do newspapers ask permission from the survivors to print their names in an obituary?

Question

what if they're descendants of a murderer or molester and they don't want to be recognized as relatives of the deceased?

Answer 1

In most newspapers, obituaries are supplied by the family. This is true in most major cities, I don't know about small towns and such. When my relative passed on we paid the paper just like buying advertising space, and we included what we wished.

I would think this the same of most papers.

Answer 2

The funeral home is the one sending the obituaries to the newspaper, most of the time, the survivors as you call the members of the immediate family are the ones asking for their names to be included, the paper has nothing to do with names or families of the deceased..☺

Answer 3

Obituaries in most newspapers are actually paid advertisements these days, with the obituary actually written by the relatives of the deceased or by the funeral home.

If a death in newsworthy and the newspaper does a story, no, permission is not sought, because it is not needed.

Answer 4

In obituary notices most of the time the information will come directly from the family or is provided by the funeral home with consent of the family member(s) in charge of the services-----But there is nothing illegal in the newspaper printing absolutely anything that they wish to print in the way of information they feel is note worthy or that constitutes news--- they are directly at liberty in this by way of the freedom of the press laws !!!

Answer 5

This is a matter of public record keeping of sorts. I doubt there is such a necessity. However, the survivor can most likely request an admittance of an obituary and the paper is most likely to abide by such requests.

Answer 6

Obituaries appear in the paper because the family pays to put them there. Obviously, the paper will print whatever the family gives them.