Continuing our series of video interviews with journalists, we spoke with Oliver Pickup, journalist, speaker and human work evolution storyteller. Oliver writes for titles including The Times, The New Statesman and Raconteur, covering technology, leadership and the future of work.

In the second of this three-part series, Oliver shares candid advice for PRs pitching tech and business journalists. He explains why relationships matter more than transactions, and what makes a pitch stand out.

In this video, he discusses:
1. How journalist–PR relationships have evolved in tech and business reporting
2. Why understanding a journalist’s beat is essential
3. What makes a pitch relevant, insightful and personal
4. Why he values strong data, contrarian views and “human” quotes over hype