The imprint is governed in Law No. 5187 under the heading "mandatory information", and it has two layers: one that applies to every printed work and an additional layer specific to periodicals.
First Layer: Every Printed Work
Art. 4/1: on every printed work, the place and date of printing, the names of the printer and, where there is one, the publisher, their trade names where they have them, and their business addresses are shown.
| Item | About whom |
|---|---|
| Place of printing | Where the printing was done |
| Date of printing | The date of printing |
| The printer's name | The printing house |
| The publisher's name, where there is one | The publisher |
| Trade names, where they exist | For the printer and the publisher |
| Business addresses | For the printer and the publisher |
The same paragraph sets an exception: this provision does not apply to announcements, tariffs, circulars and the like.
Second Layer: Additional Information for Periodicals
The second paragraph: on every kind of periodical other than news agency publications, the place of management, the names of the owner, of the representative where there is one and of the responsible editor, and the type of publication are additionally shown.
- The place of management - the address of the offices
- The owner's name
- The representative's name, where there is one - for a legal person or a minor owner
- The responsible editor's name - where there is more than one, the section each is responsible for is stated (Art. 5)
- The type of publication - national, regional or local
Why Does the Place of Management Matter?
Art. 29 attaches a consequence: for the purposes of service of process, the place of management of a periodical counts as the place of residence of the owner and the representative and, for as long as the duty continues, of the responsible editor.
Additional Items for Internet News Sites
The third paragraph, added by Law No. 7418, brings a separate list for internet news sites. This information is kept in a way that users can reach directly from the home page, under a contact heading:
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| The business address from which it operates | - |
| Its trade name | - |
| Its electronic mail address | - |
| Its contact telephone number | - |
| Its electronic service address | Not an ordinary e-mail |
| The name and address of its hosting provider | Must be stated even on your own servers |
We prepared a detailed template for the news site imprint in the imprint template.
The Imprint from the Press Card Angle
Art. 15 of the Press Card Regulation requires, for newspapers and magazines whose staff may be issued press cards, that an approved copy of the declaration filed under Law No. 5187 and of the receipt issued by the public prosecutor's office be given to the Directorate, and that the publication type chosen in the declaration conform to the definition. So the type in the imprint and the type in the declaration must be consistent.
Summary
- Every printed work shows the place and date of printing and the printer and publisher details.
- Periodicals additionally show the place of management, owner, representative where there is one, responsible editor and publication type.
- Internet news sites carry a separate six-item list reachable directly from the home page.
- The place of management is also the address for service of process.