Press Card

If a newsmaker goes to an event and wants to proove that he or she is a journalist, a press accreditation card is normally needed. With this document the person can show that it is a legit member of a newspaper and has the right to enter. Sometimes reporters can also get a reviewer's copy with this paper. Organizations handing out the document usually first check if the person applying for a press card really is a journalist.In states where there's no free press, there's only one press card which is handed out by the state. In other countries (for example Germany, see there the Presseausweis), theoratically everybody is allowed to produce something which has the word „press card“ printed on it. But the public is informed which press cards are serious and which ones are only fantasy documents. So if someone goes to an event and shows a press card which isn't recognized by the most important journalist organizations, then he might get laughter, but nothing else.Most times (and in some countries only) a press card is also issued by the periodical for which somebody is writing a story. In this case, the firm or institution you are writing about usually wants to know your magazine. Sometime, additional accrediatation forms are needed. But on the other hand, in New York City e.g., press credentials are issued by the NYPD and are necessary to cross police lines.The remaining problem is: Anyone can print anything on a card. Anyone can forge a document. A credit card-like ID card is more difficult to forge. But a press card can be printed by anyone with a computer and a bubblejet printer.This has attracted many business-people in the past, which where willing to sell useless documents. There are many sites offering so-called „college-degrees“, „titles“ and also „press cards“. But these are -as already mentioned- not worth the paper they are printed on. Purchasing one of these self-made press cards would be pretty useless. I appreciate: Go to a serious organization, identify yourself as a journalist, and get a press card which is usuable.

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