What Sources does

Sources is a privately held information platform headquartered in Toronto, Canada, that operates a web-based directory and portal serving journalists, editors, freelance writers, and researchers. Founded in 1977 by Barrie Zwicker as a print supplement to Content magazine, the company spun off as an independent publication in 1981, transitioned to the Internet in 1995, and has been led by publisher Ulli Diemer since 1999. Its core product is a searchable, deep-indexed database of expert sources, media spokespersons, organizations, and news releases, organized around a proprietary controlled-vocabulary subject index comprising more than 20,000 topics and augmented by an "Intelligent Search" system that suggests related subjects based on search terms.

The platform's product surface extends beyond the core directory into adjacent journalist workflow tools, including News Releases, the Sources Library (Sources Select Resources) of journalism articles and reviews, Media Names & Numbers (a Canadian media directory), Sources Calendar (an event calendar), Sources HotLink (media relations content), Fame & Fortune (awards and prizes for writers), and Parliamentary Names & Numbers (a government directory). The company also maintains French, Spanish, and German language versions of the topic index, and a secondary print directory for freelancers. Technology stack is a self-serve web portal with no disclosed API, SDK, or app, and no AI/ML capabilities are described.

Sources generates revenue primarily through membership subscriptions paid by listed experts, spokespersons, organizations, and individuals seeking visibility in the directory, with a secondary revenue stream from print directory sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the go-to-market motion is self-serve online registration via gateway.sources.com with organic discovery through SEO, the extensive topic index, Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds. With 1-10 employees, no external funding, no institutional investors, and no disclosed enterprise anchor customers, the company operates as a long-running, founder-led micro-business focused on editorial curation rather than venture-scale growth.

Name

Sources

Legal name

Sources

Website

https://sources.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sources is a privately held Toronto-based information platform that operates a curated web directory of expert sources, spokespersons, organizations, and news releases organized around a 20,000+ topic subject index, serving journalists, editors, freelance writers, and researchers primarily in Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Directory Services

NAICS

Directory and Mailing List Publishers (513140)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

News Agencies & Wire Services (General & Specialized) (MPAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

News & Current Affairs Aggregators (MPACAKAA), Content Aggregation, Curation & RSS Platforms (BPAMAJAI)

Keywords

• Media directory services
• Expert source platform
• Journalist research tools
• Spokesperson database
• Media reference resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Sources generates revenue through membership subscriptions. The platform offers membership options for experts, spokespersons, organizations, and individuals who wish to be listed in the directory. Membership provides enhanced visibility and access to the portal's tools and services.
2. Print Directory: Although primarily web-based, Sources continues to publish a print edition of the directory primarily for the benefit of freelancers who use it as a source of story ideas. This represents a secondary revenue stream from print sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sources operates a web-based directory platform that provides journalists, editors, researchers, and writers access to a curated database of experts, spokespersons, and authoritative sources across diverse subject areas. The core platform is supported by related offerings such as a news release distribution feature, a curated reference library, and contact directories for media professionals.

Product overview

Sources is a web-based information portal and directory service for journalists, writers, editors, researchers, and information seekers. The platform operates as a unified portal built around a controlled-vocabulary subject index of over 20,000 topics. The core product is the Sources Directory, which provides searchable access to expert sources, media spokespersons, and organizational contacts. The platform also includes News Releases for distributing press statements, the Sources Library (Sources Select Resources) with articles about journalism and media, and Media Names & Numbers for Canadian media contacts. Additional modules include the Sources Calendar for events, Sources HotLink for PR/media relations content, Fame & Fortune for journalist awards, and Parliamentary Names & Numbers for government contacts. The platform features an 'Intelligent Search' system that suggests related topics to help reporters refine their searches. Sources was founded in 1977 as a print directory and went online in 1995.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sources Select Resources: A large library of articles and reviews about journalism and the media spanning more than 30 years
• Media Names & Numbers
• Sources HotLink
• Fame and Fortune
• Parliamentary Names & Numbers

Products and services

• Sources Directory Web-based directory platform providing journalists, editors, writers, and researchers with access to a curated database of experts, spokespersons, and authoritative sources across diverse subject areas, supported by an Intelligent Search system and a Controlled-Vocabulary Subject Index.
• News Releases News release distribution capability that allows organizations and individuals to publish news content through the Sources platform for journalist visibility.
• Sources Library (Sources Select Resources) Curated reference library offering media professionals a selection of resources, research tools, and authoritative publications to support editorial work.
• Media Names & Numbers Media contact directory providing contact information for media outlets, journalists, and press contacts to support media outreach and reporting.
• Sources Print Directory One-time licensed print version of the Sources Directory offered as a tangible reference resource for media professionals and organizations that prefer a physical directory product.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Connexions Information Sharing ServicesminorOthersConnexions is a related online library and search portal focusing on grassroots social and environmental movements. Sources links to Connexions archive which contains documents related to alternatives and social justice. Sources publisher Ulli Diemer also maintains the Connexions project and the Radical Digressions blog.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• X (Twitter): X (formerly Twitter) is increasingly used by journalists to discover and contact expert sources directly via posts, threads, and DMs. While not a directory, it functions as a competing expert-discovery channel and could substitute for Sources in journalist workflows.
• BurrellesLuce: BurrellesLuce provides media monitoring, clipping services, and journalist directories, overlapping with Sources' media contact directory functionality. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive, serving PR and communications professionals with monitoring-focused tools.

Direct peers

• Muck Rack: Muck Rack is a journalist and expert database platform serving PR professionals and reporters, with profile pages, searchable media contacts, and pitching tools. It addresses the same journalist-expert-discovery use case as Sources but with a more modern SaaS product and broader media database focus.
• ProfNet: ProfNet (now part of PR Newswire/Cision) is an expert-source matching service connecting journalists with vetted experts across topics. Like Sources, it serves as an intermediary between journalists and expert spokespersons, making it a directly comparable platform in the same niche.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): HARO directly connects journalists seeking expert sources with PR professionals and experts, operating on a similar expert-matching model. It is the closest functional peer to Sources' core directory business, though delivered via daily email digests rather than a topic-indexed portal.

Broad incumbents

• Cision: Cision is a large incumbent in media intelligence, PR software, and journalist databases, owning ProfNet and PR Newswire. It overlaps with Sources in expert sourcing and media contacts but offers a much broader PR software suite to enterprise customers.
• Business Wire: Business Wire is a press release distribution wire service comparable to PR Newswire and to Sources' News Releases product. It serves as an alternative channel for organizations seeking media visibility, addressing the same publicity-seeking buyer segment as Sources' listing members.
• PR Newswire: PR Newswire is a major wire service distributing press releases and operating ProfNet for expert sourcing. Its news release distribution functionality directly parallels Sources' News Releases product, though at vastly greater scale.
• Meltwater: Meltwater is a global media intelligence and monitoring platform with journalist and influencer databases. It addresses adjacent needs of PR professionals and journalists (source discovery, media monitoring) and competes for the same organizational buyer budget.

Emerging players

• Qwoted: Qwoted is a digital platform connecting journalists with expert sources on demand, with built-in pitching and quote-request workflows. It overlaps with Sources' core expert-matching functionality but targets a more transactional, on-demand use case.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SourcesDirectory
• Xx.com/S0urces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alphabet-publishing-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sources