Requests for people with firsthand accounts are things I see from reputable sources like the Economist, and the New York Times. So I don't think it's particular

Requests for people with firsthand accounts are things I see from reputable sources like the Economist, and the New York Times. So I don't think it's particularly unprofessional - maybe asking for "tips" is less professional than "we welcome hearing your accounts of the events". That said, I don't hold Tech Crunch in very high regard. I take most of their reporting with a grain of salt, and assume most articles are exaggerated to attract more attention.