On 11/11/05, Jean-Baptiste Soufron jbsoufron@gmail.com wrote:

Giving out press credentials has nothing to do with trademark law, copyright or policy. Most countries regulate the right for organization to act as press organizations. For example, the french status of press journalists is regulated by a law of 1935, and its conditions are very strict.

Yes, I was going to say something along those lines, but I wanted to find more information about other countries and their specific legislations. I failed to find any relevant information concerning the issuing of press credentials in North America for one. Maybe someone could help out here? Michel Neige perhaps? Others for other countries? Or is France a stand alone in that situation?

First, I don't think that wikinews would like to engage its liability by issuing false press credentials when they don't have the right to do so.

Second, I don't think that wikinews would like to enrage journalist unions that control the issuing of these credentials.

If you want to issue press credentials there are strict steps to follow, and they have nothing to do with trademark law or whatever : they depend on national press legislations. Press organizations have special privileges related to press, but they also have special obligations to fulfill, and special liabilities !

As of today, Wikinews is not such a press organization and cannot benefit of their privileges !

No, but maybe it could could become one? However, that would probably require a completely different way of doing it, which would probably entail the Wikinews community and the Foundation to engage in the proper recognition process. And where? In the US? Worldwide? There are millions of questions tied to such a process.

I can provide more help on this if you are interested.

The French law related to this is pretty much a good example of what is needed :

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/texteconsolide/PCEAA.htm http://mapage.noos.fr/odalage/monde/statut.html

for policy-related and historical explanations of the status of journalists.

Just to point out, the French law for example explicitely mentions that to hold "carte de presse", you must derive at least 50% of your income from writing for the press. Which would make it very hard for fr wikinewsies to ever have one, I suppose... Hopefully other legislations are not as compelling.

Delphine -- ~notafish