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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
person is employed and in what position. You can also tell a reporter the date on which the employee first joined the firm.
Under no circumstances should you take it upon yourself to tell a reporter an employee's home address, marital status, or number of children, nor should you reveal any aspect of a job performance record. If the reporter wants to know such things, the best approach is to say that you will ask the employee to call. In this way, the employee knows that an inquiry has been made and can determine what information is to be divulged. It also lets you and the company off the hook in terms of protecting the employee's privacy.
Another way for a company to protect itself against employees' invasion-of-priva-cy suits is to have a standard biographical form that each one fills out. At the top of this form should be a clear-cut statement that the information provided may be used in company publicity and employee newsletters.
Words and word-combinations
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invasion of privacy — вторжение в личную жизнь
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to pass a law — принять закон
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to file a lawsuit — предъявлять иск
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to flesh out a story — собрать материал для сообщения
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to elicit facts — выявлять факты
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to approve the material — одобрить материал
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to make an inquiry — сделать запрос
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to divulge information — разглашать информацию
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to fill out a form — заполнять бланк
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a clear-cut statement — четкое заявление
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newsletter — информационный бюллетень; информационное сообщение (в форме письма, адресованного конкретной аудитории)
В. Releases for Advertising and Promotion
Using names and photos of people in advertising, product publicity, and promotions requires special handling and extra legal attention. These situations are not the same as the "implied consent" that is given when someone poses for a news story in the organization's employee magazine or newsletter.
The courts have consistently ruled that a person's right of privacy is violated when photos or names of individuals are published without prior written consent for commercial purposes or purposes of trade.
This situation reinforces the point that everyone whose picture, quote, or name is being used in an advertisement or a sales brochure must give explicit written consent. Courts have also ruled that product news releases are primarily for "purposes of trade" and are covered under many of the same guidelines applied to advertising.
In addition to a signed consent form, individuals are usually offered a cash payment. If the person is prominent, the fee may be large, perhaps thousands of dollars. Celebrities and professional models, who are Often used in advertisements, usually have agents who negotiate substantial fees.
Signed consent forms and releases usually cover a specified period of time that the person's name or photo image can be used — as little as only six months or as long as ten years. In the case of employees, it's always wise to have materials dated.