Welcome to 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.
As Matter’s PR Media Group helps clients navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, we’re striking up conversations 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 Mitchell Parton
This month, we’re spotlighting Mitchell Parton, reporter at Modern Retail. Based in New York City, Mitchell covers the evolution of big-box retail, focusing on Walmart, Target, Best Buy and major grocery chains, as well as the retail media networks reshaping how those businesses monetize their audiences. His work sits squarely at the intersection of retail and technology, with recent stories covering everything from how Meta’s AI glasses are quietly becoming a top seller at optical chains to how retailers and brands are rethinking product pages for an AI-driven search environment.
Mitchell was Modern Retail’s most-read reporter in 2025 with nearly 466,000 page views on his content, and his work has been picked up by NPR, The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Today and Retail Dive, among others. If you have a credible perspective on where big-box retail, grocery, or retail media is heading, Mitchell is someone worth building a relationship with.
Q&A with Mitchell
You recently made the move to New York City. Has living in one of the world’s biggest retail hubs changed the way you think about or cover the industry?
It has definitely given me more opportunities to network in person at industry conferences or just with industry pros in the area. I also enjoy seeing different small-store concepts that I’d never encounter in Texas or different flagship locations. I wouldn’t say it has affected how I approach my coverage, however, other than some local interview or store-visit opportunities.
You’ve covered everything from AI and retail media to supply chain investments and earnings reports. What retail story do you think is hiding in plain sight right now that more people should be paying attention to?
Retailers are becoming much bigger than retailers, through investments in businesses such as retail media/advertising, e-commerce fulfillment, web services, facilities management, etc. with the clients being other businesses rather than consumers. This is one of the main focuses of how I approach the retail beat, but I still feel this concept has yet to be explored much outside of trade media.
A lot of your reporting focuses on what happens after a company makes a big announcement. What separates a retailer that’s genuinely transforming its business from one that’s just good at talking about it?
An announcement doesn’t mean much unless it means changes of the way a company operates, or if it’s a really sharp example of how the retailer stands out. And when we are talking about retailers changing, I’m looking backward as well — what did you do in the past that you wouldn’t do now?
You’ve written about AI adoption across retailers of all sizes. What’s been the most surprising real-world use case you’ve come across so far?
Some big retailers have started adding AI-generated audio clips to product pages, like mini podcast episodes explaining the reviews and product details. It’s a good example of something retailers are using generative AI for that wouldn’t make sense for them to produce manually, and kind of fun to listen to.
Rapid Fire Round
We wrapped up our conversation with a rapid-fire round covering everything from pitching preferences to embargoes and inbox pet peeves.
Matter: How many pitches do you receive daily?
Mitchell: Probably dozens, a steady stream throughout the day. I only get maybe a couple a week that are relevant to my beat and I end up pursuing, if that.
Matter: How and when do you prefer to be contacted generally? How do you prefer NOT to be contacted?
Mitchell: Email or LinkedIn messages. I’d advise against calling or texting unless we’re actively working on a story together.
Matter: What type of subject line is grabbing your attention 9 times out of 10?
Mitchell: If it mentions an interview opportunity with a retailer or brand I’ve heard of.
Matter: Do you appreciate follow-ups? If so, how many?
Mitchell: One is fine!
Matter: Do you still find interest in embargoed or exclusive stories? If so, what particularly catches your interest?
Mitchell: I try for most of my stories to be exclusive — usually my own original ideas, but if you can provide great access, I may bite. Embargoes are usually trickier because I don’t want to publish a similar story at the exact same time as competitors.
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?
Mitchell: I can usually tell, but any pitch that’s irrelevant to what I cover I’ll ignore regardless.
Megan’s 3 Big Media Landscape Takeaways:
Each Now Pitching conversation offers a window into the evolving media landscape. Beyond the Q&A, Megan breaks down what this conversation reveals about today’s media environment and the stories earning attention.
- Lead with stories that prove impact over empty announcements: A press release and timely hook are no longer enough when it comes to coverage for major announcements. Discerning, narrative-minded reporters increasingly want to know what is actually changing because of an announcement.
- Pitch exclusive access to sources, rather than embargoes: For journalists competing for stand out angles, original reporting is critical for stories to break through. Successful pitching is becoming less about offering embargoes and more about providing access to sources that other outlets don’t have.
- Think beyond traditional industry silos for diversified brands: The nature of retail coverage is changing as big box leaders diversify into technology, logistics, and other business services. This is true beyond retail. Effective PR teams should consider pitching beyond traditional industry silos and develop stories for brands that resonate with a broader set of B2B stakeholders across sectors.