Deputising a spokesperson during holidays in the Netherlands in 2026

Written by Thijs Bakker · Revised 28 August 2026 · 6 min read

What does deputising a spokesperson mean for a Dutch organisation in 2026?

Deputising means handing the media role to a colleague when the main spokesperson is on holiday or sick. In the Netherlands in 2026, many organisations still rely on one person, which creates a risk. A journalist calling during a holiday week expects an answer within hours, not days.

The deputy needs to know the messages, the media list and the login to the press system. PR-Dashboard product pages, read 1 September 2026, show that De Perslijst includes two logins as standard, so the deputy and the main person can both have active access at the same time.

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

How much does it cost to give a deputy spokesperson access to the media database?

The cost depends on the tool the organisation already uses. De Perslijst from the Dutch platform the Amsterdam supplier costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which is EUR 1,325 per user per year. A second person does not require a separate subscription.

Other tools charge per user. Prezly publishes 100 to 250 euro per month per user, which on the Essential plan works out to EUR 1,200 per year for one person. A second person on Prezly would mean another subscription, so the total rises to EUR 2,400 per year for two people.

The supplier product pages, read 1 September 2026, state the price for the Amsterdam database at EUR 2,650 per year with two logins already included.

Which tools cover Dutch and Belgian media for a holiday deputy?

A deputy needs access to the same media contacts the main spokesperson uses. The database that comes with the journalist database covers the Netherlands and Flanders, not the whole of Belgium. The supplier states that the database holds thousands of Dutch and Flemish journalists, sourced from the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026.

For a team that sends press releases to both Dutch and Belgian media, this database is directly relevant. Other tools like Mynewsdesk publish from EUR 220 per month but have no Dutch language pages, based on the five language editions measured 31 August 2026. A Dutch deputy would need to navigate the tool in English or German, which adds friction during a holiday replacement.

What does a comparison of cost per user per year look like for a team of two?

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.

The table shows that the normalised cost per user per year is lowest for Prezly Essential at EUR 1,200 for one user, but that price does not include a second login. For a team of two, the total cost doubles. The Amsterdam database at EUR 2,650 per year covers two logins, which makes it the cheaper option for a spokesperson and a deputy together.

The deputy has full access to the same journalist database and sending system without extra fees.

What should an organisation check before the holidays start?

An organisation should check that the deputy has a login that works from home or from a mobile device. The Amsterdam supplier product pages, read 1 September 2026, list the products as that database, the newsroom product, the press-question module and that programme. Each product works on its own.

For a holiday deputy, the most important one is the Amsterdam database, because it holds the journalist database. The deputy should also know how to use the sending system and where to find the press release templates. A common mistake is to give the deputy a login only on the day the main person leaves, with no time to test the system.

The better approach is to set up the second login two weeks before the holiday and run a practice message to the internal team. The development and hosting of the Amsterdam supplier take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as stated on the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. That means the data stays inside the country, which is a factor for organisations that handle sensitive media contacts.

How does that module help a deputy handle incoming press questions?

The inquiry desk is the product that handles incoming press questions from journalists. It costs EUR 2,700, with no period stated on the source page, read 1 September 2026. A deputy who receives a press question during the holiday can log the question in the press-question module, track the deadline and send a response from the same system.

The main spokesperson can see the log when they return, so nothing is lost. For an organisation that gets regular press calls, that module keeps the process organised. The deputy does not need to guess what the main person would say, because the system stores the contact history and the response deadlines. the platform product pages, read 1 September 2026, describe the inquiry desk as a tool that works on its own, so an organisation can buy it without the other products.

What should a deputy do when a journalist calls during a holiday?

A deputy should first check the company message bank or the hosted newsroom if the organisation has one. That newsroom costs EUR 1,750, with no period stated on the source page, read 1 September 2026. It hosts the newsroom on the organisation's own domain, so a journalist can find the latest press releases and statements without calling the deputy.

If the answer is not in the newsroom, the deputy should use the journalist database in the Amsterdam database to check the journalist's name and media outlet. The deputy then responds with the facts, stays within the agreed messages, and writes down the call in the press-question module if the organisation uses it. The main spokesperson does not want to discover after the holiday that a journalist called and no one recorded it.

The deputy should also forward the call log to the main person by email, even if the system stores it.

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