The pilot FIRE Freelancer Protection Guide helps freelancers deliver public-interest stories by sharing a key variable: which broadcasters or publishers promise to protect against defamation exposure.  

Reporting is stressful enough. It's certainly doesn't help to receive a contract exposing you. The indemnification issue can be so daunting that it's tempting to accept liability outright—get the story out, get paid.

But aggressive plaintiffs are not going away. Especially for an investigation, the smart move (and it's doable) is to resolve liability as early as possible, ideally before you do too much reporting.

The more you know what to expect where on a sensitive investigation, the more confidently and efficiently you can find a responsible outlet, do the preliminary reporting, earn a fair commission, and deliver the results to the public. We expect the Guide to help you save time, stress, and money. 
 

Outlets evaluated

Based on vetted intelligence from three years of assistance to reporters, the FIRE Guide evaluates 20 major publishers and broadcasters that rely on independent reporters to varying degrees, from occasionally to regularly.

Half are for-profit, half nonprofit. Two are broadcast stations, three are traditional newspapers, five are online news sites, and 10 are magazines, including some of the largest-circulation magazines in the country.

The list of outlets, here, will grow as the Guide grows; and the Guide will grow with participants. 
 

Applying

As described on the main Guide page (see “Sharing Guide Results”), the Guide is available in two forms:

Full version: detailed evaluations

The full Guide is a detailed private briefing. It contains

• color ratings of each outlet
• a one-paragraph analysis of each outlet's contractual practices
• customized assistance for any question.

The full version is available to "participants," or contributors to the Guide:

• You would share your own experiences negotiating liability with outlets.
• FIRE keeps any intelligence in strictest confidence, making every effort to protect your identity, previewing the results for approval.

To become a Guide participant, use the webform here.

Basic version: colors only

The basic versions is for those who

• don’t need the detailed version of the Guide
• would prefer not to contribute to it

To request the basic version—a simple list of the color ratings of all 20 outlets—use the webform here.

FIRE will periodically update the Guide by vetting any participant contributions and new intelligence from the outlets (for more on the Guide's criteria and methods, visit here).

The FIRE Guide is an outgrowth of service to reporters. For assistance with specific media-risk challenges, consult the FIRE Tip Sheets on Liability or inquire about a FIRE Legal Consultancy.

For additional questions, contact FIRE.