Standard Rules of Accreditation of the Mass Media’s Journalists. Draft

^{Draft

Standard Rules of Accreditation of the Mass Media’s
Journalists

1. General provisions

Accreditation is a validation by the editorial office of a mass media outlet
n execution of the authorities powers of the representative of a mMass mMedia
outlet at the Accrediting Organization by the editorial office of this Mass
Media outlet and their acceptance by the accrediting body (accrediting
organization) in the order determined by the specific law and the present Rules.

The aAccrediting of mMass media’s journalists under at an Accrediting
Organization is carried out in order to ensure the openness of the Accrediting
Organization’s work, to improve the interaction of the Accrediting Organization
with the mMass mMedia, to create necessary conditions for journalists’
professional activity as persons who fulfilling the a public duty and ensureing
citizens’ right to information.
The aAccreditation is carried out in accordance to the law of the Russian
Federation “On the Mass Media” as of December 27,-th of December 1991 and the
present Rules, and cannot be used for the introduction of censorship, other
infringement of freedom of mMass informationMedia freedom, the a restriction of
citizens’ rights to seeklook for, to obtain, to pass on, to produce, and to
disseminate information by any legal waymethod.
The present Rules are based on agreed upon and mutually accepted
positionsprovisions, which the Accrediting Organization and the editorial office
of the mMass mMedia outlet promise to stickcommit themselves to based upon an to
understanding that their implementation shall meets public interests.

2. Right to accreditation

2.1. The right to authorize a journalist to represent a mass media outlet
under an Accrediting Organization belongs to the editorial office of any
registered mass media outlet as well as any foreign mass media outlet
accredited by the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2.2. The Accrediting Organization recognizes the authorities of the
journalist accredited by the editorial office in accordance with the present
Rules.
2.3. The lack of accreditation does not involve any infringement of
journalists’ rights established by the law of the Russian Federation “On the
Mass Media”.

3. Types of Accreditation

3.1. Accreditation may be of two types: permanent or temporary.
3.2. Permanent accreditation is given to mass media journalists without a
stated date of expiration.
3.3. Temporary accreditation is given to mass media journalists for the
term necessary for the fulfillment of a specific editorial task or for the
replacement of a permanently accredited journalist in case of his/her
disease, leave of absence, or a business trip.

4. Procedure for accreditation

4.1. The application of the editorial office of a mass media outlet for
accreditation of its representative is submitted to the Press service of an
Accrediting Organization on the official stationary of the editorial office
signed by the editor-in-chief and certified by the seal. The copy of the
registration certificate of the mass media outlet and the two photoes (3 x 4
sm.) of each journalist are appended to the application.
4.2. The application should contain:

full name of the mass media outlet, circulation, periodicity, the location
of the editorial office, the region of the circulation, mail (electronic)
address, telephone and fax numbers of the editorial office;
given name, patronymic and the surname of the journalist presented for
accreditation;
type of accreditation (permanent or temporary);

4.3. The decision on accreditation is made by the head of the Press
service of the Accrediting Organization within seven days after the
submission of the application for accreditation.
4.4. Accreditation certificate is issued by the head of the Press service
of the Accrediting Organization on the basis of the submitted application.
4.5. Accreditation certificate ensures the unhindered pass to the
buildings where the Accrediting Organization is located.

5. Quotas for accreditation

5.1. The number of the representatives of one editorial office is
determined taking into account the real possibilities of seating them in the
premises where the meetings and other events of the Accrediting Organization
and its units are held, in which respect the norms (quotas) for journalists
accredited by the application of one editorial office may be established.
5.2. While establishing the quotas the principles of openness and
fairness are observed.
5.3. Allocation of quotas is carried out on the basis of the following
criteria of the mass media outlets:

form of the periodical circulation of the mass communication
(periodical print publications, information agency, radio-, TV-, video-,
documentary programs, other mass media);
their circulation;
specialization (declared general theme);
area of distribution (broadcasting) (foreign, federal, interregional,
regional, district, and municipal).

