Aside from recording the interview, which is illegal in some states if you don’t tell them beforehand that you’re doing it, I’m pretty sure none of this works. They just ignore it, lie and say whatever makes you feel safe, and treat it like a normal interview with no stipulations.
This is my memory from 2019 and my source might not have been reliable or up to date. This is not legal advice.
Many journalists are honorable and professional, and will follow the ethical norms of the profession. Some aren’t honorable, and won’t follow those norms.
If in doubt about someone’s credibility and integrity, don’t talk to them.
Generally speaking, if they’re employed by a large, established news organization with a decent reputation (e.g. The Economist, NY Times, Financial Times), they have a fair amount to lose by violating journalistic ethics.
If they’re freelance, or employed by an online sensationalist outlet that’s notorious for slander (e.g. Gawker), then they have less to lose by violating journalistic ethics.
Aside from recording the interview, which is illegal in some states if you don’t tell them beforehand that you’re doing it, I’m pretty sure none of this works. They just ignore it, lie and say whatever makes you feel safe, and treat it like a normal interview with no stipulations.
This is my memory from 2019 and my source might not have been reliable or up to date. This is not legal advice.
I think this is overstated.
Many journalists are honorable and professional, and will follow the ethical norms of the profession. Some aren’t honorable, and won’t follow those norms.
If in doubt about someone’s credibility and integrity, don’t talk to them.
Generally speaking, if they’re employed by a large, established news organization with a decent reputation (e.g. The Economist, NY Times, Financial Times), they have a fair amount to lose by violating journalistic ethics.
If they’re freelance, or employed by an online sensationalist outlet that’s notorious for slander (e.g. Gawker), then they have less to lose by violating journalistic ethics.
In my brief and unwanted foray with the media, I had people in my building called “noisy fuckers” in a quote printed by The Economist (perhaps because we weren’t cooperative with them and didn’t give them an interview on the record), got doorstepped when I was expecting a phone call, and had a bunch of inaccuracies printed by The Times. Always remember Gell Mann Amnesia is a thing when reading newspapers!