If I remember correctly -- although I could be confused! -- I think that the no-print-media rule is c.2005-6, after Young Blades.
I may be misremembering, but I believe that the original "please don't sue us" rule came in 1996, still on JMR's watch: "6. No real person may be depicted by name without the express, written permission of the person. Email counts as written permission."
As I remember it, that rule came from the Torri Spelling incident, when someone wrote uncomplimentary RPF, or uncomplimentary RL references in a story -- I don't remember the exact content; I think the animus was that certain other shows were surviving while FK was being canceled -- and Ms. Spelling's father's lawyers apparently actually sent a letter to PSU.
no subject
I may be misremembering, but I believe that the original "please don't sue us" rule came in 1996, still on JMR's watch: "6. No real person may be depicted by name without the express, written permission of the person. Email counts as written permission."
As I remember it, that rule came from the Torri Spelling incident, when someone wrote uncomplimentary RPF, or uncomplimentary RL references in a story -- I don't remember the exact content; I think the animus was that certain other shows were surviving while FK was being canceled -- and Ms. Spelling's father's lawyers apparently actually sent a letter to PSU.