5.6. – Are journalist contact details made public?
It is more and more common to find professional contact details for journalists at the end of print or web newspaper articles so that the public can contact them directly.
But, some media organisations feel they should protect their journalists from what they see as a distraction or even an attempt at direct pressure.
What is the right balance to strike in order to facilitate the relationships between journalists, the public and journalist sources?
Complete answers
Belgium
De Standaard : Yes
De Standaard provides a complete list of editorial staff on its website, with journalist photos, email addresses and direct telephone numbers.
France
Europe 1 : No
A general address is given on the website and the Contact section enables the public to make contact with a journalist, but not directly.
France 24 : No
Le Monde : No
Ouest France : No, but…
The e-mail address of the local editorial office is published in the print edition.
Germany
Berliner Zeitung : No, but…
Some journalists make available their personal Twitter accounts on the berliner-zeitung.de website and can therefore be contacted in this way.
ZDF : No but…
Their email address can easily be ascertained….
Ireland
The Irish Times : Yes
Standardised e-mail addresses for journalists are made available to the public who can always call the editorial office to contact news professionals.
Poland
However, an editorial contact for journalists is available on the Polskie Radio website.
United Kingdom
BBC : No
Journalists’ contact details are not published but the head of the Editorial Policy Department can be contacted 24 hours a day.
The Guardian : Yes
Journalists’ e-mail addresses are available on the website and below articles in the Comments section of the newspaper’s paper edition.