Media guide · Expert sourcing
How to Find Experts for Interviews
To find the right expert for an interview, start with the question—not a job title. Work out what kind of knowledge would answer it, then look for people who have done the work or studied the evidence. Before you book the interview, check who they are, what supports their claims, and which interests your audience should know about.
By SeenAs Editorial · Updated
Start with the question, not the title
An expert could be a researcher, a working practitioner, a policy specialist, an author, or someone with direct lived experience. The right choice depends on what you're trying to establish. Write down the question and the kind of knowledge that could answer it.
One person rarely represents a whole field. A complex story may need two different kinds of source, plus facts you check on your own.
Follow the work back to the person
University directories, professional groups, conference programs, books, papers, public records, specialist communities, and trusted referrals are useful starting points. When you find a promising piece of work, check who actually carried it out.
SeenAs gives approved Media another route: find Professionals through Featured Topics and send an opportunity. It can help with discovery, but the Media team still checks the source and makes the editorial decision.
Check what sits behind the claim
Confirm the person's current role, relevant work, dates, funding, business ties, and public statements. Use first-hand records where you can. Ask directly about an interest that could shape the answer instead of trying to guess.
A senior title doesn't make someone an expert on every part of a subject. Check that the person's experience matches this question and that the evidence is still current.
- Identity and current affiliation
- Directly relevant work or experience
- Primary evidence supporting key claims
- Financial, advocacy, or organizational interests
- Ability to distinguish evidence from opinion
Prepare the source without feeding them an answer
Tell the source about the Media outlet, audience, topic, format, deadline, attribution, recording, and editing process. Give enough context to prepare, but don't ask them to support a conclusion you've already chosen.
During the interview, ask for plain words, a real example, what remains uncertain, and where the evidence stops. Check names, titles, and technical terms afterward. That care makes this story more accurate and the next conversation easier.
Frequently asked questions
How do journalists verify an expert?
They can confirm identity, current affiliation, relevant qualifications and work, primary evidence, prior statements, and potential conflicts. Verification should match the importance of the claim.
Can a platform replace editorial vetting?
No. A platform can support discovery and matching, but the Media team remains responsible for source verification, editorial judgment, and appropriate disclosure.