Flemish and Walloon press: why translating a press release isn’t enough

In Flanders, a direct and structured approach generally works best. Journalists expect to quickly understand what the news is, why it matters and what materials are immediately usable: figures, quotes, visuals, timing and spokesperson details. Contact is also typically pragmatic: email is the preferred channel, while a phone call can be perceived as intrusive, unless it concerns breaking news or an urgent request.

This is also reflected in the structure of a pitch email. For Flemish newsrooms, it’s best to get straight to the point: what’s the news, which figure or element makes it relevant, and why does it matter right now? In short: no unnecessary detours, just a strong hook from the outset.

On the French-speaking side, the interaction tends to be more conversational. There is generally more room to provide context, answer questions and refine the angle together. The phone still plays a more prominent role, as this interaction helps to better understand what a journalist is looking for and how to tailor your story accordingly.

That calls for a particular skill set from the consultant. A phone pitch must be strong in substance, but also smooth and convincing in delivery. You’re not reading from a script – you’re telling a story. That means having a firm grasp of your topic, anticipating potential questions and having enough feel for the medium to adapt quickly if the initial angle doesn’t resonate. Often, the real added value lies precisely there: not sticking rigidly to one approach but working together to find the right entry point for the same story.

This is exactly why a copy-paste approach rarely works. Translating a press release is technically straightforward, but a strong pitch requires more than language alone. It calls for a sense of timing, knowledge of the media landscape and an understanding of how journalists prefer to be approached. In practice, a pitch that works in Flanders will not always work in Wallonia, and vice versa. Not because the topic isn’t relevant, but because the approach doesn’t quite align.

There’s also another element that is often underestimated: targeting the right journalist. Newsrooms are flooded with pitches every day, and irrelevant proposals are quickly discarded. A strong pitch is therefore not just about the right story and the right approach, but also about reaching the right contact, within the right outlet, at the right moment.

For organisations aiming to communicate nationally, the takeaway is simple: a message must be both translated and carefully pitched. Communicating across language borders requires insight into two distinct media realities, knowledge of editorial teams and journalistic reflexes, and above all the experience to position a story in the right way for each region and each outlet.

In Belgium, successful national PR is therefore rarely the result of a single mass distribution. It emerges from a combination of two regional approaches, built around the same story. That’s where the value of a team with a strong understanding of both markets becomes clear: consultants who not only work in two languages but also know how to make a story resonate in Flanders, Wallonia, or both.