I want to share a little story based loosely around something that happened recently involving www.demotix.com and Mr. Mike Granatt…
Here’s the basis of what went on : “UK Press Card Authority chair Mike Granatt said: “The Demotix ‘press pass’ is nothing of the sort, despite the fact that it is designed to look like a genuine journalists’ identity document.” you can see a little more here.
So, on with the story…
I’ve been a supporter (though I didn’t quite fit really, music related stories not Demotix main market) of Demotix from the off. I could appreciate that a lot of people were not fans as the idea of introducing “citizen journalism” could be seen to be taking work from the current batch of paid journalists and letting “just about anyone with a voice or a camera” do the job… I have many journalist friends and in a mini gtvone-stylie survey, it was suggested that those people didn’t actually care all that much “If there’s news to be reported and someone is there, that’s good, as long as it’s reported fair and true” was the main theme amongst my snap-happy, copy-ridden friends… So I continued to submit my images and follow along on Twitter, meeting up with the guys on occasion and hearing what they had to say as a company (over a cheeky pint of milk) and generally liking everything about them…
So from a general observer with a slight interest in the whole “Press” thing, I became more involved and thought about doing much more “citizen journalism” and submitting my work to Demotix. I thought that having a press card would be a good thing and wondered to myself “what would it take to get a UK Press Card?” and as ever, set about finding out!… As a community manager for a large photography website and a general voice on many things photography, I thought it would be interesting to be in touch with someone at the NUJ and ask a few questions..
Mr. Mike Granatt suggests that Police may be misled by the Demotix press card and that it may be misused? My question to you then, Mike, is why did the NUJ give me an actual, real UK Press Card? All I had to do was join the union, pay a little bit and ask the right people and HEY PRESTO! (I’ve removed my number so that it’s not misused) what makes this card (below) different to the Demotix version in terms of “I could have either” it seems?
I'm not a terrorist, honest!
Now, Mike, I’m certainly not about to pull a crazy stunt and barge my way into an area where I may be less “wanted” but what’s stopping me? I have a Press Card baby! I’m not a news gatherer, or am I? I respect the fact that The NUJ looks after Journos and I’m certainly not out to make any enemies their either, but the question has to be asked “why the hell would they give me a press card?”
Everyone has the right to capture what they see that they deem newsworthy, and to have an organisation like Demotix there to back you up and help you get that news out to the people, that’s a good thing right? I had support from Demotix when I went along to photograph G20 – They advised on what to expect, they had on-site support for uploading etc… For “nobody’s” like me, that is amazing! So if they’re going to advise you on how to get access and help you out with a “Press card” that whilst not being the “official job” it certainly spells out your intentions to those that might ask to see it, right?
I didn’t use my press card at that G20 thing (The photographers demonstration, right?) ..and to be honest I’ve never used it.. oh, wait, there was one time when I showed it to a security guard who didn’t know his bollocks from his forehead, so that was a pointless waste of time, wasn’t it! I’ve been allowed access to most places I needed to get by being a decent human being…
How many cameras?
In short, what I’m saying Mike, is that before you go ranting about organisations like Demotix that are accessible and helpful to “regular Joe” you should make sure that the “official” gate-keepers are looking out for your best interests first, wouldn’t you say?… or are you just worried that Demotix are doing a darn fine job?
*I have no idea why I’ve made bold certain bits of text!
Some interesting points raised – well said!
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Well said.
Just because NUJ are seen as official – who made them the one and only gate-keeper ? In other industries there are many many unions covering the same areas.
In industries such as photography, and with the help of the internet the bounderies between a pro and an amateur are very very blurred.
I recall during much of this so called anti-terror stuff – when it sounded like it would become illegal for photographers to take pictures of the police a blogger approached the then home secretary and was told that even he – a single blogger – could be regarded as “press” for the purposes of documenting police activity/controlled events.
Ummm – I’d say the reason you got a Press Card is because you’re a music photographer and it seems reasonable certainly to mr that “you have a need to ID yourself in public etc etc”
(I’m not NUJ – and by the way to Daf: There are 17 gatekeeper organisations)
My gripe with this Demotix card is that now, the Met & others could easily say “since we cant tell if this is a valid – gatekeeper issued – card or not – we are not allowing ANYONE to photograph what’s going on”
Also – as a holder of a genuine UK press card, as a journalist – I can at least be potentially covered by “Special Procedures for journalists” if being searched became an issue – and now – again – if the argument of “oh we don’t knnow if that’s a real card or not) is used, then will Demotix be fighting for it’s contributors on this regards as well ?
Thus – no one gets the news – and that has been tried several times by the Met already – just search the Guardian for video example from G20
Plus one other thing – if a contributor to Demotix claims to be a member of the Press, will they be subject to the PCC ? (I somehow doubt it -and then – what happens when there are complaints from the public)
Also – will Demotix be taking legal action (like the NUJ and other Unions) when someone is hurt when out being a snapper ? (Or come to that, helping with insurance or advising people to get Public Liability insurance ?)
