Accreditation of journalists: types, how to get?

In order for a journalist to be able to officially and legally work at any event, institution, state body, accreditation of his activities is required in the Russian Federation. In the article we will analyze in detail what it is. Let's consider in which varieties the accreditation of journalists is presented, what is its order. We will touch on the main areas of work with accredited media representatives, their rights and obligations. Consider cases where rejection and deprivation are possible.

What it is?

Accreditation of journalists is an official recognition of the competencies of media representatives by a state agency, organization, public association. Usually it is conducted by the institution’s press service (or the media relations department) in order to ensure transparency and openness of the organization’s work, to inform citizens about its activities, and to improve the company's working interaction with the media.

Another important goal of accreditation is to create all the necessary conditions for journalists to cover events related to this organization, event. It is carried out in strict accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation "On Mass Media". Accreditation of journalists cannot be used to introduce censorship or any restriction on the rights of journalists to honestly cover events.

Who has the rights to it? Russian law calls the accreditation of journalists possible:

• Russian media - regardless of the composition of the founders and ownership.
• Foreign agencies accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Varieties

Russian law introduces two types of accreditation of journalists:

1. Constant. It is provided to those media journalists who regularly cover the activities of the organization, events throughout its (his) existence, conduct.
2. Temporary. It is provided to those media journalists who cover the organization’s activities only for a specific one-time task. It is also issued to those employees who replace a journalist with permanent accreditation in case of vacation, sick leave, business trip.

Filling out an application

The media editorial office submits to the press service of the organization, institution an application for the accreditation of its employee on its own official form. The document must be endorsed by the head of the media, sealed with the seal of the news agency. A copy of the certificate of state registration of this media is attached to the application, as well as two photographs (3 x 4 cm) for each employee.

How is a journalist accreditation document drawn up? The sample application is as follows:

• Information about the media: full name, circulation, frequency of release, editorial office, email, postal address, audience area, work telephones, information agency fax.
• Surname, name and patronymic of a journalist in need of accreditation.
• Type of accreditation required (permanent or temporary).

Accreditation Procedure

Further, the procedure for accrediting journalists is as follows:

1. The answer is given by the head of the press service of the enterprise, organization (or the head of the institution). 7 days after the receipt of the application for accreditation, he must put forward a positive or negative decision.
2. The head of the press service on the basis of the application issues an accreditation certificate to a journalist.
3. This document provides the media employee with unhindered access to all buildings, departments, event areas, organizations.

Number of accredited media representatives

We continue to familiarize ourselves with the rules for accrediting journalists.An important question: how many employees from one media can be represented? It all depends on the number of equipped jobs for journalists at an event or organization.

Based on this, restrictions (quotas) may be formed on the number of representatives from one media outlet. When they are established, the principles of justice and openness are taken as a basis. It is important to provide information about the facility to all categories of citizens through their preferred media.

Quota Implementation

Quotas for journalists' jobs are based on several criteria of the media division. These include:

• News agencies, print periodicals, radio, video, television resources, newsreels, other media.
• Circulation, territory of broadcasting (or distribution).
• Media specialization.
• Foreign, local, regional, central media.

The main areas of cooperation

Accreditation of journalists (foreign and domestic) suggests that employees are provided with all the appropriate conditions for professional activities on the part of the company, the organization to cover events.

To do this, the press service must take the following steps:

1. Preliminarily inform journalists about the date, time, location of the events, work, meetings of interest to them.
2. Provide workplaces specially equipped for convenient recording of information in the location of the event of interest.
3. To provide journalists with the necessary information materials, protocols, transcripts and other documentation.
4. To assist in the organization of individual conversations, meetings with employees of the organization, participants in the event, members of the meeting. To ensure the possibility of unhindered receipt of information from the above persons.
5. Hold press conferences, briefings, business meetings on the activities of the institution.

The rights of media representatives

We examined how to get a journalist’s accreditation. What kind of rights does she give the employee?

• Receive in advance the necessary data on events, meetings and other important events.
• Get acquainted with the necessary reference, information materials - transcripts of meetings, the agenda, press releases, content of statements and so on.
• Be present during various outdoor events of the organization both in the meeting rooms and in certain areas for the press service.
• Use various equipment, techniques for audio recording or video shooting.
• Attend various press conferences, business meetings, briefings, other events that are specially organized for the media.
• Receive the information necessary for professional activities from the organization’s press service employees (including at events specially organized for journalists).
• Use the help of the press service in organizing conversations, meetings with company employees, participants in events for additional comments and clarifications.
• Visit structural units, subordinate enterprises of the organization.
• Use the city phones of the institution to send voice messages to its editorial office.
• Use, in the prescribed manner, the archives of the organization.

Media Responsibilities

Accreditation of journalists to the event implies the performance of certain duties by the staff of news agencies. In particular, this is the following:

1. Do not interfere with the course of the event, do not interfere in its scenario (unless it was organized specifically for the media).
2. Follow the rules introduced for special, special events.
3. Do not violate the procedure for meetings, business meetings in which employees, heads of the company that issued the accreditation participate.

In what cases can refusal

The press service of the institution, event, organization reserves the right to refuse the media in the constant accreditation of its employee. However, good reasons are needed for this:

• The media in its focus is considered specialized. That is, reference, erotic, advertising and so on.
• The organization does not have the technical ability to place journalists of all news agencies to carry out their professional activities.

Notification of refusal of accreditation must be submitted to the editorial office no later than 7 days from the date of application. The document should contain the following information: the reason for the refusal, the name of the official who made the decision, the date of the response, and the appeal procedure.

When is it possible to withdraw an accreditation certificate?

A journalist may also be denied accreditation already received in his name. This happens in such cases:

1. The employee quit, was fired from the editorial office (the media is authorized to apply for the accreditation of another journalist).
2. The termination of the existence of the media was closed, eliminated.
3. The journalist distributed information that was untrue and that caused damage to the organization’s reputation and affected the interests and rights of its employees.

All of the above must be confirmed by a court decision.

The decision to deprive the media representative of accreditation is made by the head of the press service. It must be motivated, written in writing, have references to the current legislation of the Russian Federation.

To resolve conflicts, disputes related to accreditation, the media editors have the right to apply:

• to the authorities of the organization;
• her higher management;
• to court;
• to the prosecutor’s office.

It is important to note that depriving a journalist of accreditation (or lack thereof) does not entail a limitation of the rights of a media representative (under Article 47 of the Federal Law "On Mass Media").

Accreditation is needed for journalists to ensure comfortable conditions for their professional work in covering any event, organization activity. It not only provides certain rights, but also implies the performance of duties. The media have the opportunity to get accreditation, but also lose it. The company’s press service is authorized to refuse media accreditation to its journalists.