The costs and application for press passes
Apply for press passes
Most associations that issue press cards require membership in their association. However, you can generally only become a paid member of these associations if you are employed full-time by an editorial office. Applying for a press card also involves additional costs in addition to membership in the journalistic association.
But even if you don't want to pay a monthly fee or aren't a full-time journalist, you can still apply for a press card. A so-called press card without proof only involves a one-off cost and can be easily applied for online from reputable providers. The prerequisite for this, however, is that you are working as a journalist. The definition of journalism is broad, so YouTubers and amateur bloggers who run a Facebook page or another social media account on which they regularly publish well-researched content, or blog operators who distribute their journalistic works online, are also working as journalists in a certain way.
This ultimately enables you to use a press pass, even when traveling. However, when applying for a press pass without proof, you must confirm that you will only use it for well-researched journalistic purposes. Photographers are also able to apply for a press pass without proof, but their images must be published publicly and have a journalistic background.
Cost of a press pass
The cost of a press pass can quickly become a monthly expense for various associations and journalistic clubs if you want to become a member. Such expenses are no small matter, especially if you are just starting out in your freelance journalistic career. The membership fees add up, even if the card itself would be issued free of charge in individual cases. For freelance and part-time journalists, this method of applying for a press pass is therefore more or less rarely a sensible option in terms of costs.
An alternative is a press card, which you can order online without proof. If you can confirm that you are a journalist and you are doing international research and journalism, you can also apply for an international press card. A press card is usually valid for one year.
One important aspect to bear in mind is that you must not misuse your press card . Journalists have a special place in our education and our general knowledge. They therefore almost have a certain kind of duty to educate those who read their publications and articles. We also pay attention to this point when issuing our prop cards and want to avoid the fake cards being used for the wrong purposes. We work to the highest quality standards so that honest journalists can take advantage of better research. The costs of our student and press cards are also very fair.