Pitch original reporting, expert analysis and stories we could not have written without you.
We commission from freelance journalists and knowledgeable writers who can bring us something we could not have written ourselves — reporting, expertise or a genuinely fresh angle.
The strongest pitches are specific. Tell us the story, not the topic. "How a Manchester promoter rebuilt a live music circuit after two venue closures" is a pitch; "an article about UK music venues" is not. We are most interested in original reporting, first-hand expertise, clear explanatory writing on complicated subjects, and considered analysis that goes beyond restating the news.
Film, television, music and the people making it. Interviews, profiles and industry reporting are all welcome.
Company stories, sector analysis and the practical realities of running a business in the UK.
Product analysis, platform policy, and how technology is actually being used rather than how it is marketed.
Service journalism with real utility, reported from the ground rather than assembled from press releases.
Send one email containing a short paragraph on the story, a sentence on why it belongs on JList, a note on your access or expertise, and two links to previously published work. Keep it under 300 words. We read everything and reply to pitches we want to take further, usually within five working days. If you have not heard back after two weeks, treat that as a pass and feel free to place the story elsewhere.
Everything we publish must be original and unpublished elsewhere. Claims of fact need to be attributable to a named source, a document or a link. Anonymous sourcing is possible but has to be agreed with the editor before filing. Copy is edited for accuracy, structure and house style, and we will come back to you with queries rather than change your meaning silently. You keep your byline and we credit you on every page the piece appears on.
We do not publish guest posts submitted for the purpose of placing a link, and we remove or nofollow commercial links found in submitted copy. We do not accept AI-generated articles, spun or rewritten content, press releases presented as reporting, or pieces produced on behalf of a client without disclosure. Undisclosed paid placement will end the relationship permanently and the article will be removed.
We pay per commissioned piece, agreed in writing before you start work. Payment is made within 30 days of publication. You grant us first publication rights and a permanent licence to keep the piece on the site; you are free to republish elsewhere after 30 days with a credit back to the original.