The first ever Pittsburgh Pitch is in the books, and we hope you had a great time being part of it.
Props and kudos to everyone that pitched a story idea, showed up on the night, sponsored the party, or just helped us spread the word.
You made this brave little experiment a success, and for that we are enormously grateful.
We were thrilled to be able to provide $1,000 for production of the second- and third-placed stories, also, thanks to investments by 100 Days in Appalachia and the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University.
Congratulations to the winning reporters!
1st - Alyse Horn-Pyatt (Storyburgh): racial divide in the cannabis economy in Pennsylvania.
2nd - Rossilynne Culgan (The Incline): amidst Pittsburgh’s hot restaurant scene, food deserts and food insecurity.
3rd - Neil Strebig: is local print journalism the cause or the savior of the 'fake news' epidemic?
 These intrepid journalists will have until the end of August to produce their stories, at which time they will be published in local outlets and at 100 Days in Appalachia.
We’ll keep you posted as the publication dates approach.
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The winning pitch was funded by the 92 people that bought tickets to the pitch party, plus one generous (and anonymous) donation from a local media company.
Every penny of those contributions will go to Alyse to make her story possible.
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A number of local folks have expressed an interest in hosting a second Pittsburgh Pitch later this year, and perhaps making it a regular event on the local media calendar.
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If you’d like to see that happen, or perhaps have some useful ideas or input, contact Andrew Conte, Director of the Center for Media Innovation, at aconte@PointPark.edu.
Many thanks again to those of you that were willing to put your hand up and get involved.
Jake Lynch
Community Enagagement Editor
100 Days in Appalachia
The Pittsburgh Pitch is a project by
100 Days in Appalachia,
in collaboration with
the Center for Media Innovation
at Point Park University.