Media Contact List (2026), What Goes In and How to Update It
A media contact list holds the reporters, editors, producers, hosts and creators who can cover your news, with each person's outlet, beat and email.
The list is only as good as its last update.
Facts and counts checked October 19, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.
Key takeaways
- A media contact list holds reporters, editors, producers, hosts and creators, with outlet, beat and email.
- About 21 percent of US adults regularly get news from news influencers, so creators belong on the list.
- CAN-SPAM applies to business email and requires honoring opt-outs within 10 business days.
Who belongs on a media contact list
Ten years ago, a media contact list meant newspaper and TV reporters. Today it also means the people who build audiences on their own. About one in five US adults (21 percent) say they regularly get news from news influencers, and the share is 37 percent among adults aged 18 to 29.1 Monthly podcast listening reached 55 percent of Americans aged 12 and older in 2025.2
A modern list has five kinds of contact.
| Contact type | What they do | Count in the Media List database |
|---|---|---|
| Journalists, editors and producers | Report, edit and book stories at news outlets | 38,000+, with 27,000+ in the US |
| Podcast hosts | Host and book guests for shows | 1.2 million podcasts |
| YouTube creators | Publish video to an audience of subscribers | 189,000+ channels |
| Newsletter writers | Write email newsletters on a topic | More than 28,000 |
| Bloggers | Write on their own sites | More than 28,000 |
Try Media List free for 3 days, $0 today. See plans and pricing →
The fields every record needs
- First and last name.
- Title, which tells you how much say they have.
- Outlet or show name, and its website.
- Beat or topic.
- Location, since many stories are local.
- Email, with a status that tells you if it has been checked.
- A social or LinkedIn link.
- Notes and the date of your last contact.
You can copy a full layout from our media list template.
Why contact lists go stale
People move, and outlets shrink. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs for reporters, correspondents and broadcast news analysts will fall 6 percent between 2025 and 2035, from about 47,100 jobs.3 Medill's 2025 report found that newspaper jobs fell 7 percent in one year and by more than three quarters since 2005. It counted 213 news desert counties.4
That churn is why an old purchased file loses value fast. Treat every list as a living thing.
How to keep a contact list fresh
- After every send, mark bounces and remove them.
- Every month, sort by last contact date and re-check the oldest Tier A names.
- Every quarter, open each top name's author page and confirm they still cover your beat.
- When someone replies, add a note. A line such as "prefers short emails" is worth a lot a year later.
The rules for emailing a contact list
If you email contacts in the United States, the CAN-SPAM Act applies, and it does not exempt business email. The Federal Trade Commission lists these main points.5
- Do not use false or misleading header information or subject lines.
- Say clearly if the message is an ad.
- Include a valid postal address.
- Give a clear way to opt out, and honor requests within 10 business days.
- Do not charge a fee for opting out.
The FTC says each separate email in violation can bring a penalty of up to $53,088. Our article on whether it is legal to email journalists goes further. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where to get a contact list
You have three options. Build one by hand from bylines, buy a fixed file, or search a database and export what you need. Fixed files age fast. A searchable database lets you pull fresh contacts for every story. See our guides to media contact databases and media contacts lists.
With Media List, you filter by beat, outlet, state and media type, check each email's status and export. If an exported email bounces, we replace it at no cost.
Try it on one story
Start a 3-day trial at $0 today using a card or PayPal. You can export up to 25 contacts. Plans start at $99 a month, and there is no annual contract.
Questions, answered
What is a media contact list?
It is a list of the reporters, editors, producers, hosts and creators who might cover your news, with their outlets, beats and emails.
What should a media contact list include?
Name, title, outlet, beat, location, email with a status, a social link, and notes with the date of your last contact.
How often should I update my media contact list?
Fix bounces after every send, re-check old names monthly, and confirm your top tier every quarter.
Can I email a media contact list without permission?
In the United States, CAN-SPAM allows business email if you follow its rules, such as honest subject lines, a postal address and a working opt-out. Laws differ in other countries, so check the rules where your contacts live.
Should creators be on my media contact list?
Yes, if your audience follows them. Pew found that about one in five US adults regularly get news from news influencers.
What is the difference between a media contact list and a media list?
The terms are used for the same thing. Some people say contact list for the raw records and media list for the list built for one campaign.
Related guides
- Media contacts lists guide
- Media contact databases
- Media Email List (2026), How to Build and Send to One
- Building Media Lists (2026), a Weekly Habit That Works
Sources
- Pew Research Center, America's News Influencers (November 18, 2024), checked 2026-10-19
- Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2025 (released March 20, 2025), checked 2026-10-19
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Reporters, Correspondents, and Broadcast News Analysts, checked 2026-10-19
- Medill Local News Initiative, State of Local News 2025 (October 20, 2025), checked 2026-10-19
- Federal Trade Commission, CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business, checked 2026-10-19
Search 1.5 million+ media contacts
Start a 3-day free trial, $0 today. Plans from $99 a month, no contract.