A UK news agency, Newspage, powered by verified experts in every field, is inviting academics to help shape and enrich mainstream news coverage by becoming an extension of modern newsrooms.
Many academics know the feeling: so-called experts quoted by journalists who lack a deep understanding of the subject matter in hand — or worse, have misunderstood it entirely. Academics can see the angles or nuances that have been missed, because they have forensic knowledge in that field.
Newspage was built to change that, by bringing academic insight into the news process much earlier, before headlines are written and angles are fixed — to ensure the public get richer perspectives from the UK’s leading academics.
The NAPA-accredited news agency empowers academics in every discipline to be part of mainstream news content, by contributing to stories relevant to their expertise — from science, (geo)politics and medicine to technology, economics and culture.
Through Newspage, academics can flag developments in their field that they believe need covering by mainstream news media, and share their views on breaking stories that are relevant to their expertise — in video or text format.
Experts in specific fields can also collaborate with their peers to help build richer, evidence-led reporting — important in the age of AI and ‘fake news’.
Newspage storifies the insights academics provide and feeds them into relevant news media, in real time.
Take part in the news cycle
Newspage already works closely with all major UK newsrooms, which are struggling due to fewer specialist reporters, tighter deadlines, an over-reliance on private sector experts and a growing need for trusted expertise.
By bringing academic insight into mainstream news stories, Newspage helps produce content that is richer and of more value to readers, whether niche trade media or major consumer news sites.
More than 12,000 verified experts already contribute to Newspage, with their insight appearing regularly across major newspapers and news websites, from the BBC, FT and Sky News to the Guardian, Times and Daily Telegraph.
For academics who want their expertise to inform public knowledge debate — without dumbing it down or losing control of the context — Newspage offers a more constructive way to take part in the news cycle.
Academics can work closely with the Newspage news team of experienced journalists led by Newspage’s Head of News, Douglas Patient, a former news editor at titles including The Sun and Daily Mirror.
Extension of news desks
Douglas Patient, Head of News at Newspage, said: “When major stories break, whether geopolitical, scientific, economic or financial, journalists over-rely on intel and insight from corporates.
“Journalists are always keen to quote academics but the pressures they are under means they often default to corporate spokespeople wheeled out by vast PR machines. This is what Newspage solves.
“We facilitate the flow of intel from universities and research laboratories around the UK into all leading news media, from ultra-niche trade titles to major newspapers such as The Times and FT, and create richer and more nuanced journalism.
“Essentially, we empower academics to become an extension of news desks.
“Academics can share their views via the desktop or mobile app in both text or video format and, in many cases, their views and reels can appear in the media just minutes later.
“Newspage can be free forever or, if academics want to be actively involved in the news cycle, they can get 50% off all our paid subscriptions indefinitely.”
The Newspage mobile app is available on both iOS and Android. Academics can get 50% off all Newspage paid subscriptions, ranging from £49.99 to £299.99 a month, with the discount code: EDNGACCF
