What type of form do I need
I will be interviewing subjects for publications in magazines, newspapers and books. I wanted to know what type of release form I need to have them sign, authorizing permission to do so.
Re: What type of form do I need
Although having a signed release is a "best practice", it's fairly rare in journalism to obtain written consent. The mere fact of the interviewee's participation is tacit approval.
If you're merely interviewing, and not photographing, or planning to use recorded voices, etc. (other than for your reference), you probably can get by with a simple letter confirming the appointment, or a very short form.
In fact, if you're recording the interview (again, for your own reference and records), you can probably just start with a short question like:
"Do you understand that I'm interviewing you for an article/book I'm writing and agree that I can use what we discuss today, with proper attribution in this article/book?"
Having the person say "yes" on the recording will probably do the trick.
If you're using photos, etc, it's best to have a signed release.
Re: What type of form do I need
Although having a signed release is a "best practice", it's fairly rare in journalism to obtain written consent. The mere fact of the interviewee's participation is tacit approval.
If you're merely interviewing, and not photographing, or planning to use recorded voices, etc. (other than for your reference), you probably can get by with a simple letter confirming the appointment, or a very short form.
In fact, if you're recording the interview (again, for your own reference and records), you can probably just start with a short question like:
"Do you understand that I'm interviewing you for an article/book I'm writing and agree that I can use what we discuss today, with proper attribution in this article/book?"
Having the person say "yes" on the recording will probably do the trick.
If you're using photos, etc, it's best to have a signed release.
Re: What type of form do I need
Although having a signed release is a "best practice", it's fairly rare in journalism to obtain written consent. The mere fact of the interviewee's participation is tacit approval.
If you're merely interviewing, and not photographing, or planning to use recorded voices, etc. (other than for your reference), you probably can get by with a simple letter confirming the appointment, or a very short form.
In fact, if you're recording the interview (again, for your own reference and records), you can probably just start with a short question like:
"Do you understand that I'm interviewing you for an article/book I'm writing and agree that I can use what we discuss today, with proper attribution in this article/book?"
Having the person say "yes" on the recording will probably do the trick.
If you're using photos, etc, it's best to have a signed release.
