Personal tip - the first sentence should almost always address that you've read a recent article of the journalist that's relevant to your pitch.
Hey X!
Loved your recent coverage of [relevant topic to your startup], raised some interesting points about A, B and C.
[Begin pitch about startup]
Be intentional about this stuff. I run a news site that gets pitched a lot of topics, some relevant and some completely off base, and a lot in the middle. The ones that have proven they have at least spent 5 minutes on the site understanding what we cover are always way more likely to get a response from me.
Hey X!
Loved your recent coverage of [relevant topic to your startup], raised some interesting points about A, B and C.
[Begin pitch about startup]
Be intentional about this stuff. I run a news site that gets pitched a lot of topics, some relevant and some completely off base, and a lot in the middle. The ones that have proven they have at least spent 5 minutes on the site understanding what we cover are always way more likely to get a response from me.