The MGP blog periodically features our global PR partners and journalists to give readers insight into both industries. Today we’re happy to share a Q&A with Rahul Raj, editor-in-chief of Silicon Canals.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career?

I am a journalist, amateur photographer and entrepreneur. I am currently the Editor-in-Chief at Silicon Canals. I am passionate about all things tech and strive to keep up with the pace of technological change; however, I am still trying to figure out TikTok and Instagram reels. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to join Silicon Canals. Thanks to Remco Janssen, the founder and CEO of Silicon Canals, it still feels like I am an entrepreneur as together we strive to build Silicon Canals as the best media organization covering European technology and the startup ecosystem.

What does your beat entail?

My beat, which is essentially business reporting, entails covering the European tech startup ecosystem, entrepreneurship in Europe, market trends, policies, regulations and innovations.

What kind of pitch grabs you? And what kind of pitch will you always ignore?

I get numerous pitches on a daily basis, therefore a good subject line is key to grabbing my attention. Secondly, I prefer emails addressed to Silicon Canals or me personally. Pitches that lack the personal touch and are sent to multiple outlets with me being a BCC recipient mostly get ignored unless the pitch is strong and worth covering. I expect PR pros to do their homework before sharing the pitch; pitches with incorrect information are inexcusable.

What’s the most important rule PR pros should remember about interacting with journalists?

It should be more like a conversation between peers who can support each other. As a journalist, all I expect from my PR peers is that they respect my time. We get bombarded with tons of pitches every day and we, at Silicon Canals, strive to read each and every one of them as we understand and respect the time and effort spent by the PR professionals to draft and send these pitches, as well as the pressure they are under to get coverage. All we need in return is that PR pros see things from our perspective and don’t resort to the “Spray and Pray” strategy. Do your homework, be crisp, concise and coherent, and share all the relevant materials
required for publishing.

How do you think the relationship between PR and journalism has changed over the years?

Journalism and the media landscape have undergone seismic changes and are still changing. High-speed internet and social media have been the biggest enablers of this change. In order to adapt to this age of misinformation and fake news, the mad rush for clicks and views, memes, social media and influencers, the relationship between PR and journalism has certainly
changed, but not a lot.

What kinds of stories are you working on now?

I currently work on research-based long-form stories pertaining to the European startup ecosystem. Some key areas I am focusing on are photonics, big tech and antitrust, supercomputing or high-performance computing and its impact on the startup ecosystem, Digital Markets Act, mobility (EVs and battery tech), sustainability and climate tech, diversity and the road to European energy independence.

Want to see the kind of work MGP does for its sustainability clients? Get in touch at hello@wearemgp.com.

The MGP blog periodically features our global PR partners and journalists to give readers insight into both industries. Today we’re happy to share a Q&A with Rahul Raj, editor-in-chief of Silicon Canals.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career?

I am a journalist, amateur photographer and entrepreneur. I am currently the Editor-in-Chief at Silicon Canals. I am passionate about all things tech and strive to keep up with the pace of technological change; however, I am still trying to figure out TikTok and Instagram reels. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to join Silicon Canals. Thanks to Remco Janssen, the founder and CEO of Silicon Canals, it still feels like I am an entrepreneur as together we strive to build Silicon Canals as the best media organization covering European technology and the startup ecosystem.

What does your beat entail?

My beat, which is essentially business reporting, entails covering the European tech startup ecosystem, entrepreneurship in Europe, market trends, policies, regulations and innovations.

What kind of pitch grabs you? And what kind of pitch will you always ignore?

I get numerous pitches on a daily basis, therefore a good subject line is key to grabbing my attention. Secondly, I prefer emails addressed to Silicon Canals or me personally. Pitches that lack the personal touch and are sent to multiple outlets with me being a BCC recipient mostly get ignored unless the pitch is strong and worth covering. I expect PR pros to do their homework before sharing the pitch; pitches with incorrect information are inexcusable.

What’s the most important rule PR pros should remember about interacting with journalists?

It should be more like a conversation between peers who can support each other. As a journalist, all I expect from my PR peers is that they respect my time. We get bombarded with tons of pitches every day and we, at Silicon Canals, strive to read each and every one of them as we understand and respect the time and effort spent by the PR professionals to draft and send these pitches, as well as the pressure they are under to get coverage. All we need in return is that PR pros see things from our perspective and don’t resort to the “Spray and Pray” strategy. Do your homework, be crisp, concise and coherent, and share all the relevant materials
required for publishing.

How do you think the relationship between PR and journalism has changed over the years?

Journalism and the media landscape have undergone seismic changes and are still changing. High-speed internet and social media have been the biggest enablers of this change. In order to adapt to this age of misinformation and fake news, the mad rush for clicks and views, memes, social media and influencers, the relationship between PR and journalism has certainly
changed, but not a lot.

What kinds of stories are you working on now?

I currently work on research-based long-form stories pertaining to the European startup ecosystem. Some key areas I am focusing on are photonics, big tech and antitrust, supercomputing or high-performance computing and its impact on the startup ecosystem, Digital Markets Act, mobility (EVs and battery tech), sustainability and climate tech, diversity and the road to European energy independence.

Want to see the kind of work MGP does for its sustainability clients? Get in touch at hello@wearemgp.com.