We asked ChatGPT4: How does one validate is person is a professional journalist?

Validating if a person is a professional journalist can involve a combination of methods. Here are some steps you can take to verify their credibility:

Check their portfolio: A professional journalist should have a portfolio or a collection of their published work. You can search for their articles, videos, or other media content to verify their past experiences and the quality of their work.


Examine their credentials: Journalists may have degrees in journalism, mass communication, or related fields. Check if the person has attended an accredited institution and holds the necessary qualifications. Certifications from organizations like the Poynter Institute or the Society of Professional Journalists can also be an indicator of their professionalism.
Look for a byline: A byline is a line in an article or news story that gives the author's name. Professional journalists usually have bylines in the publications where they contribute. Search for their bylines in reputable news outlets and publications.
Research their employer: If the person claims to work for a media organization, verify the organization's credibility. Reputable news outlets typically have strict standards for their journalists and follow a code of ethics.
Analyze their social media presence: Professional journalists often have social media profiles on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Look for their online presence, and check if their profiles are consistent with their claimed profession. Keep in mind that not all journalists will have a strong social media presence.
Check references: If possible, contact people who have worked with the journalist to get insights into their work ethics and professionalism.
Assess their adherence to journalistic ethics: Professional journalists should abide by ethical guidelines, such as accuracy, impartiality, and accountability. Look for signs of these principles in their work.

Our policy for acceptance by The News Council is thus:

