Need a source? Dial the Internet

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Feb 1, 1995 by Thomas Forbes

When Lamar Graham, a senior writer at Men's Journal, needed to interview pharmacological chemists and botanists for a story about herbal medicine, he fired off a detailed e-mail query to ProfNet, an online site that relays journalists' requests to public information officers (PIOs) representing professors and researchers at more than 800 institutions in 17 countries. A day later, Graham had the names of a dozen experts, including a couple of world-renowned authorities.

"I consider that a pretty efficient expenditure of reporting energy," he says.

Similarly, freelance science writer Karla Harby used ProfNet to rustle up nominations for Discover's annual awards for computer innovation. Two of the half-dozen products she learned about through ProfNet--"things that I would not have known about in any other way"--were eventually named winners.

ProfNet was started in January 1993 by Daniel H. Forbush, who until recently was associate vice president for university affairs at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He left SUNY in January to devote more time to ProfNet, which now fields 150 to 200 requests each week. About 1,500 PIOs receive the twice-daily e-mail briefings. Member institutions pay dues on a sliding-scale basis to support the service, which used to be free.

A similar service called MediaNet started up last summer and relays journalists' queries to PR people at corporations, associations and nonprofit organizations. Members pay $448 a year for a daily e-mail briefing; $498 for a daily fax.

Judith Broadhurst, editor/publisher of "Freelance Success" newsletter, tested MediaNet for a story she was writing for Mobile Office (published by FOLIO:'S parent, Cowles Business Media). Within two days, she received a call from a source who proved to be perfect for her story about the effects of technology on people's lives. "It was like having a research assistant," she says.

But that's not saying it replaces one. As Graham points out, the quality and quantity of responses vary for both services--and users need to bear that in mind. "[This] is not some kind of journalistic cyber-panacea. It doesn't replace the telephone or shoe leather; it augments them."

Both ProfNet and MediaNet are free to journalists and can be reached by e-mail, fax or phone. Send e-mail requests to ProfNet at profnet@sunysb.edu, or call 800-PROF-NET (voice). MediaNet is at 71344.2761@compuserve.com or 717-243-4285 (call collect).