The pilot FIRE Guide to Freelancer Protection helps independent reporters produce public-interest stories by sharing a key variable in the investigative process: which broadcasters or publishers promise to protect against defamation exposure.  

Reporting is stressful enough without a contract exposing you. It can be tempting to accept liability outright—get the story out, get paid.

But aggressive plaintiffs are not going away—certainly not in the atmosphere sown by the new administration. Especially for an investigation, the smart move (and it's doable) is to resolve liability as early as possible.

The more you know what to expect from any publisher or broadcaster, ideally before you do too much reporting, the more efficiently you can take the necessary steps to deliver a sensitive story to the public:

• find a responsible outlet
• do necessary preliminary reporting
• earn a fair commission
• work with an editor to finish the job.

The Guide can help you in the process—save you time, stress, and money. 
 

What the Guide Does Not Do

The FIRE Guide to Freelancer Protection is sharply focused. It does not

• explain the basics of defamation exposure to freelancers (see other FIRE resources here)
• measure or rate any particular outlet's journalism, integrity, or editing process
• predict whether an outlet will ultimately protect a freelancer from defamation threats or action.

Instead, the Guide simply discloses whether a particular outlet promises liability protection in writing—something only 25% of the evaluated outlets actually do.

All of them should. Written promises are crucial for any contractor. Of course, you would still have to earn the commission—by track record, references, proposal.

But no story should be commissioned without the promise of protection. No outlet should insist on oral promises. Fearing for your assets or fate can significantly hinder your reporting process. A written promise lets you pursue a story in full confidence, as testified by FIRE-supported reporters.

Nor is there a good reason for an outlet to withhold such a promise. The mechanics are explained in the Guide's Analysis and Conclusions. It accompanies the evaluations of publishers and broadcasters. Both documents are available as detailed below. (The Analysis and Conclusions is also available here.)

Outlets evaluated

Based on vetted intelligence from three years of assistance to reporters, the FIRE Guide evaluates 20 major publishers and broadcasters. The outlets

• rely on independent reporters to varying degrees, from occasionally to regularly
• are both for-profit and nonprofit (50% each)
• are a mix of broadcast stations (two), traditional newspapers (three), online news sites (five), and magazines (10), including some of the largest-circulation magazines in the country.

You can find the list of outlets here. The list will grow as contributions to the Guide grow. FIRE will periodically update the Guide by vetting any contributions along with new intelligence from the outlets. (For more on the Guide's criteria and methods, visit here.)

Applying

As described on the main Guide page (see “Sharing Guide Results”), the Guide is available via the webform here.

Make sure it's what you need. For assistance with specific media-risk challenges, consult the FIRE Tip Sheets on Liability or inquire about a FIRE Legal Consultancy. For an overview of FIRE resources that may meet your specific needs, view here; and for questions, contact FIRE.