How to pitch to Sunrise with Laura Francis | Ep 114
Fri Dec 05 2025
In this episode of Hack Your Own PR! with Odette Barry, we take you inside one of the most dynamic, fast-paced environments in Australian media — breakfast television.
Odette is joined by Laura Francis, the Managing Editor of Sunrise, where she oversees the editorial direction, content strategy, and daily rhythm of the country's highest-rating morning show.
She's the one shaping the stories you sip your coffee to every morning — from breaking news and political hot topics, to consumer segments and yes, the occasional tap-dancing dachshund.
If you've ever wondered what it takes to fill three hours of live TV every day — and keep millions of Australians tuned in before 9am — Laura's here to break it down.
We talk about:
How stories are chosen, shaped, and prioritised overnight and in real-time The kinds of pitches that actually make it to air — and what gets instantly binned How Sunrise balances hard news, entertainment, and real human stories What publicists and media talent often misunderstand about live TV And why the most effective guests are never just 'available' — they're relevant Tips for pitching
Tailor pitches with an understanding of Sunrise's structure. Avoid generic press releases — they won't land if they aren't visual, short (approx. 3 minutes), or morning-TV friendly. Sunrise is built around visuals. If you're pitching a segment, ensure you've got strong, clear footage or imagery that brings the story to life. Even a preview or pre-event demonstration is better than nothing. Craft a concise one-liner that reads like a Sunrise segment tease. Producers are time-poor — if they can't instantly see how it fits into the show, it's a miss. Laura shares incredibly practical advice for anyone hoping to land a breakfast segment — and gives us a peek into the editorial engine room of a program that sets the national conversation every day.
This episode is packed with newsroom gold — for PRs, founders, and anyone curious about how big media moves behind the scenes.
Find Odette Barry online:
https://www.odetteandco.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/odetteandco/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/odette-barry/
Find Laura Francis online
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-francis-58101677/
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In this episode of Hack Your Own PR! with Odette Barry, we take you inside one of the most dynamic, fast-paced environments in Australian media — breakfast television. Odette is joined by Laura Francis, the Managing Editor of Sunrise, where she oversees the editorial direction, content strategy, and daily rhythm of the country's highest-rating morning show. She's the one shaping the stories you sip your coffee to every morning — from breaking news and political hot topics, to consumer segments and yes, the occasional tap-dancing dachshund. If you've ever wondered what it takes to fill three hours of live TV every day — and keep millions of Australians tuned in before 9am — Laura's here to break it down. We talk about: How stories are chosen, shaped, and prioritised overnight and in real-time The kinds of pitches that actually make it to air — and what gets instantly binned How Sunrise balances hard news, entertainment, and real human stories What publicists and media talent often misunderstand about live TV And why the most effective guests are never just 'available' — they're relevant Tips for pitching Tailor pitches with an understanding of Sunrise's structure. Avoid generic press releases — they won't land if they aren't visual, short (approx. 3 minutes), or morning-TV friendly. Sunrise is built around visuals. If you're pitching a segment, ensure you've got strong, clear footage or imagery that brings the story to life. Even a preview or pre-event demonstration is better than nothing. Craft a concise one-liner that reads like a Sunrise segment tease. Producers are time-poor — if they can't instantly see how it fits into the show, it's a miss. Laura shares incredibly practical advice for anyone hoping to land a breakfast segment — and gives us a peek into the editorial engine room of a program that sets the national conversation every day. This episode is packed with newsroom gold — for PRs, founders, and anyone curious about how big media moves behind the scenes. Find Odette Barry online: https://www.odetteandco.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/odetteandco/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/odette-barry/ Find Laura Francis online https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-francis-58101677/