 9 times out of 10?
Anastassia: “New data,” “Embargoed,” or “News.” Will always ignore “Source” or “Interview”
Matter: Do you appreciate follow-ups? If so, how many?
Anastassia: They’re fine. 1 max.
Matter: Do you still find interest in embargoed or exclusive stories? If so, what particularly catches your interest?
Anastassia: Yes, when I’m not reporting long-form stories, I rely on embargoed and exclusive pitches. I like anything off the beaten path, including stories about public health initiatives, Medicaid, mental health, sustainability, and disparities. Keep in mind that at Fierce, “exclusive” means it will not appear anywhere else, not even in PR. Otherwise, it’s just an advanced look.
Matter: Do you have a take on AI-generated pitches? Can you tell when a pitch was written by AI, and does it affect how you engage with it?
Anastassia: I can’t really tell, but if it’s obvious, I wouldn’t take it seriously. If I’m already talking to someone after they’ve pitched me, and they want to send over potential discussion ideas in the form of bullets that appear AI-summarized, I’m ok with it as long as it’s actually coherent and not generic. Any pitch that appears like it was sent out en masse and was not customized to me is a no-go.
Yvana’s 3 Big Media Landscape Takeaways:
Each Now Pitching conversation offers a window into the evolving media landscape. Beyond the Q&A, Yvana Sanchez, Media Manager on Matter’s PR Media Strategy Group, breaks down what this conversation reveals about today’s media environment and the stories earning attention.
- Journalists are rewarding substance over spin:
Credibility, outcomes and demonstrable impact matter more than polished narratives or trend-chasing. - Media attention is shifting toward overlooked stories:
Some of the strongest opportunities lie in issues that are consequential but under-covered, rather than the industry’s loudest conversations. - Original insight has become a competitive advantage:
As information becomes more abundant, unique data, perspectives and real expertise are what separate potential stories from noise.