Please be sure to contact an attorney before pursuing anything. Do not consider any information on TheNewsScrews.com to be legal advice. TheNewsScrews.com is only for informational and educational purposes. TheNewsScrews.com cannot be held liable for any actions taken by any individuals. TheNewsScrews.com is not intended to be a replacement for speaking with an attorney.

• The first thing you should do (if you haven't already) is take the time to do some research. Make sure you check out all the other sections on TheNewsScrews.com. Learn about all the aspects of your situation. Make sure you know what your rights are, as well as what rights the media have. You won't get anywhere if you don't have a full grasp on what is happening.
• Locate and contact an attorney. You can use one of the many links on our Attorneys page to locate one in your area. There really is no better option than seeking professional legal advice. Laws vary from state to state, and a good attorney will be able to advise you of the necessary process. If you and your attorney come to the conclusion that filing a lawsuit is the way to go, he will likely represent you in court. If your attorney believes that you do not have a strong enough case, he can advise you of this. This way you will save a lot of money by not fighting a losing battle, and he can tell you what viable options you do have.
• Contact the reporter who told you story. If the story he told was in fact false, tell him you would like to inform him of the true story. He will more than likely be anxious to meet with you and hear what you have to say. If the original story was wrong because the reporter simply lacked all of the facts, perhaps he would be generous to do a follow up story with your side in it.
• Hold your own press conference. Many times if a story is big enough, it will get picked up by all the media in the area. If you want to get your word out, call them all up and tell them that you are holding a press conference to set the story straight. You can hold it at your house, in the park or any other place you have access to. If the story was hot enough for all the media to pick it up, they will most likely be interested in what you have to say. Even if only one or two reporters show up, you're still getting your words out to the press.
• Send a letter or an email. Find the contact information for the reporter, the editor and anyone else you want to tell how you feel. In your letter, you can really tell them whatever you want. I would suggest letting them know (only if this applies to your situation) that they didn't get their facts straight. You can tell them the real story if you would like. I would highly suggest keeping your letter professional. I know that it can be hard to keep your composure when you have been wronged, but you want to be taken seriously. You can also have all your friends and family send letters and emails as well so your point gets across.
• Visit our ScrewsStories page. If you were the victim of a malicious media report and want to tell the true story, submit it to us to possibly be featured on TheNewsScrews.com.
• Spread the word of TheNewsScrews.com. Tell your friends about the site. Tell everyone you know about the site. Get some of our awesome Apparel and flaunt it. The more people who know about us, the more people can start understanding the truth about bad media reports.