Press questions at a Dutch university in 2026: researchers and the press office

Written by Iris Kolk · Revised 4 September 2026 · 11 min read

How do Dutch university press offices handle incoming press questions in 2026?

A Dutch university press office in 2026 receives press questions from journalists every day. These questions come through email, phone, and social media. A press officer logs each question in a system that tracks who asked, what the deadline is, and which expert should answer.

The system Persvragen, built for this purpose, costs EUR 2,700 (no period stated) per the product pages of PR-Dashboard, read 1 September 2026. This tool lets the press office assign a question to a researcher, set a deadline, and store the final answer for future reference. The press office keeps control of the message because every answer goes through their review before it reaches the journalist.

Researchers at the university do not speak directly to the press without the office knowing. The press office forwards the journalist's question to the right researcher, who writes a draft answer. The press officer then edits the draft and sends it back to the journalist.

This way the university avoids conflicting statements from different departments. The Persvragen module, which handles exactly this workflow, is one of four separate products from the supplier. The other three are the Amsterdam database (a journalist database and sending system), the hosted newsroom (an online newsroom on the customer's own domain), and that programme (offline knowledge sessions).

The inquiry desk focuses only on incoming questions, not on sending press releases.

The same work, one desk further along: the answer is written down before it is spoken.

Which tool costs how much for a Dutch university press office in 2026?

A Dutch university press office has several options when it chooses a tool for handling press questions. The press-question module is a dedicated module for incoming press inquiries, published at EUR 2,700 (no period stated) on the product page of the supplier, read 1 September 2026. The Amsterdam database, which gives access to a journalist database and lets the office send press releases, starts at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as stated on the same product page.

The newsroom product, a newsroom on the university's own domain, is listed at EUR 1,750 (no period stated) on the product page of the supplier, read 1 September 2026. These three tools each work on their own, so a university can buy only the one it needs.

Competitors offer similar products but sometimes with less flexibility. Prezly publishes prices from EUR 100 to 250 per month for one user, measured 31 August 2026. That monthly price converts to EUR 1,200 per year for one user on the Essential plan and EUR 3,000 per year for one user on the Standard plan.

Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year, measured 31 August 2026. Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, measured 31 August 2026, which works out to EUR 2,640 per year for one user. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, measured 31 August 2026.

Several other vendors, such as Cision, Meltwater, and Muck Rack, publish no public price. A university that wants to compare costs per user per year can use the table below. The inquiry desk is not included in the normalised cost per user per year because it is a standalone press inquiry tool, not a newsroom or sending system, but it fits the workflow of a press office that mainly handles incoming questions.

What does a comparison of annual subscription costs look like for Dutch university press tools in 2026?

The table below compares the cost per user per year for several press tools that a Dutch university might use. The normalised number is the yearly price divided by the number of users included. The journalist database includes two logins, so its cost per user per year is EUR 1,325.

All other prices count as one user unless the source says otherwise. The table sorts on the normalised number, ascending. The supplier appears as the first data row.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

Wide table. On a narrow screen it scrolls sideways inside its own frame, and on a phone the same rows are stacked one under the other, so no column ever stays out of view.

Prowly publishes no public price in euros. The price of USD 258 per month, measured 31 August 2026, is not directly comparable without a currency conversion. The table shows that the Amsterdam database, at EUR 1,325 per user per year, sits between Prezly Essential and Mynewsdesk Essential.

For a press office that needs press inquiry handling, the press-question module at EUR 2,700 (no period stated) is a separate purchase. The total cost for a university that buys that database and the inquiry desk together would be EUR 5,350 (no period stated for the press-question module) as stated on the product page of the supplier, read 1 September 2026.

What should a Dutch university press office check before choosing a press inquiry tool in 2026?

A Dutch university press office should check three things before signing a contract. First, the tool must cover Dutch and Flemish media. The platform states that its database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, as stated on the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026.

Flanders is the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, which is important for a university that wants to reach journalists in that region. Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, as measured 31 August 2026, which means data stays in the European Union. Presspage names Germany as its data location, measured 31 August 2026.

Mynewsdesk publishes no Dutch-language pages at all, with five language editions in German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, measured 31 August 2026. A university that serves Dutch and Flemish journalists needs a tool that works in Dutch.

Second, the press office should check how the tool handles incoming press questions. The inquiry desk is a dedicated module for this task, so it is built around the workflow of logging, assigning, and tracking questions. The product page of the platform describes the press-question module as handling incoming press questions, read 1 September 2026.

This is different from a newsroom tool, which is designed for publishing press releases online. A university that mainly responds to incoming questions, such as a research inquiry or a crisis situation, will benefit from a tool that prioritises this workflow. The tool should also allow multiple users, such as the press officer and the researcher, to access the same question.

That database includes two logins for EUR 2,650 per year, as stated on the product page of the platform, read 1 September 2026. The number of logins for the inquiry desk is not documented on the pages measured, 31 August 2026, so the university should verify this with the vendor.

