PA has announced a new deal to make news and expert analysis from UK-based academics available to its editorial clients.

The national news agency for the UK and Ireland has unveiled a new partnership with The Conversation, an independent source of content from the academic and research community.

The Conversation covers a range issues such as the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and climate change, as well as news stories emerging from research.

PA says the deal will “extend the reach” of The Conversation’s output to local, regional and national news organisations through its newswire and digital platforms.

Alan Marshall, pictured, managing director of PA Business Information Services at PA Media, said: “Our shared ethos of editorial impartiality and integrity make The Conversation a great fit for PA.

“The insights from its expert contributors will add real value to PA’s media customers and our growing roster of corporate customers looking for credible voices to help guide their business decisions.

“This partnership broadens the range of content from editorial partners on PA’s digital platforms, particularly as we seek more partners to expand our business intelligence offering for non-media customers.”

Chris Waiting, chief executive of The Conversation UK, said: “The past few months have proven unequivocally how strong the public’s appetite is for expert opinion and insight on a range of major global and domestic issues.

“We are pleased to be opening up additional avenues for news organisations to find content from academics.

“Having our content on PA’s distribution platforms further enables universities to engage with businesses and their local communities, gaining national exposure for their academics’ work.”