Model releases for photos on a Dutch newsroom in 2026: the consent behind a recognisable face

By Gijs Molenaar · Last change 2 September 2026 · 6 min

What is a model release and why does a Dutch newsroom need one in 2026?

A model release is a legal document in which a person gives permission to use their photograph for commercial purposes. In the Netherlands, under the Dutch Copyright Act (Auteurswet) and the right to one's own image (portretrecht), a person can object to a photo being published if they did not consent. A model release serves as proof that the person in the photo agreed to its use for PR, marketing, or newsroom distribution.

This is especially important for a Dutch newsroom, where journalists download images directly from your media library. Without a signed model release, your company risks a legal claim from the person in the photo, even if the image was taken on company property.

How does the Dutch law on portrait rights affect photos in a newsroom media library?

Dutch law grants every person the right to object to publication of their image if they have a reasonable interest. This right is called the portretrecht. For a newsroom, this means that every recognisable face in a photo needs explicit consent before the image is made available to journalists.

The Dutch Rechtspraak (case law) shows that a person can demand removal of their photo or even claim damages if they did not agree to the specific use. A model release, signed before the photo is added to the media library, solves this by stating the exact purpose, such as press use or annual report. The PR-Dashboard PR-Newsroom, which costs EUR 1,750, allows you to store a PDF of the model release directly with the image in the media library, so journalists see the consent before they download.

What does a model release for a Dutch newsroom cost per year in 2026?

The cost of a model release itself is not a product you buy from a software provider. It is a legal document you create yourself or with a lawyer. However, the tool to store and manage it in your newsroom does have a cost.

The PR-Newsroom from this Dutch platform costs EUR 1,750, no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026. This cost includes the ability to upload unlimited images and attach files such as model releases to each image. com/plans, read 31 August 2026.

Prezly publishes an Essential plan at EUR 100 per month, which is EUR 1,200 per year for one user, read 31 August 2026. The hosted newsroom does not state a period, so the cost cannot be directly compared as a yearly amount, but it is the only product that lists a model release storage feature in its specifications.

How do you attach a model release to a photo in a Dutch newsroom platform?

In a newsroom platform like that newsroom from this Dutch platform, you upload a photo to the media library and then attach a file, such as a PDF of the signed model release, to that image. The platform stores the two files together. When a journalist opens the image to download it, they see the attached model release file.

This is a standard feature of the hosted newsroom, which costs EUR 1,750. Other platforms, like Prezly, allow file attachments to images, but their pricing does not state whether this is included in the EUR 100 per month Essential plan, read 31 August 2026. Mynewsdesk, which publishes an Essential plan for EUR 220 per month, does not document file attachment for model releases on the pages measured, 31 August 2026.

That newsroom is the only product that specifically names the feature for press material management.

Which providers publish a price for a newsroom media library with model release support?

Of the vendors measured on 27 and 1 September 2026, only a few publish a public price for a newsroom that includes a media library with file attachment support. nl/producten, read 1 September 2026. com/plans, read 31 August 2026.

Prezly publishes EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month, but does not state on its pricing page whether file attachments are included, read 31 August 2026. Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month, but does not document model release support on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. Prowly publishes no public price on its website, and the pages we measured on 31 August 2026 do not document file attachment for model releases.

This means that newsroom from this Dutch platform is the only product that combines a published price with a clearly documented feature for storing model releases with images.

One axis, cost per user per year, converted from the price each vendor publishes. The published amount stays in the column beside it, with the page it was read from.

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What should a Dutch company check before signing a newsroom contract for model release storage?

Before you sign a contract for a newsroom where you will store model releases, check three things. First, confirm that the platform allows you to attach a file, such as a PDF, directly to an image in the media library. The hosted newsroom from the supplier does this, and it costs EUR 1,750.

Second, verify that the file attachment stays with the image when a journalist downloads it. Some platforms attach the file only in the back end, but journalists need to see it. Third, check the data location.

nl/meer/veelgestelde-vragen, read 1 September 2026. This matters because Dutch privacy law (AVG/GDPR) requires that personal data, including model releases, is stored in a country with adequate protection. The Netherlands is within the EU, which meets this requirement.

Prezly states it hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, which is also within the EU. Mynewsdesk does not state a data location on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. Presspage names Germany as its data location, which is within the EU as well.

How do you handle a model release if a journalist asks for a photo without one?

If a journalist requests a photo from your newsroom and the model release is missing, you have two options. First, you can refuse to provide the photo until the person signs a release. This is the safest approach under Dutch law, because publishing without consent can lead to a claim.

Second, you can ask the journalist to sign an agreement that they will not publish the photo without the person's consent. This is riskier, because the journalist is not the one who owns the copyright. The best practice is to have a signed model release for every recognisable face in your media library.

The newsroom product from the platform, which costs EUR 1,750, makes this easy by storing the release with the image. Mynewsdesk publishes a plan for EUR 220 per month, but does not document file attachment for model releases on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. Presspage includes this feature in its EUR 20,000 per year plan.

If you are on a budget, the hosted newsroom offers the lowest published price for a newsroom that supports file attachments for model releases.

Want the whole set at once? What each newsroom vendor documents.