In a legal sense, you only need a model release for commercial use and not editorial (if taken from a public area). However, if a portrait appears in a magazine, it can cause issues, that complicates things, so I think publications are getting a bit more careful, therefore it's always better to have one for either purpose, especially if it doesn't fit as an event photo or fits a specific purpose/article. It's one of the reasons I mostly steer clear of people, as I try to avoid comlications as much as possible. Also, sometimes people can get a bit annoyed at having their photo taken and there is always the chance of problems (especially with children of course)