5.4. The list of mass media outlets with the number of journalists being
accredited from each of them shall be contained in the appendix to the
present Rules.
5.5. The quotas established for radio-, TV-, video-, and documentary
programs include auxiliary and technical people (cameramen, engineers,
lighters, etc.) besides the journalists.

6. Main directions of the work with accredited journalists

Journalists accredited by the Accrediting Organization are ensured with the
proper conditions for their professional activity on the up-to-date coverage of
the work of the Accrediting Organization, for the purpose of which the Press
service of the Accrediting Organization:

informs about the date, time, and place of meetings and other events of
the Accrediting Organization;
offers working space specially equipped for recording during the
meetings and other events of the Accrediting Organization;
provides journalists with the necessary information materials, minutes,
protocols, and other documents;
assists in the organization of individual meetings and conversations
with the workers of the Accrediting Organization, ensures the possibility to
obtain information of interest from the staff of the Accrediting
Organization without hindrance;
holds briefings, press conferences, meetings on the issues of the
activity of the Accrediting Organization.

7. Rights of accredited journalists

Accredited journalists have the right:

to get information about coming sessions, meetings and other events in
advance;
to get aquatinted with information and reference materials (agenda, the
minutes of the sessions, the texts of statements, press releases and other
documents);
to be in the conference halls and other specially equipped premises of
the Press service during the open events of the Accrediting Organization;
to use the technical equipment necessary for audio-, video-, and film
recording;
to attend briefings, press conferences and other events organized for
the press;
to obtain necessary information from the workers of the Press service
including at meetings and press conferences specially organized by the Press
service of the Accrediting Organization;
to use the assistance of the Press service in organizing of meetings,
conversations with the representatives of the Accrediting Organization in
order to obtain additional information from the staff of the Accrediting
Organization (i.e., comments, clarifications);
to visit the structural units of the Accrediting Organization;
to use fixed telephone lines in the buildings to contact their editorial
office and to pass up-to-date information;
to use the materials of the Accrediting Organization archive.

8. Duties of accredited journalists

In the course of the events an accredited journalist shall:

observe the inner corporate rules of the Accrediting
Organization;
not interfere in the course of the event where he/she is
present (if it is not organized especially for the press);
observe the rules determined for special events;
observe the order of the organization and conduct of
meetings and conversations with the heads and staff of the Accrediting
Organization.

9. Denial of accreditation

9.1. The Press service has the right to deny the permanent accreditation
to:

editorial offices of the specialized mass media outlets (such as
advertising, reference, erotic);
editorial offices of mass media, which have accredited under the
Accreditation Organization the number of journalists exceeding the
established quotas;
editorial offices, which have presented accreditation documents
containing not valid information.

9.2. The lack of the technical possibility to make room for the
journalists of all the publications for the permanent work in the premises
of the Accrediting Organization cannot serve as the grounds for a denial in
the permanent accreditation.
9.3. The notice about the denial in the accreditation is given to the
representative of the editorial office within seven days since the date of
receiving the application. The notice should contain the reason of the
denial in the permanent accreditation, the name of the official who made the
decision, the date of making the decision, and the order of appealing of the
decision on the denial in the accreditation.

10. Withdrawal of accreditation

10.1. Accreditation may be withdrawn:

when the journalist is dismissed from the editorial office (in such a
case the editorial office has the right to accredit another journalist);
when a mass media outlet terminated its activity;
when untrue information inflicting damage to the organization or
infringing its workers’ rights and lawful interests is disseminated, which
is confirmed by the court decision that came into force.

10.2. The decision on withdrawing accreditation from the journalist is
made by the head of the Press service of the Accrediting Organization. The
decision should be substantiated, executed in a written form, contain
references to current legislation on Mass Media.
10.3. In order to resolve conflict situations related to the
accreditation the journalist or the editorial office may apply to the
governing body of the Accreditation Organization and to the overseeing the
Accreditation Organization governing body in the order of the subordination,
to the Prosecutor’s office.
10.4. The denial in accreditation, the withdrawal of accreditation as
well as the violation of the accredited journalist’s rights may be appealed
according the civil and civil procedural legislation.

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