You Say You’re a Journalist? Prove It

If doctors, nurses and lawyers are licensed, why not journalists? Miguel Castro, special projects manager of the Open Society Media Program, poses that as a rhetorical question. “The counterargument is that a journalist has a basic human right to express himself,” Castro says. “A license that would stop that journalist from speaking out is a violation of that right.”

The issue of licensing journalists was more contentious several years ago, Castro says. Recently, as more nations have adopted the big international human-rights covenants (discussed in my earliest posts), one of their principles, the right of freedom of expression, has superseded laws designed to control journalists by licensing them one way or another.

All the same, licensing continues to make sense to some governments. One form – requiring journalists to have educational credentials – still is important in some African countries, for example, where requiring academic credentials is seen as a way to strengthen the quality of journalists and journalism.

In Spain, Portugal and Latin America, journalists support laws and regulations that set them apart. Most important, it is difficult to enter the profession without an academic degree. Across Latin America, as in Brazil (discussed in an earlier post), journalists themselves favor degree requirements as a way to strengthen their professionalism, foster unity and fight for rights and benefits. Journalistic associations and unions support requiring these credentials, and so do the hundreds of communications schools in South and Central America. More than 200 of these schools are united under the Federación Latinoamericana de Facultades de Comunicación Social (FELAFACS), which supports stronger journalism education in 23 countries, mostly in Latin America.

Far beyond Latin America, the proliferation of online journalists has led to another movement to regulate the profession. In Michigan, for example, state Senator Bruce Patterson has introduced a bill to register journalists. Those with a degree in journalism, three or more years of experience, at least three writing samples, awards or recognition for their work, “good moral character” and acceptable “ethics standards” could apply to a special board for registration as professional journalists, a credential that supposedly would set them apart from the blogging hordes.

This is needed to help consumers understand which news reporters to take seriously, Patterson argues. “We have to be able to get good information,” he told one interviewer. “We have to be able to rely on the source and to understand the credentials of the source.”

Although Patterson’s bill has received a lot of attention around the world, it is given little chance of passing. Other governments – including China’s – have considered measures that would forbid bloggers from posting anonymously. A French Senator, Jean-Louis Masson, has submitted a draft law that would require bloggers to provide their names, addresses and phone numbers on their blogs.

None of these initiatives likely will go very far, Castro says. Chinese officials ultimately backed down, saying they would only encourage bloggers to use their real names, not require the disclosure. Many countries contemplating stricter measures have to consider that they may be taking on a growing global consensus. “International standards of freedom of expression are very strong,” says Castro.

The Open Society Institute and other NGOs are working to ensure a strong connection between free expression and free media, Castro says. “It’s pretty fundamental for the donor community,” he says. “When we approach a country, we look at the environment. If freedom of expression is repressed, part of our work goes into opening the environment. We monitor, suggest legal changes, propose legislation, and support litigation if needed.”