12/17/2025
In fast-moving newsrooms, images are often selected under intense deadline pressure — and that’s where licensing mistakes happen.
From reusing images across platforms to holding onto visuals past their licensing window, these errors can create real legal and reputational risk.
Here are the biggest image licensing mistakes editors still make — and how to avoid them:
In today’s 24/7 news cycle, images are often selected under intense deadline pressure. Editors are expected to move fast, tell the story visually, and avoid legal or ethical missteps—all at the same time. Despite better tools and clearer guidelines, image licensing mistakes remain surprisingly c...