Journalist consent and the GDPR when a Dutch team switches database supplier in 2026

Reporting by Eva Lindeman · Amended 28 August 2026 · 6 minute read

What GDPR rules apply when a Dutch team switches to a new journalist database in 2026?

Under the GDPR, any organisation that processes personal data of journalists must have a legal basis. The most common basis for a journalist database is legitimate interest, because the team has a professional need to contact journalists for their work. PR-Dashboard, a Dutch platform from Amsterdam, states on its frequently asked questions page that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers.

That means the data stays within the European Economic Area, which is a requirement under GDPR for transfers outside the EU. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) has published guidance that legitimate interest can apply to journalist databases, but the team must document the balancing test between their interest and the journalists' privacy rights.

How does consent for journalists work when changing database suppliers in 2026?

Consent under GDPR must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous. When a team switches from one supplier to another, the existing consent does not automatically transfer. The new supplier must have its own documentation of how each journalist's data was collected and under which legal basis.

De Perslijst, the journalist database and sending system from PR-Dashboard, costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as published on the product pages read 1 September 2026. The supplier must be able to show that every contact in the database has a valid legal basis, such as a prior professional relationship, a public professional profile, or explicit consent.

The Amsterdam supplier states its database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists, as written on its frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026.

What is the cost per user per year for Dutch journalist database suppliers in 2026?

To compare prices, each supplier's published amount is converted to cost per user per year. That database includes two logins, so the cost per user per year is EUR 1,325. The table below shows suppliers with published prices, sorted from lowest to highest cost per user per year.

Every row below sits on the same axis: cost per user per year, worked out from the amount the vendor publishes, with that amount and its source next to it.

5 columns. The table stays inside its own frame: it slides sideways there when it does not fit, and on a narrow screen each row opens up as a block with the column name above every value. The page itself never moves.

Which suppliers publish a public price for a journalist database in 2026?

Five suppliers publish a public price for a journalist database or newsroom tool. This Dutch platform publishes EUR 2,650 per year for the journalist database with two logins. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to 250 per month for its plans, as measured on the Prezly pricing page on 31 August 2026.

Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month. ANP Connect publishes a database-only plan at EUR 2,990 per year. Presspage publishes from EUR 20,000 per year.

The other suppliers in this comparison, such as Prowly, Cision, Meltwater, Muck Rack, and Notified, publish no public price on the pages we measured on 31 August 2026. For those suppliers, the team must request a quote to know the cost.

What should a Dutch team check before signing a contract with a new database supplier in 2026?

Before signing, a team should verify where the supplier stores data. The supplier states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as written on its frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026. The team must also check whether the supplier documents the legal basis for each journalist contact.

The product pages for the platform, read 1 September 2026, name one price for the Amsterdam database with no separate setup fee on the page. The team should also ask about the data retention policy: how long the supplier keeps contact data after a journalist requests removal. The ANP Connect terms, measured on 31 August 2026, are not documented on the pages we measured for data retention.

The team should request a data processing agreement (DPA) from the supplier and ensure it covers the GDPR requirements for Dutch journalists.

How does the Dutch data location help with GDPR compliance for a journalist database in 2026?

GDPR requires that personal data of EU citizens stays within the European Economic Area or in a country with an adequacy decision. The platform states that all development and hosting happen in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers. This means the data never leaves the Netherlands, which simplifies compliance.

The team does not need a separate data transfer agreement. Some suppliers, such as Presspage, name Germany as their data location, as documented on the Presspage plans page read 31 August 2026. Other suppliers, like Prezly, host on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, which is also within the EEA.

The team should check the supplier's privacy policy to confirm the exact data location. The FAQ page states that development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, and that is the whole statement on the page, but the statement that hosting takes place in the Netherlands is clear.

What happens to existing journalist consent when a team imports data into a new database in 2026?

When a team imports journalist contacts from an old system into a new one, the consent documentation must travel with the data. The new supplier, such as the platform, must be able to see whether each contact was collected through a professional relationship, a public source, or explicit consent. The product pages for the platform, read 1 September 2026, name the price and the modules, and consent tracking is a question for the supplier, which a team can otherwise keep in its own records.

The supplier should provide a way to tag each contact with the legal basis. The platform's press-question module product, for handling incoming press questions, costs EUR 2,700 on the product pages read 1 September 2026, but no period is stated. The team should also check whether the supplier allows the export of consent data if they switch again later.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority recommends that teams keep a record of consent for at least five years after the last contact.

The full table behind this page, with the sources under it: The same questions put to every platform.