Credentials matter. But finding the right source requires more than checking a résumé.
Every journalist has faced some version of this problem. A story is developing. The deadline is approaching. You need someone who understands the subject, can explain it clearly, and is available when you need them.
You find a promising expert. Their credentials look impressive. Their professional biography checks all the right boxes. But can they actually help you tell the story? That's the question at the center of expert sourcing.
Finding someone knowledgeable is only part of the job. Journalists also have to determine whether that person is credible, relevant, prepared, and capable of communicating with an audience.
Here are six things worth evaluating before booking an expert.
1. Does the expert actually know the subject?
A title alone doesn't establish expertise. A university professor may be highly respected in one field but have limited experience with the specific issue you're covering. A business executive may understand an industry without having independent knowledge of the particular story.
Start with the fundamentals:
- What is this person's area of expertise?
- What qualifications or professional experience support their claims?
- Have they published research, held relevant positions, or worked directly on the issue?
- Are they speaking from firsthand experience, professional knowledge, or personal opinion?
The goal is to establish whether the source has a credible basis for what they're saying.
The most impressive credentials aren't necessarily the most relevant credentials.
2. Can they explain complicated information clearly?
An expert may know everything about a subject and still struggle to explain it to someone encountering the topic for the first time.
Journalists need sources who can make complicated information understandable without sacrificing accuracy.
That means being able to answer a direct question, define unfamiliar terms, provide useful context, and recognize when an explanation has become too technical.
For television, radio, and podcasts, communication skills become especially important because the audience often hears the explanation only once.
A good expert understands the subject. A useful media source understands how to communicate it.
3. Can their credentials and claims be verified?
Credibility requires verification. Before relying on a source, journalists should examine the information supporting that person's professional identity and expertise.
Depending on the story, that may include checking institutional affiliations, professional licenses, academic publications, employment history, relevant work, and previous public statements.
Prior media appearances can also be useful. They show how someone communicates and may reveal inconsistencies worth examining.
But appearing on television doesn't automatically make someone credible. Neither does having thousands of social media followers.
Verification should be appropriate to the claims being made and the importance of the information to the story.
Visibility is not a substitute for credibility.
4. Are they responsive and reliable?
Newsrooms operate on deadlines. An expert who takes three days to answer an email may be perfectly qualified, but that doesn't help a journalist whose story airs in three hours.
Responsiveness matters because producers and reporters are coordinating multiple moving parts simultaneously.
They need to know whether a source can confirm availability, provide accurate contact information, complete necessary preparations, and communicate promptly if circumstances change.
Reliability also means understanding commitments. If an interview is confirmed, the newsroom needs reasonable confidence that the source will be there. A dependable expert makes the entire production process easier.
5. Do they understand the interview format?
A live television panel is different from a recorded podcast. A documentary interview is different from a breaking news appearance. A print interview may require a different level of detail from a two-minute television segment. The strongest sources understand those differences.
For a television appearance, that might mean watching the program beforehand, becoming familiar with the host's interview style, and preparing to communicate within the show's format.
For a podcast, it may mean preparing for a longer conversation and more detailed follow-up questions.
For print or digital reporting, it may mean providing supporting documentation and being available to clarify complex information. The expert doesn't need to become a journalist. They do need to understand the assignment.
6. Will they make the story better?
This is ultimately the question. A credible expert should help the audience understand something they didn't understand before.
They may explain why a development matters, challenge an assumption, provide historical context, identify consequences, or clarify what remains unknown.
The best sources also recognize the limits of their expertise. They're willing to say when they don't know something. They distinguish established facts from interpretation. They understand that accuracy matters more than delivering a memorable sound bite.
Journalists should be able to trust that an expert is contributing useful information to the reporting process.
What does this mean for experts who want media opportunities?
If you're an expert hoping to work with journalists, consider how easily someone can evaluate you.
Does your professional profile clearly explain your expertise? Can a journalist verify your credentials? Do you have examples of previous interviews, public presentations, or other relevant work? Is your contact information current? Can someone quickly determine which subjects you're qualified to discuss?
A clear, accurate professional profile can help journalists make those decisions faster. And once you receive an opportunity, preparation and reliability can help build the professional relationships that lead to future interviews.
Building a better way to connect
At Coordius, we believe credible expertise deserves to be easier to discover and evaluate.
Journalists, producers, podcasters, and other creators need useful information about the people they're considering for interviews. Experts need a professional way to present their knowledge, credentials, and media experience.
Coordius is building a platform to help both sides discover, evaluate, and connect with one another.
Because finding the right person shouldn't require sacrificing the time needed to tell the story well.
For journalists, producers, and creators: What's the first thing you look for when evaluating a potential source?
Learn more at www.coordius.com.
