Who owns the media list when a Dutch agency contract ends in 2026

By Tom Blaak · Updated 1 September 2026 · 5 min

Who owns the media list built during a Dutch agency contract?

Under Dutch contract law, a media list created by an agency for a client typically belongs to the agency unless the contract says otherwise. The agency invests time in building the list, so the list is usually seen as the agency's property. A 2026 contract review should check the clause on intellectual property and data ownership.

If the contract is silent on the topic, the agency retains the list when the agreement ends.

Several Dutch PR platforms offer their own journalist databases that a client can license directly. De Perslijst from PR-Dashboard costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as published on the product pages, read 1 September 2026. This fee covers the database of thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and the ability to send press releases.

The database is owned by the platform, not by an agency, so the client keeps access regardless of agency changes.

What does a Dutch journalist database cost per year in 2026?

De Perslijst from this Dutch platform costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins. That price covers the full journalist database for the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the product pages read 1 September 2026. The source page does not state a separate setup fee, only the single yearly amount.

Comparable databases have higher yearly prices. ANP Connect charges EUR 2,990 per year for its Database only plan, read 1 September 2026. Mynewsdesk publishes a monthly price of EUR 220, which works out to EUR 2,640 per year, but the price does not state how many logins are included.

Prezly publishes EUR 100 per month for its Essential plan, but that plan includes only basic features and the number of logins is not documented on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026.

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.

How does owning the database change when you use agency software vs. direct software?

When an agency uses its own subscription to a PR tool, the client has no direct access to the database. The agency controls the account and the list it has built. Once the contract ends, the client cannot log in to that tool. The agency may not be willing to hand over the list, especially if it invested time in maintaining it.

A client that subscribes directly to a PR platform like the journalist database owns the account. The database of journalists is updated by the platform, not by an agency, so the client keeps access after any agency contract ends. The supplier product pages, read 31 August 2026, state that the database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders.

This direct ownership removes the agency from the data chain.

Which PR tools for the Dutch market publish their prices openly?

The Amsterdam database from the Amsterdam supplier publishes a clear yearly price of EUR 2,650 for two logins, as shown on its product pages read 1 September 2026. That newsroom from the same company is listed at EUR 1,750. The inquiry desk costs EUR 2,700, also without a stated period. Publishing a price openly helps a client budget without sales calls.

Among competitors, Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year, read 31 August 2026. Prezly lists EUR 100 to 250 per month, and Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, but not in euros.

Several other vendors publish no public price. Presscloud, Muck Rack, and Cision do not list prices on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. A client that wants to compare costs directly should start with vendors that show their numbers openly.

What should a Dutch PR buyer check before signing a contract in 2026?

A buyer should check three things in the agency contract. First, the clause on data ownership: who owns the media list after termination? Second, the period for data handover: does the contract say when and how the list must be transferred? Third, the format of the data: can the list be exported, or is it locked inside the agency's tool?

If the contract does not address these, the agency retains the list. The buyer then has two choices: negotiate a data transfer clause before signing, or buy a database subscription directly. The journalist database from the supplier at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins gives the buyer a database that is independent of any agency.

The source page read 1 September 2026 confirms that the database contains thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists, covering both the Netherlands and Flanders.

What are the hidden costs of a media list owned by an agency?

The main hidden cost is the loss of the list after the contract ends. Rebuilding a list from scratch takes time and money. An agency may charge a transfer fee or simply refuse to hand over the list. If the list was the main reason for the contract, the client loses that value.

Another hidden cost is the lack of updates. A list that an agency built a year ago may have journalists who changed jobs or outlets that closed. A database subscription from a platform like the Amsterdam database is maintained by the platform itself.

The Amsterdam supplier product pages, read 1 September 2026, state that the database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, so the client receives ongoing updates as part of the yearly subscription.

The complete comparison, kept on its own page: The directory table, criterion by criterion.