I agree that there should be no need for Press cards at all but now that they are here, they are very necessary and what is not needed is them being undermined right now
Plus – will Demotix be defending it’s contributors right to take photos in public in the same way that the British Journal of Photography/Amateur Photographer/NUJ & other unions have been ? (I’ve seen no sign of that at the moment ?) – Any comment Turi ?
Hi Pete,
Yeah, no, don’t need a press card for music – that’s all PR bollocks, not press. (Hell, be easier if It were)
1. Pete, there’s 17 GK’s and a “real” Press Card carries the UK Press Card Authority hologram… The Demotix one doesn’t… so you need not worry there.
2. Again, the Demotix card doesn’t have the UK Press Card Authority hologram… so you can have your SPJ (Yeah, this happens..not)
3. The Police are already an issue when it comes to searching, I’d hazard to say it’s got nothing to do with the Demotix press card…
4. A contributor to Demotix is a “citizen journo’” and if engaged in news gathering is still subject to clause 4 etc…
5. Again, citizen journo – you don’t work for Demotix, Pete, you work for yourself – you need insurance and a union if you’re so inclined – Demotix ain’t either, so why would they cover you?
6. Why not? If they’re giving them out to anyone, as I proved, they’re undermining themselves?
7. Demotix spent a lot of time working out the best country to become a company in, they chose the UK based on the fact that photographers / journos could choose to go to prison rather than giving out information…
Turi, feel free to chip in if I missed anything.
Pete, I feel sorry for you – not because of the “citizen journos” that contribute to Demotix, but because of everyone that has gone out and has a camera and is making it harder for people like you because they’re not part of Demotix and haven’t been advised to wind their necks in and behave like responsible news gatherers…
Thanks for dropping by.
Sime
So are you saying you should not have a UK Press Card? Am I right is saying you are a full time music photographer? Living off photography? You provide editorial content for newspapers and magazines? If so I can not see anything wrong with you having a UK Press Card. I can not see why the NUJ is at fault for issuing you a card. So what is the real issue here Simon?
Hey Marc,
No. not at all. I’m a web producer.
I’ve only ever sold one image to press, that was through flickr to a random Jewish paper in New York..
I’m not sure where you’re going with “What is the real issue”
What you see is what you get mate.
Sime
The eterenal ‘press card’ dilemma. This dilemma is not really about who issues them, who has them, what is a ‘real press card’ or who can recognise a real ‘press card’.
The dilemma is more fundamental, people in the cheap seats wonder what the view is like seated ring side.
There are two places in the world to a photojournalist, public places and private places. Public places are easy to access, the public has a right. The private places are hard to access where the public has no right. A press card, with a hologram, a logo or just sticking out of the band on a trilby, does not change these places or an idividuals rights to them.
All a press card really does is state your reasons for being somewhere, if your reasons are news gathering.
For ten years now I have accessed some interesting places. I have been waved through cordon’s at ground zero by the FBI, while firemen searched. Dragged through thick walls of heavy riot clad police then dusted off with a smile and waved on. Found myself running through the halls of Parliament carrying a large heavy black rucksac. Stood amongst sweaty athletes with world record breaking smiles.
All of which without any press card, all of which without question or issue.
It was only last year that I chose to start supporting those organisations that support the image makers and news gathers, mainly in light of the growing wave of restrictions and harrasment.
So now I carry an SJA, AIPS and an NUJ card and imminently a UK Authority press card. Not because they’re magic door keys, but because I appreciate the work these organisation do and I want to support them, as they support me.
I will still state to anyone that asks of my intentions, ‘It’s a public place’, or in a private place, ‘I have accreditation’. I won’t rely on flashing a card. I could count the amount of times I have seriously required a press card without dropping my camera. The amount of times a friendly chat or polite approach has opened doors, easily beats the amount of grey hairs I have.
The use of a press card should be state your intentions, not gain special access or discriminate public access.
The MET’s decision to recognise one card is supposed to allecviate confusion, however this seems to fail too often. I personally think it’s as much to protect the police as give levity to an individuls intentions. The fact that different treatment is given to card carrying press seems to be more about not getting bad press than filtering actual press. But in the land of the citizen journalist this is no longer valid.
Any identification that is carried to give validity to an individuals reason to be in a public place is generous on the part of the individual in question, as it’s not a requirement. The supposed validity given to a press card doesn’t make any sense. But there is a need for ‘rules’ and ‘regulations’, if only for appearance sake.
Most that request to see a press card wouldn’t know whether it’s from a recognised orgnasation or from the inkjet at home.
If none of this makes sense, it’s because I am a photographer, not an inky, sorry.
Jools
No need for a press pass in the digital age. Great news pictures are taken by citizens with cell phone cameras. However, a press pass is a promise to the public that the photojournalist will help tell their story to the world. At most events the public has as much accessability as the press.