Journalist Request Finder: SourceBottle, Bluesky & Mastodon

Journalist Request Finder pulls fresh journalist and media requests into one table from:

• SourceBottle public call-outs (title, summary, outlet, country, deadline)
• Bluesky #journorequest / #prrequest / #mediarequest posts
• Mastodon public tag timelines for the same hashtags

Each row has the request text, author or outlet, link, any contact emails, links and a deadline hint. Filter by topic, schedule it daily, and turn on Skip requests returned in earlier runs so you only get (and pay for) new ones.

This is a lightweight HARO-style digest for PR freelancers and founders. Volume is modest: SourceBottle usually has a handful of open call-outs at a time, Bluesky adds roughly 5–15 genuine requests per day, and Mastodon #journorequest is often quiet (sometimes days without a new post). There is no X / Twitter source (X would need a paid API and is not included).

Pricing

Pay per result:

• $0.003 per request saved to the dataset (after your filters).
• A tiny start fee of $0.00005 per run.
• Filtered-out posts (not a request, wrong topic, already seen) are free.
• Example: a daily run that returns 20 new requests costs about $0.06.

Who it's for

• PR agencies and freelancers pitching experts to journalists
• Founders and consultants looking for free press mentions and backlinks
• Anyone who used HARO-style digests and wants SourceBottle + social requests as they're posted

What you get

Every row is one request:

• source (sourcebottle | bluesky | mastodon)
• postedAt, author, handle, text, optional title
• outlet, country (SourceBottle); emails, links, hashtags, deadlineHint
• url, matchedTerms, isRequest
• likes, reposts, replies (social sources)

A RUN_SUMMARY record in the key-value store lists sources enabled, posts scanned per source, unique posts and how many results were pushed.

How to use it

1. Click Try for free.
2. Keep the default sources (SourceBottle + Bluesky + Mastodon), or drop any you don't need.
3. Keep the default search terms for Bluesky/Mastodon, or add your own.
4. Optionally set Topic keywords and Only posts from the last N hours to 24 for a daily schedule.
5. Turn on Skip requests returned in earlier runs so scheduled runs only bill for new requests.
6. Click Start, then download the results from the Output tab.

Input example

{
    "sources": ["bluesky", "mastodon", "sourcebottle"],
    "searchTerms": ["journorequest", "prrequest", "mediarequest", "journo request"],
    "sinceHours": 24,
    "topicKeywords": ["saas", "marketing"],
    "onlyRequests": true,
    "skipSeen": true,
    "maxResults": 200
}

Output example

{
    "source": "sourcebottle",
    "matchedTerms": ["sourcebottle"],
    "url": "https://www.sourcebottle.com/query.asp?qid=163216",
    "postUri": "sourcebottle:qid:163216",
    "author": "National news publication",
    "handle": "sourcebottle:163216",
    "postedAt": "2026-10-26T12:00:00.000Z",
    "title": "Shark expert on NSW's new attack prevention methods",
    "text": "Shark expert on NSW's new attack prevention methods\n\nLooking for a shark expert...",
    "outlet": "National news publication",
    "country": "Australia",
    "emails": [],
    "links": ["https://www.sourcebottle.com/query.asp?qid=163216"],
    "hashtags": [],
    "deadlineHint": "27 October 2026 @ 5pm Eastern Daylight Saving Time",
    "isRequest": true,
    "likes": 0,
    "reposts": 0,
    "replies": 0
}

Tips and limits

• Bluesky public search returns up to the 100 latest posts per term (first page only), so run at least daily.
• Mastodon volume for #journorequest is often thin; a run can correctly return zero Mastodon rows when nothing new is in your time window.
• SourceBottle call-outs are public listing pages; responding usually needs a free SourceBottle account. Contact emails are rarely in the public text.
• Many social posts say "DM me" instead of listing an email; leave Only requests with an email off unless you specifically need emails in the text.
• This Actor does not scrape X or paid HARO/Qwoted feeds.
• Use public content in line with applicable laws and each platform's terms.

FAQ

Is this a HARO alternative?

It covers the same job — finding journalists who are asking for sources — from SourceBottle, Bluesky and Mastodon. It is not a full replacement for HARO or Qwoted.

Do I need accounts or API keys?

No. The Actor uses public SourceBottle pages, Bluesky's public search API and Mastodon public tag timelines.

Why so few Mastodon results?

The #journorequest tag on major instances is low-traffic, and public tag timelines often show posts that are weeks or months old. With the default 48-hour window a run can correctly return zero Mastodon rows. Set Only posts from the last N hours to 0 (no limit) or a large value (for example 720) if you want those older tags included. When maxResults is tight, the Actor reserves a fair share of rows per enabled source so fresher SourceBottle/Bluesky posts do not crowd Mastodon out entirely.

Can I monitor only new requests?

Yes. Turn on Skip requests returned in earlier runs and schedule the Actor daily in Apify Console.

If this saved you time, a quick rating on the Store helps a lot: leave a review.

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