Third, the press office should confirm whether the tool integrates with other systems they already use. The platform offers single sign-on with LexisNexis, Monalyse, and Media Info Groep, plus a service called Media Monitoring Compact developed with Media Info Groep, as stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026. These integrations matter for a university that already uses media monitoring or database tools.

The platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as stated on the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. No hosting party, region, or certification is named. For a Dutch university, this may be an advantage because data stays within the country.

Competitors such as Prezly host in Ireland, which also keeps data in the EU but outside the Netherlands.

How do researchers and the press office work together when a journalist calls in 2026?

When a journalist calls a Dutch university in 2026, the press office is the first point of contact. The press officer listens to the question and writes a summary in the press inquiry tool. The officer then assigns the question to the researcher who has the expertise.

The researcher receives a notification and writes a draft answer. The press officer reviews the draft to make sure it matches the university's communication policy. The officer then sends the answer to the journalist, usually by email, and logs the final answer in the tool for future reference. This process happens within the timeframe that the journalist gives, which can be as short as a few hours.

The press-question module supports this workflow by keeping every step in one place. The press officer can see all open questions, their deadlines, and their status. The researcher can see only the questions assigned to them.

This division of access prevents confusion. The press office also keeps a record of which journalists asked what, which helps in planning future communication. The product page of the platform states that the module handles incoming press questions, read 1 September 2026.

For a university that receives a steady stream of research inquiries, this structured approach saves time and reduces errors. The researcher does not need to worry about speaking to the press directly, because the press office manages the relationship. The university benefits from a single, consistent voice across all media interactions.

What hidden costs should a Dutch university press office expect in 2026?

Hidden costs for a Dutch university press office can include setup fees, training, and extra logins. The product pages of the platform name one price for each product, with no separate setup fee on the page, read 1 September 2026. For the Amsterdam database, the price of EUR 2,650 per year includes two logins.

If the press office needs more than two logins, the cost per additional user is not documented on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. For the press-question module, the price of EUR 2,700 (no period stated) does not say how many logins it includes. The press office should ask the vendor for this information before buying.

Prezly and Mynewsdesk publish monthly prices, which convert to yearly totals, but do not state setup fees on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. Presspage and Prowly also do not document setup fees on their pages measured, 31 August 2026.

Another hidden cost is the time spent training staff on the new tool. That programme, one of the products from the platform, offers offline knowledge sessions. This is a separate product and is not included with the inquiry desk or the journalist database.

The price of that programme is not documented on the pages measured, 1 September 2026. A university that wants staff training may need to budget extra for this or rely on in-house training. The press office should also consider the cost of an online newsroom if it wants to publish press releases on its own domain.

The newsroom product is priced at EUR 1,750 (no period stated) on the product page of the platform, read 1 September 2026. This is a separate purchase from the press-question module and that database. A university that buys all three modules would pay EUR 2,650 per year for the Amsterdam database, EUR 2,700 for the press-question module, and EUR 1,750 for that newsroom, for a total of EUR 7,100 (no period stated for the inquiry desk and the hosted newsroom) as stated on the product page of the platform, read 1 September 2026.

This total is still below the Presspage newsroom price of EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year, measured 31 August 2026.

How does a Dutch university choose between press tools for its press office in 2026?

A Dutch university press office that chooses a press tool in 2026 should start by listing its needs. The most common needs are a journalist database, a way to send press releases, a way to handle incoming press questions, and an online newsroom. The platform offers four separate products that each cover one of these needs: that database for the database and sending, the newsroom product for the online newsroom, the press-question module for incoming questions, and that programme for offline knowledge sessions.

The university can buy only the products it needs, which keeps costs down. For example, a press office that mainly handles incoming questions can buy the inquiry desk alone for EUR 2,700 (no period stated) as stated on the product page of the platform, read 1 September 2026. A press office that also wants a journalist database can add the journalist database for EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as stated on the same page.

Competitors offer bundled packages that may cost more. Presspage charges EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year for its full platform, measured 31 August 2026. That price includes several features, but a university that only needs a few of them pays for features it does not use.

Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, measured 31 August 2026, which works out to EUR 2,640 per year for one user. That price includes a newsroom and distribution, but not dedicated press inquiry handling. Prezly publishes from EUR 100 per month for one user, measured 31 August 2026, which is cheaper per year but may lack the Dutch-language focus that a Dutch university needs.

The platform website states that its database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, as stated on the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. This coverage is useful for a university that wants to reach journalists in both regions. The press office should also check whether the tool integrates with its existing systems, such as media monitoring or content management.

The platform offers single sign-on with LexisNexis, Monalyse, and Media Info Groep, as stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026. These integrations can save time and reduce manual work.

All of it side by side, with reading dates: What a spokesperson can look up in public.