on the record

Recorded for official publication; formally and publicly. Often hyphenated. Please turn the voice recorder off—I don't want these comments on the record. You can't sue us for publishing what you said! That was an on-the-record interview.

COMMON If you are on the record as saying something, you have said something publicly, aware that people would repeat and report what you said. We are on the record as saying we will protect our friends in the war zone, and we mean that. Note: You can also go on record, meaning to speak publicly. Church leaders have gone on record saying they believe the authorities are losing the fight against the Mafia. Note: You can also say that someone speaks or talks on the record. Yesterday, journalists at the paper flatly refused to speak on the record. It's very hard to report a story here, because almost no one is willing to talk on the record. Note: You can also use on-the-record before a noun. He has never before given an on-the-record interview.