Editors at The Food Section are changing how they accept story ideas. Starting September, pitches must be made by phone. The move aims to block AI-generated spam and reconnect with real writers.
Editors and reporters across digital media have seen a surge in story pitches generated by artificial intelligence, often irrelevant and clogging inboxes. Now, The Food Section, a publication focused on food industries and issues in the American South, is taking a stand by requiring all freelance pitches to be made by phone starting in September.
Founder Hanna Raskin announced the change after noticing a sharp increase in AI-generated submissions, particularly since the outlet raised its freelance pay rates in July. Raskin estimated that about a quarter of recent pitches were entirely AI-created, with neither the writer nor the proposed story appearing to exist in reality. She said the volume and nature of these pitches made it harder to consider work from new or lesser-known writers, which runs counter to the publication’s goal of cultivating fresh voices.
Currently, The Food Section accepts pitches through a Google Form, but the new system will use a dedicated hotline. Raskin explained that this approach is intended to re-humanize the pitching process and filter out those who are not accustomed to direct communication. She plans to keep the pitchline open during set hours and will coordinate with journalists to accommodate their schedules, acknowledging that many talented writers have other job commitments.
The Food Section operates bureaus in Asheville and Charlotte, North Carolina, and has earned recognition as the first solo newsletter to win both a James Beard award and a National Magazine Award. The publication will share the hotline number in its newsletter next month, and its full pitch guide remains available online.
Media outlets continue to grapple with the impact of AI-generated content. Last year, Wired and Business Insider retracted stories submitted by an "AI freelancer," and Futurism reported on PR firms using AI publicists to spam journalists. The Food Section’s move reflects a broader concern about maintaining editorial standards and trust as AI tools become more prevalent in publishing. For a deeper look at how AI is reshaping newsroom workflows and editorial control, see this analysis of AI’s impact on editorial operations.