They have professional email that is associated with a website that is clearly a news organization. For example: JaneDoe@Name-of-Bona-Fide-News-org.com Sorry we can't credential journalists who use free email services like: @aol.com or @Outlook.com
There have published work on the internet that shows their byline.
They are member of one of the following journalist organizations:
AAJA: Asian American Journalists Association
AAN: ASSOCIATION OF ALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLIES
ACES: American Copy Editors Society
AEJMC: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
AHCJ: Association of Health Care Journalists
AIFI: American Indian Film Institute
ALABAMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
ALBERTA WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
Alfred Smith Memorial Foundation
Alliance for Audited Media
ALLIED DAILY NEWSPAPERS OF WASHINGTON
AMEJA: Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association
American Association for the Advancement of Science
AMERICAN COURT & COMMERCIAL NEWSPAPERS INC.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWS EDITORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWS EDITORS
AOJ: Association of Opinion Journalists
API: American Press Institute
APME: Associated Press Media Editors
APSE: Associated Press Sports Editors
ARIZONA NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
ARKANSAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
ASBPE: American Society of Business Publication Editors
ASJA: American Society of Journalists & Authors
ASME: American Society of Magazine Editors
ASNE: American Society of Newspaper Editors
Association for Capitol Reporters and Editors
Association for Women Journalists â€" Chicago
Association of European Journalists
Association of Food Journalists
Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference
ATLANTIC COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION"
AWSM: Association for Women in Sports Media
BEA: Broadcast Education Association
Benton Foundation
CAJ: Canadian Association of Journalists
CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Campaign Finance Information Center
CAR in Canada
Center for International Media Assistance
Center for Investigative Journalists {Mexico}
Center for Media and Democracy
CMA: College Media Advisors
CML: Center for Media Literacy
COLORADO PRESS ASSOCIATION
"Columbia University
Graduate School of Journalism"
CONNECTICUT DAILY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
CPJ: Committee to Protect Journalists
Criminal Justice Journalists
CSPA: Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma
Editor & Publisher
Electronic Frontier Foundation
EWA: Education Writer's Association
FLORIDA PRESS ASSOCIATION
Florida Press Club
Foreign Press Center
Free Press
Fund for Investigative Journalism
George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs
GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION
Global Investigative Journalism Network
Gridiron Club
HOOSIER STATE PRESS ASSOCIATION
House Periodical Press Gallery -
ICFJ: International Center for Journalists
IFJ: The International Federation of Journalists
ILLINOIS PRESS ASSOCIATION
IMA: Integrated Media Assoc.
iMediaEthics (aka stinkyjournalism.org)
Inland Press Association
INMA: International Newspaper Marketing Assoc.
Inter American Press Association
International Center for Journalists
International Journalists Network
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF WEEKLY NEWSPAPER EDITORS
Investigative News Network
IOWA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
IRE: Investigative Reporters & Editors
IWMF: The International Women's Media Foundation
JAWS: Journalism & Women Symposium
JEA: Journalism Education Assoc.
J-Lab / American University School of Communication
Journalism Accelerator
Journalism Center on Children & Families
KANSAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
Keiki O Ka ʻĀina Family Learning Centers
KENTUCKY PRESS ASSOCIATION
Knight Digital Media Center â€" Online Journalism Review
Local Media Association
LOUISIANA PRESS ASSOCIATION
MAINE PRESS ASSOCIATION
MASSACHUSETTS NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Maynard Media
MDDC PRESS ASSOCIATION
Media Alliance
Media Democracy Project
Media Research Center
MediaBistro
Mega Conference (southeast newspaper executives
MICHIGAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
Military Reporters & Editors
MINNESOTA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
MISSISSIPPI PRESS ASSOCIATION
MISSOURI PRESS ASSOCIATION
MONTANA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
MPI: Mid-America Press Institute
NAA: Newspaper Association of America
NAAJA: National American Arab Journalists Association
NAB: National Association of Broadcasters
NABJ: National Association of Black Journalists
NAHJ: National Association of Hispanic Journalists
NAJA: Native American Journalists Assoc.
NAM: New America Media
NAMIC: National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications
National Association of Science Writers
National Center for Business Journalism
National Center on Disability and Journalism
National Federation of Press Women
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION/COLUMBIA, MO.
National Press Club
National Press Foundation
National Public Radio
National Scholastic Press Association / Associated Collegiate Press
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
National Writers Union
Native Networks
Native Public Media
NEBRASKA PRESS ASSOCIATION
NEVADA PRESS ASSOCIATION
New England Book Festival JM Northern Media LLC
NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPER AND PRESS ASSOCIATION
NEW HAMPSHIRE PRESS ASSOCIATION
NEW JERSEY PRESS ASSOCIATION
NEW MEXICO PRESS ASSOCIATION
New York Association of Black Journalists
New York Media Festival
NEW YORK NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
NEW YORK PRESS ASSOCIATION
New York University Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Newseum
NewsLab
NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION MANAGERS
NLGJA: National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association
NNA: National Newspaper Association
NNPA: National Newspaper Publisher Association
Non-Fiction Writers Conference
Nonfiction Authors Association
North American Agricultural Journalists
NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
NORTH DAKOTA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism
NPC: National Press Club
NPPA: National Press Photographers Association
OHIO NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
ONA: Online News Association
ONP: Online Publishers Assoc.
ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Organization of News Ombudsmen.
PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society
PJnet: Public Journalism Network
Poynter Institute
PRNDI: Public Radio News Directors Incorporated
Project Censored
Project for Excellence in Journalism
ProPublica
QUEBEC COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
Quill and Scroll Society
Reclaim the Media
Reports Lab
Reynolds Journalism Institute
RNA: Religion News Writers Association
RTNDA: Radio Television Digital News Association
SABEW: Society of American Business Editors and Writers
SAJA: South Asian Journalists Association
San Francisco Writers Conference
San Francisco Writers Conference
Santa Barbara Writers Conference
SASKATCHEWAN WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION
SEJ: Society of Environmental Journalists
SIPA: Specialized Information Publishers Association.
SND: Society for News Design
SNPA: Southern Newspaper Publishers Assoc.
Society for Features Journalism
SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
SOUTH DAKOTA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
SPJ: Society of Professional Journalists
Student Press Law Center
Sundance Institute Native American Program
Sunlight Labs
Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION
TEXAS DAILY NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Association for Women in Communications
The Independent Author Network
The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
THE WOMEN'S MEDIA CENTER
The Working Reporter
U.S. SENATE PRESS GALLERY
UNITY Journalists for Diversity
University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
University of Missouri at Columbia School of Journalism
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism
University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication
UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION
VERMONT PRESS ASSOCIATION
VIRGINIA PRESS ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON NEWS COUNCIL ·
WASHINGTON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Washington Press Club Foundation
WEST VIRGINIA PRESS ASSOCIATION
White House Correspondents™ Association
WIMN: Women in Media & News
WISCONSIN NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
World Assoc. of Newspapers
World Press Institute
Writers' Guild of America
WYOMING PRESS ASSOCIATION
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