How to ask for right of reply
The right of reply means the right to defend yourself against public criticism in the same place where it was published. Journalists give subjects the right of reply in order to stand up the facts in their stories.
If you are working on a news story that could defame someone, or if you are unsure of key details, you must give them the right of reply – ask them for confirmation.
How to do it
• Contact your subject and tell them you are about to publish a story concerning them (Hi, I’m a reporter for The Tab. We’re putting together a story about the Brown University student who was asked to leave the gym for wearing ‘inappropriate’ gym-wear)
• Provide details about any allegations that may involve them, and ask them if they can comment (Can you confirm you asked her to leave, and why?)
• Give them your time frame (We are publishing within the hour/this afternoon/tomorrow morning)
• Give them your contact info (I’m available on XXX-XXX-XXXX to discuss)
• If it’s an urgent story, call them to confirm they have seen your message
Depending on the story, if you do not hear back within a few hours from your message and there is a risk you could be scooped, publish with the line “We have reached out to X for comment.” Always check with your Assistant Editor in this instance.
Here’s an example of a right of reply given to Cornell University last semester, regarding the mishandling of a Title IX case: