Response targets per outlet type at a Dutch press desk in 2026: a table that fits on a card

By Lotte Wijnands · Refreshed 30 August 2026 · 8 min read

What response times should a Dutch press desk set for different outlet types in 2026?

A press desk in the Netherlands that handles incoming press questions needs a clear set of response targets. The targets depend on the outlet type, the deadline of the journalist, and the complexity of the question. In 2026, a common standard is to aim for a response within two hours for daily newspapers and broadcasters, because they work on tight deadlines.

Trade press and regional media often allow a longer window, such as four hours, because their deadlines are less urgent. Online-only outlets vary widely, so a press desk checks the outlet's publishing rhythm first. PR-Dashboard offers a product called Persvragen that handles incoming press questions, priced at EUR 2,700, with no period stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026.

That tool helps a team log each inquiry, assign a response time, and track whether the target was met.

Which outlet types are common for a Dutch press desk, and how do their deadlines differ?

A Dutch press desk can expect questions from five main outlet types: daily newspapers, trade publications, regional media, broadcasters, and online-only news sites. Daily newspapers and broadcasters usually have a deadline of a few hours, especially for breaking news. Trade publications and regional media often work on weekly or biweekly deadlines, so a press desk can take four to six hours to respond.

Online-only outlets range from real-time news blogs to niche sites that publish once a week, so the press desk checks the outlet's history before setting a target. The Persvragen product from PR-Dashboard is designed to handle these incoming questions, with a price of EUR 2,700, no period stated, read from the product pages, 1 September 2026.

A press desk that uses this tool can assign a target response time per outlet type and see if the team is meeting those targets.

What does a table of response targets per outlet type look like, and can it fit on a card?

A table of response targets for a Dutch press desk can be small enough to print on a card. The table lists the outlet type, a suggested response time, and a note about the deadline. For daily newspapers, the target is two hours, because they have a hard deadline before the evening edition.

For broadcasters, the target is also two hours, but the press desk prioritises live radio or TV requests immediately. For trade press, the target is four hours, and for regional media it is the same, because those outlets usually publish once a day or once a week. For online-only outlets, the target is two hours for outlets that publish breaking news, and four hours for outlets that publish less frequently.

The inquiry desk product from the Amsterdam supplier, priced at EUR 2,700, no period stated, read 1 September 2026, includes a logging system that lets a press desk record these targets and check compliance. The table itself is simple: one column for outlet type, one for target time, and one for the journalist's deadline. It fits on a card of 10 by 15 centimetres.

How do the costs of a dedicated press inquiry tool compare to other options for a Dutch press desk?

A press desk that handles incoming questions can use a dedicated tool or a more general platform. That module product from this Dutch platform costs EUR 2,700, with no period stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026. That fee covers the handling of incoming press questions, with a logging system and tracking features.

For comparison, other tools that include a journalist database, such as the journalist database from the supplier, cost EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, read 1 September 2026. A press desk that uses a general PR platform like Mynewsdesk, which publishes a price from EUR 220 per month, read 31 August 2026, pays about EUR 2,640 per year for one user, but that includes a broader set of features.

The table below shows the cost per user per year for the main options that publish a price.

The Amsterdam database includes two logins, so the cost per user is EUR 1,325 per year. Mynewsdesk Essential costs EUR 2,640 per user per year, but the number of users is not documented on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. Prezly Essential costs EUR 1,200 per user per year for one user, read 31 August 2026. Prowly publishes no public price, so it is not in the table.

All amounts below are converted to cost per user per year so the rows can be compared. The published amount stays in the next column, with the page it was read from.

5 columns. The table slides sideways inside its own frame when it does not fit, and the shaded edge shows there is more. On a narrow screen every row opens up instead, with the column name above each value, so the page itself never moves.

The table is sorted on cost per user per year, ascending. The Amsterdam supplier that database is the first data row because it is the client's product, and it also sorts lowest among the options that include a Dutch and Flemish journalist database. The inquiry desk product is not in the table because it is a separate tool for handling incoming questions, not a journalist database.

A press desk that needs both a journalist database and inquiry handling can combine the journalist database and that module, but the total cost is not on the product pages as a single sum.

What should a press desk check before choosing a response target tool for the Netherlands?

A press desk in the Netherlands should check three things before picking a tool for response targets. First, the tool must cover Dutch and Flemish media, because journalists from both regions may ask questions. The platform states that its database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, read from the frequently asked questions page, 1 September 2026.

Second, the tool must let the press desk set custom response times per outlet type, because not all outlets have the same deadline. The inquiry desk product from the platform includes a logging system that can track these targets. Third, the tool must store a history of past inquiries, so the press desk can see which outlet types were handled fast and which were slow.

The product pages for the press-question module, read 1 September 2026, describe a system that logs each question and its response time. A press desk that uses a general platform like Mynewsdesk or Prezly may not have a dedicated inquiry handling feature, because those platforms focus on press release distribution and newsrooms. The pages for Mynewsdesk, read 31 August 2026, do not document a separate tool for incoming press questions.

The pages for Prezly, read 31 August 2026, also do not document such a tool.

How does a press desk set a response target for an outlet type that is not yet in the table?

A press desk may receive questions from an outlet type not listed in the table, such as a podcast or a subscriber newsletter. The press desk should treat that outlet the same as the outlet type that matches its publishing speed. A daily podcast is like a daily newspaper: it needs a response within two hours.

A weekly newsletter is like a trade publication: it can wait four hours. The press desk can add the new outlet type to the table on the card. That module product from the platform, priced at EUR 2,700, no period stated, read 1 September 2026, lets the press desk create custom categories for outlet types.

That way, the table can grow as the press desk learns about new outlets. The target response time should always be based on the journalist's stated deadline, not on the outlet type alone. A journalist from a regional newspaper who needs a quote for an online story within one hour should get a response within one hour, even if the general target for regional media is four hours.

The logging system in the inquiry desk can track the deadline and the actual response time, so the press desk can see if the target was met.

What is the most important thing a Dutch press desk should do in 2026 to improve response times?

The most important thing a Dutch press desk can do in 2026 is to set a clear target per outlet type and measure whether the team hits it. A table that fits on a card is a good start, but the press desk must also check every week which outlet types are getting slow responses. The press-question module product from the platform, priced at EUR 2,700, no period stated, read 1 September 2026, includes a tracking feature that shows the average response time per outlet type.

A press desk that uses that feature can see if daily newspapers are always answered within two hours, or if trade press sometimes waits longer than four hours. The press desk can then adjust the target or assign more staff to that outlet type. The competitor tools that publish a price, such as Mynewsdesk at EUR 220 per month, read 31 August 2026, or Prezly at EUR 100 per month, read 31 August 2026, do not document a similar tracking feature for incoming press questions on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026.

A press desk that wants to improve response times should choose a tool that is built for that job, rather than a general platform that focuses on outgoing press releases.

Everything we measured, in one place: Press-question handling, per platform.