Media List Online (2026), Four Ways to Build and Share One
You can keep a media list online four ways, a shared sheet, a notes app, a searchable database or an AI assistant connected to a database.
The right choice depends on how many people you pitch, how many people work on the list and how often it changes.
Facts and counts checked October 19, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.
Key takeaways
- There are four ways to keep a media list online, a shared sheet, a notes app, a searchable database and an AI assistant with a database.
- Pick by team size and how often you pitch.
- Media List connects to Google Sheets, Notion, Webflow, Zapier (beta), a read-only API and an MCP server.
The four ways at a glance
| Way | Best for | Strength | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared spreadsheet | Solo pros and small lists under 100 names | Simple, familiar, easy to share | You find and check every contact yourself |
| Notes or database app | Teams that already live in one | Links lists to projects and tasks | Still no source of contacts |
| Searchable media database | Agencies and founders who pitch often | Filters, verified email status, exports | Costs money each month |
| AI assistant plus a database | People who like to ask in plain words | Search without learning filters | Needs a database connection |
Try Media List free for 3 days, $0 today. See plans and pricing →
Way 1, a shared spreadsheet
Put your list in Google Sheets or Excel online and share it with your team. This is the cheapest start. Use the columns in our media list template, and turn on drop-downs for status and tier so everyone types the same words.
The weakness is the work behind the sheet. Each contact must be found, checked and typed in.
Way 2, a notes or database app
Tools such as Notion let you keep contacts as records with links to projects. This is helpful if the list sits next to your campaign plans. Media List has a "Send to Notion" feature, so contacts from a search can go straight into a Notion database. It also has "Send to Webflow" for sites that run on Webflow.
Way 3, a searchable media database
A media database puts the contacts in one place and lets you filter. Look for these features when you compare.
- Filters for beat, outlet, state, country and media type.
- An email status shown before you export.
- Creators in the same search as journalists.
- Exports to CSV and to other tools.
- A price you can see without a call.
- A trial that shows real emails.
Media List holds 38,000+ journalists, editors and producers, 27,000+ in the United States, plus 189,000+ YouTube channels and 1.2 million podcasts. Searches and lists are unlimited on every plan, and plans start at $99 a month. See our guide to media list databases for a full checklist.
Way 4, an AI assistant plus a database
Instead of learning filters, you can ask an AI assistant in plain words, such as "Find health reporters in Ohio who cover wellness." This works when the assistant can read a real database. Media List has an MCP server that lets AI assistants such as Claude read the database, plus a read-only API. It also has a Google Sheets add-on and a Zapier app in beta, so lists can flow to other tools.
How to pick
- Fewer than 50 contacts and one person, use a spreadsheet.
- A team that already works in one app, add a database that exports to it.
- Pitching every month or for several clients, use a searchable database.
- If you like working by chat, add an AI assistant connected to the database.
Keeping an online list safe and tidy
- Share edit rights with only the people who need them.
- Keep a do-not-contact tab and check it before each send.
- Use the contacts for your own outreach only. Media List's terms license exported contacts for your own organization's outreach, and do not allow reselling.
- Back up the sheet monthly.
If you plan to email the list, read is it legal to email journalists.
Try an online list with real contacts
Start a 3-day trial at $0 today with a card or PayPal. You can search everything, build lists and export up to 25 contacts. Cancel before the trial ends and you are not charged.
Media database search, how to filter without getting zero results
Searching a media database is a subtraction problem. Start with one filter, read the count, then add the next. If you open with beat plus location plus media type plus audience size, you will land on zero and have no idea which filter did it.
Three habits keep the count healthy. Search the beat the way a newsroom words it, so small business rather than SMB. Add location only when the story is genuinely local, because a national reporter who covers your topic is worth more than a local reporter who does not. Treat audience size as the last filter, not the first.
When a search does come back empty, remove the newest filter first, then widen the beat to its parent topic, then drop location. Saving the search as a list once it looks right means the next story starts from a filter rather than a blank sheet. The plan limits on searches, lists and exports are set out in media database cost.
Questions, answered
Where can I make a media list online?
You can use a spreadsheet such as Google Sheets, a notes or database app, or a searchable media database that lets you filter and export contacts.
Can I share a media list with my team online?
Yes. A shared spreadsheet or a database with team seats lets several people see and update one list. Media List Professional includes up to 3 seats and Scale includes up to 10.
Can an AI assistant help me find contacts?
It can search and read contacts when it is connected to a real database, such as through the Media List MCP server. An assistant with no database may guess names and emails, which you should not trust.
What is the best way to build a media list online for a small business?
Start with a shared spreadsheet and 20 to 30 hand-picked contacts. Move to a database when you pitch often.
Does Media List work with Google Sheets?
Yes. There is a Media List add-on for Google Sheets on the Google Workspace Marketplace.
Do I need a credit card for the Media List trial?
Yes. The trial costs $0 today and needs a card or PayPal. Cancel before it ends and you are not charged.
Related guides
Search 1.5 million+ media contacts
Start a 3-day free trial, $0 today. Plans from $99 a month, no contract.