Reporting on New York City: Finding Sources & Experts
Finding Sources & Experts
When looking for sources, consider who may have expertise or knowledge in this topic. Some helpful starting places when starting your search:
- government agencies
- advocacy organizations or activists
- community groups
- political organizations
- research institutes or think tanks
- not-for-profits
- labor unions
- academics or scholars
- companies
- individuals with direct experience with the issue
Think carefully about and research your sources. Where does their expertise derive from (lived experience, work, education, etc.)? What organizations, universities, or groups are they associated with? Have they been quoted or written about previously?
Finding People
People search websites are one way to find contact information for individuals. People finder websites that are free or freemium include FamilyTreeNow, ZabaSearch, Fast People Search, Radaris, Nuwber, RocketReach, Whitepages, and That'sThem. In addition, creative Google searches such as "john smith" nyc whitepages can sometimes surface directory listings.
See databases and resources below for additional ways of finding people.
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Data Axle reference solutions This link opens in a new windowDirectory listings for millions of U.S. and Canadian businesses, health care, and residential listings. From the homepage, choose the "U.S. Standard White Pages" option to search the residential listings by name for home addresses and phone numbers. Choose the "U.S. Businesses" option to search by company name, or use the advanced search to locate businesses by geography or other characteristics. Information is compiled from telephone directories, postal service data, company SEC filings, direct phone calls, and more.
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Leadership connect This link opens in a new windowDatabase with contact information for people, primarily those in leadership positions, in U.S. federal, state, and local government; news media; law and lobbying; companies; and nonprofits. Search by name or use the Advanced Search options to browse by job title, sector, or other filters.
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Nexis Uni. This link opens in a new windowAn interdisciplinary, full-text database of over 18,000 sources including newspapers, journals, wire services, newsletters, company reports and SEC filings, case law, government documents, transcripts of broadcasts, and selected reference works. Includes some professional contact information and biographies. From the homepage, select the "People" option from the All Content Types dropdown menu and search by name.
Finding Experts
There are a number of general online databases and tools for connecting journalists with experts, including ExpertFile, Expertise Finder, ProfNet, and SciLine. To find an academic expert in a topic, look for relevant academic journal articles and contact the author (journal articles typically include email addresses for at list one author).
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Columbia Experts for the MediaA directory of more than a hundred Columbia University faculty members across various subjects areas for journalists to contact.
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Finding Underrepresented SourcesA Columbia Libraries research guide compiling directories of experts in a variety of areas that should be heard from more in the news.
Finding Government Officials
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Leadership connect This link opens in a new windowDatabase with contact information for people, primarily those in leadership positions, in U.S. federal, state, and local government; news media; law and lobbying; companies; and nonprofits. Search by name or use the Advanced Search options to browse by job title, sector, or other filters.
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NYC Green BookThe city's official directory, with detailed listings for New York City agencies, county offices, and courts.
Social Media & Other Methods
Social media sites can be very useful for finding directly impacted individuals on a given topic or enthusiasts or experts in various areas:
- LinkedIn for employees
- Nextdoor for neighborhood groups/community issues
- TikTok
Other potentially useful ways to find individuals include:
- Court records
- Voter records
Non-profits and Directories
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Associations unlimited This link opens in a new windowDirectory of information for international and U.S. national, regional, state, and local nonprofits and other organizations in all fields.
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GuideStarFinancial directory of non-profit organizations, including education, healthcare, special interest groups, and religious institutions. Columbia does not have a premium account; register (for free) for additional access.
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Europa world plus This link opens in a new windowEconomic, political, historical, and geographic profiles of 250+ countries and global regions. Contact information for political, business, media, and cultural agencies and officials, including international organizations. Click the "International Organizations" heading to find listings.
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Think Tank SearchA Google custom search of more than 1,200 think tanks and research centers, from a Harvard Kennedy School librarian. The "Evaluating Think Tanks" section is valuable, too!