Press cards are essential for identifying its holders as professional journalists. FFR recognises that having press accreditation impacts a journalist’s ability to keep safe.

Journalists are often required to show their press identification when applying for a work assignment visa, when they are stopped at border controls, check points, for an embedded with military forces or even to attend press conferences.

More critically, being able to provide press identification can prevent detention, arrest or even just alleviate suspicion as to the reasons for a journalists presence.

Freelance journalists who work internationally, who are not based in the country of their nationality and/or work for more than one client,  often fail to qualify for press cards because the usual route to obtain one is either through membership of a professional national union, or through their media organisation as a staff journalist.

This leaves them exposed to greater risk as they cannot prove they are members of the press in critical situations.

FFR supports the Frontline Club Charitable Trust’s international press card for freelance journalists, including to members of FFR’s registry who meet our Full Membership criteria.  This will provide those members with the opportunity to prove that they are professional and active journalists who abide by a recognised industry code of conduct.

This forms part of FFR’s work to campaign for greater recognition of the role freelance journalists play in news-gathering and provide the freelancer with the resources to do so safely.