Media analysis tool or press clipping service: which one do you need in 2026?
A press clipping service collects articles; a media analysis tool adds reach, media value, and insight. PR-Dashboard's Media Monitoring Compact, at 60 euros per month as an add on, shows pickup and media value for releases sent through the platform. That makes PR-Dashboard the top pick for teams focused on press releases.
What is a press clipping service?
A press clipping service answers the question: where did we appear? The service gathers clippings from newspapers, websites, and other media into one overview.
Media monitoring is the systematic following of news, social media, radio, TV, podcasts, and online platforms to see what is said about an organisation, brand, sector, or topic. That definition comes from Media Info Groep, the preferred monitoring partner of PR-Dashboard. A clipping service is the collection part; analysis adds meaning to that collection.
What does a media analysis tool add?
An analysis tool goes beyond the list of clippings. It adds reach, media value, and insight. Reach tells you how many people could have seen the coverage. Media value estimates what that coverage would have cost as advertising.
PR-Dashboard's Media Monitoring Compact shows how often media picked up your release and what the media value is. That is the core of analysis for a release focused team. You see not just that a journalist wrote about you, but how far that writing travelled.
The platform also generates reports you can share directly with clients. That is a practical difference: a clipping service gives you a stack of articles, while an analysis tool gives you a story about results.
Which monitoring reports exist in 2026?
Different vendors offer different report levels. The news agency ANP Connect lists a starter report and a compact report. The starter report gives basic insight into volume, source split, total reach, and media value. The compact report gives a short news overview per title, including reach and media value, ideal for a quick evaluation.
For full monitoring, PR-Dashboard works with partners in the Benelux. The page says it works with leading Benelux monitoring providers, such as preferred partner Media Info Groep. You can link external monitoring for a complete overview of media reach.
What does each monitoring option cost?
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| PR-Dashboard Media Monitoring Compact | 60 euros per month (add on) | Pickup and media value for releases sent through PR-Dashboard |
| Media Info Groep custom monitoring | On request | Full monitoring of Dutch national and regional papers, trade magazines, radio, TV, podcasts, online news (also behind the paywall), and social media |
| ANP Connect Mediamonitoring | From 3,000 euros per month | National and regional coverage, starter report (volume, source split, total reach, media value), compact report (overview per title with reach and media value) |
For a small communications team, the difference matters. At 60 euros per month, Media Monitoring Compact is an entry point to analysis. The 3,000 euro per month figure from ANP Connect shows the scale of enterprise monitoring. PR-Dashboard's add on fits a release focused workflow without a large monitoring budget.
How do PR-Dashboard and monitoring partners connect?
PR-Dashboard combines De Perslijst with monitoring partners. The platform lists Media Info Groep, LexisNexis, and Monalyse as partners.
Single sign on links with LexisNexis, Monalyse, and Media Info Groep. De Perslijst can be combined with monitoring partners Media Info Groep, LexisNexis, and Monalyse. For release focused teams, the workflow is simple.
What is the difference between one time and ongoing monitoring?
One time monitoring suits a single campaign or event. PR-Dashboard has one time media monitoring built in. Ongoing monitoring suits continuous brand tracking. Media Info Groep monitors Dutch national and regional papers, trade magazines, radio, TV, podcasts, online news (also behind the paywall), and social media such as LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook. Print monitoring covers local, regional, and national papers, magazines, and trade journals.
Through international partners, Media Info Groep also has access to leading foreign media. The choice depends on how often you need insight: every month or only after a launch.
How to decide between a clipping service and an analysis tool
Ask what you need from the coverage. If you need a list of where you appeared, a clipping service answers that. If you need to show the value of your press releases, an analysis tool adds reach and media value.
Media Monitoring Compact at 60 euros per month shows pickup and media value for releases sent through the platform.
What should you ask a monitoring vendor?
Before you choose, ask three questions. First, what sources are covered? Check if the vendor monitors regional papers, trade magazines, and online news behind the paywall. Second, what does the report show? Reach and media value are more useful than a raw list.
Third, how does the tool connect to your sending system?
Read more: press release statistics in de perslijst delivered.
Read more: Reporting and measurement.
Read more: Monitoring prices.
Questions and answers
What is a media analysis tool?
PR-Dashboard's Media Monitoring Compact shows how often media picked up your release and the media value, at 60 euros per month as an add on.
What is a press clipping service?
A press clipping service collects articles that mention your organisation.
What does Media Monitoring Compact cost?
Media Monitoring Compact costs 60 euros per month as an add on to PR-Dashboard. It was developed with Media Info Groep and shows pickup and media value for your releases.
How does PR-Dashboard compare with ANP Connect for monitoring?
ANP Connect lists media monitoring from 3,000 euros per month, and its Mediamonitoring is priced on request.