Standards
Media Request Standards
These rules apply to journalists posting media requests and to anyone responding to them.
Draft — legal review required
This page is provided as a working draft. It has not been reviewed by a solicitor. You must obtain professional legal advice before relying on it in production.
Last reviewed: July 2026
Who can post
Only verified journalist accounts can post media requests. Journalists must post on their own behalf; PR agencies must not post pitch requests disguised as journalist enquiries.
What a request must include
- A specific brief describing the story angle.
- The publication or outlet the piece is intended for, where known.
- A realistic deadline in UK time.
- The form of comment required (quote, interview, background, data).
- Any restrictions on responder type (region, sector, seniority).
What a request must not do
- Solicit paid-for editorial placement.
- Ask for confidential, embargoed or non-public information about competitors.
- Discriminate on any protected characteristic.
- Be used to build a marketing list.
Responses
- Responses are visible only to the journalist who posted the request, the responder, and MediaSource staff performing moderation.
- Responses must be on-the-record unless the journalist has explicitly invited background comment.
- Attribute quotes to a named individual with the authority to speak for the company on that topic.
- Disclose relevant conflicts of interest.
- Do not attach unrelated marketing material.
After the deadline
Responses cannot be submitted after the deadline has passed. Journalists are not obliged to use any response. MediaSource does not indemnify either party for the outcome of a published story.
Confidentiality
Journalist requests may indicate that the request itself is confidential. Respondents must not repost or forward such requests. Journalists must not share the contact details of respondents with third parties without consent.