Journalist's Toolbox: Finding Diverse Expert Sources

June 21, 2022

Jun 21

Tools for Finding Diverse Expert Sources

Finding expert sources for stories can be a challenge, especially for younger journalists still developing contacts. The Journalist’s Toolbox makes that a little easier with its Expert Sources page, a collection of free and paid databases of experts in various fields.

One section of the page is dedicated entirely to finding diverse sources. I’ve listed some of the more popular databases for finding diverse sources below, with a brief description of each:

Sources of Color
Journalists, PR pros and diverse experts all in one place. This site is a partnership with SPJ, PRSA and other organizations. The site is free for journalists but charges PR pros.

DiverseSources.org
Database of experts features underrepresented voices and perspectives in science, health and environment work.

NPR Diverse Sources Database
Find experts from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the media. Includes a featured “source of the week,” a map to search for expert by state and listings by area of expertise.

People of Color Also Know Stuff
This online platform connects journalists with subject matter experts and people of color who have stories to tell. POC uses customized matching to connect journalists with a diverse pool of potential interviewees.

AAJA Studio: Diverse Sources
Organized by a variety of diversity and civil rights topics.

Editors of Color: Database of Diverse Expert Databases
This site does a nice job of linking off to expert databases by topics such as tech, writing, photography, etc.

Women Also Know Stuff Experts
Lists more than 1,600 women who are experts in various fields.

Quote This Woman+
A curated database of verified women+ experts based or affiliated with South and Southern African for journalists to access and use as their sources. The database consists of experts from all industries and has been used both locally and internationally.

500 Women Scientists Database
Excellent way to find STEMM experts. Searchable by country, city or area of expertise.

Learn more: Here’s a short video I recorded for the USA Today training website in 2021 on how to search for diverse expert sources:

Tips

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Around the Web

Reuters Digital News Report 2022
Released last week, the report offers data, studies and insights on digital news consumption based on a YouGov survey of over 93,000 online news consumers in 46 markets covering half of the world’s population.
MuckRock: FOIA 101 Guides
DataPortals.org: Open Knowledge Foundation
Lists of about 600 data portals.

Cool Tool Tuesday

Don’t forget that at 1 p.m. CT each Tuesday, we feature a new resource on #cooltooltuesday, like you see in our Around the Web section of this newsletter. Be sure to check it out and retweet it. Here’s a video of some of my past faves: