If you’re like us, you have at least a few newsletters that you regularly follow, and if you’re in the Austin area, odds are you’ve seen the Axios Austin newsletter pop up in your inbox. Axios Austin is a part of the network of local newsletters produced by Axios, co-written by Nicole Cobler who helped launch the newsletter back in 2021. Prior to joining Axios, Nicole wrote for the Austin American-Statesman, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and Texas Tribune.
We’ve been daily readers of Nicole’s newsletter for years, and we recently had the opportunity to sit down with her to discuss her process as a journalist, a new journalism course she designed for the University of Texas Moody College of Communications, and the proliferation of newsletters as a primary and preferred news source.
Writing Austin’s Morning Must-Read
Nicole writes the Austin newsletter with a co-writer on an alternating schedule. Each day one of the writers runs “point guard”—preparing the newsletter for the next day—while the other will write content for the Axios website. On the days where she writes the newsletter, Nicole says she can be heads down until the early afternoon preparing for a 6:30 a.m. release the following morning.
Content must be quick and concise, often requiring her to condense four-to-five stories down into a digestible, email format. Nicole says the ability to syndicate news from Axios’ national publication takes the weight off of her and allows more flexibility to focus on local news. However, the fast-paced nature of her schedule isn’t conducive for attending press conferences or city council meetings, so she often finds herself more connected to what other local media outlets are covering. When we asked her how she determines what stories to prioritize, she said her thought process starts by asking, “What are Austinities talking about at happy hour?” She said it often comes down to her own instincts as a fellow-Austinite and writing content that she finds interesting.
Teaching the Future of News Delivery
In January, Nicole returned to her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, as a lecturer for Newsletter Writing, a course that she designed. Nicole said she hopes to cover subjects crucial for budding journalists to master newsletter writing. She noted that tactics for audience engagement weren’t covered in her coursework and she’s eager to bring this important journalism element to the forefront for future reporters.
We couldn’t end our conversation without asking the million-dollar question every PR pro wants to know: What makes a good pitch?
For Nicole, it’s all about understanding her sweet spot. She’s ignoring anything that doesn’t pertain to Austin (obviously!) and tends to decline pitches that seem overtly robotic—an indication a brand is practicing a “spray and pray” method of pitching. The best pitches, she says, are from sources who have built trust and familiarity with her and understand her localized beat. Lastly, timing is key. The Axios Austin newsletter goes live at 6:30 a.m. every morning—which doesn’t align with traditional embargo timelines.
Want more insights from journalists and communication experts? Check out our other “A Conversation With” features to hear more from the voices shaping our media landscape.
