So are lawyers, doctors, even those who give manicures. So, he reasoned, why shouldn’t reporters be as well?
Last week, Senator Patterson told MIRS, the Michigan Information and Research Service, that he was bothered because there are fewer full-time people covering Lansing.
And some who do show up don’t have adequate knowledge or background to understand what they are writing or broadcasting about. As a result, he says some “news sources” just aren’t credible.
He knows that a plumber legally has to be licensed by the state. So, he reasoned, why shouldn’t journalists be regulated as well? Accordingly, he has introduced a new bill, SB 1323, to add reporters to the list of occupations regulated by the state.
His bill would set up a board to review applications and license reporters. Candidates would have to demonstrate that they have a journalism degree, or, failing that, three years of experience, some published stories, and letters of recommendation.
Those who qualify would have to pay a license fee, and would be entitled to call themselves a “Michigan Registered Reporter.” Senator Patterson isn’t suggesting that those who don’t register be prevented from writing or broadcasting anything.
He just thinks it would help the public distinguish who was a reputable reporter, and who wasn’t. Now, I have to say, I understand his concern. I have been reporting on serious subjects for more than thirty years. I see people writing on blogs or running their mouths on various broadcast media who clearly have no idea what they are talking about, and who haven’t bothered to check their facts.
This drives me crazy. Especially since, as the senator notes, it’s often hard for the average person to distinguish between who is a credible news source and who isn’t. However, I think his bill is the wrong way to try to deal with this, and here’s why.
Sooner or later, the registration process is bound to be politicized. Conservatives are going to threaten the licenses of some journalists; liberals are going to go after others.
Knowing how journalists think, I can tell you that virtually no one is going to want to be a state-designated “registered reporter,” though I can see lobbyists and public relations types applying for that designation. Real journalists have always resisted being licensed.
That’s because the First Amendment says speech is supposed to be equally free for all Americans. Nations who designate who can write and broadcast freely also tend to try to prevent others from not doing so. To his credit, Senator Patterson told me that he really doesn’t expect his bill to go anywhere, that he just introduced it to stimulate discussion within the public and profession.
That in itself isn’t a bad idea. The explosion of all types of media has made it hard to sort out what’s legitimate and what’s not, and this topic deserves to be talked about all the time.
However, I was tempted to point out to the senator that one little phrase in his bill would automatically disqualify almost all of us. He wants registered journalists to be of “good moral character.”
And that’s the one thing of which we never get accused.
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