For most media interviews, you will need to be named (first name and surname) in the published article.  

But in very sensitive situations (for example if you are a victim of abuse), it is possible to be anonymous. You will still need to identify yourself to the journalist, but they will not publish your name or other details which could identify who you are.

In some situations, it may also be possible to use a genuine but alternative name to the one you usually use professionally, for example your maiden name.

If you wish to remain anonymous, use an alternative name or you are not willing to provide a photograph/be photographed, you need to make this clear to the journalist before the interview begins.

If the journalist is only able to use named and/or pictured interviewees for this article, they may not be able to proceed with the interview. The decision as to whether or not anonymous case studies can be included usually rests with the editor, not the journalist.

For most articles about a personal story, you will be expected to be pictured in the published article. This means you will be asked either to provide a photo of yourself or be photographed by the publication’s photographer.

If you are anonymous, a photo will not be used (see above: Do I have to use my real name?).

If you are sharing a story about your child, there is often more flexibility around whether or not they need to be pictured. Journalists are understanding about your child’s privacy, so it is often possible for only the parent(s) to be pictured or for pictures of children not to show their face.

If you have any concerns around pictures, raise it with the journalist as early as possible in the conversation.

The journalist will chat with you directly, either over the phone, on a video call or face-to-face. They will ask you to explain what has happened and ask additional questions to clarify details and to ensure they have fully understood the chronology of events correctly. They will also ask you to share how you feel about what happened.

They will need some basic details, including: your full name, age, occupation (something general like “manager” is fine if you’re unable to give specifics) and location (again, you can give the nearest city or county if you don’t want to specific the exact town).

Don’t worry about speaking in perfect sentences – humans naturally ramble! The journalist is trained to pick out the most relevant information and summarise this.

Bear in mind, anything you say during the interview can be quoted and attributed to you. This includes when you agree with statements. For example, if the journalist asks: “So this was a nightmare come true?” and you reply: “Yes”, the journalist can quote you as saying “It was my nightmare come true.”

You do not have to answer all the questions you are asked. If at any point, you do not feel comfortable, you can stop or ask to move on to the next question.

If you feel a question goes too far or asks for personal details you do not want to share publicly, it is totally fine just to say: “I’d rather not go into that”.

 Bear in mind, the more information you are able to share, the more this will help people understand the background and context of your story. If you are unwilling to share enough details to make the story make sense to the reader, the journalist may not be able to include your story.

But the decision around how much to share is always your choice.

If you feel uncomfortable at any point during the interview or editing process you can back out - but your are more likely to feel happy to go ahead if you’ve read all these FAQs first and know you are ready.

If you no longer wish for your story to be published, you must make this clear as soon as possible to the journalist. Do not just stop responding to them, as the publication may still run your story without you expressly withdrawing your consent.

If you are a sharing a personal story, you should have the opportunity to have a “read-back” of your story before publication, where the journalist calls you and reads you the article or the sections featuring your story. You can use this to highlight any issues or additional information.

This is particularly important if the article is going to be written in the first person (as if you had written it), as you need to be happy with what is being submitted in your name.

 If you are not offered an opportunity for a read-back, just ask the reporter about it at the end of the interview.

Bear in mind, that often the journalist is only able to read-back the article they are submitting to the editor. Some publications will also offer a read-back of the edited version of the article, but that is not common.

Note: Journalists are not allowed to send you the full written article to read before publication, for legal and copyright reasons.