Tuesday, December 16, 2003 5:44 PM
The Los Angeles Press Club will begin issuing an official press identification card for working members of the media in January 2004 to fill a pressing need created when the Los Angeles Police Department sharply reduced its permitting of press I.D. cards in the wake of 9/11.
“Los Angeles’ journalists deserve their own press card,” says Press Club president Ted Johnson, who notes that it was always difficult to qualify for I.D. from the LAPD but is far more problematic now for those not covering hard news on a daily basis.
Some sources tell the 8 Ball that as many as 75 percent of those previously holding LAPD press passes have been turned down when re-applying in the past several months. As a result, a plan to issue a press I.D. card for working journalists has been under review by the Los Angeles Press Club Board of Directors.
“We’re extremely pleased that it is finally happening. We’ve found a formu- la we think will work well,” says Johnson.
The club will be working with the Foreign Press Center and the U.S. State Department to consider the best way of approving journalists and then issuing a card that will be recognized by the most venues, officials and dignitaries.
Anyone who can prove they are a working field member of the Los Angeles news media is welcome to apply for the card, and need not be a member of the Los Angeles Press Club. However, the card will be discounted for Press Club members, who will pay $29 per year for the I.D. The non-member fee will be $79.
In order to qualify, all journalists must prove they are working writers, photographers, videogra- phers, field producers or other journalists who must have field access to a variety of news sources. All applicants must sign a written promise not to use the card for personal gain. The card will be owned by the Press Club and can be revoked upon demand.
“It is very important for the status of the card that it not be misused, because that will hurt the whole journalist community in Los Angeles,” says Executive Director Diana Ljungaeus.
Look for your application in the mail and inform your colleagues and friends about the program, because the more extensively the new I.D. card is used, the more widely recognized it will become.
The club will start issuing the new card as of January 2004. As a security feature, the card will contain an embedded hologram-embedded in order to make it difficult to counterfeit.
First-time applicants must apply in per- son at the club offices at 6464 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood. Applicants must bring a picture I.D. in order to establish their identity, have their picture taken and sign for the card. In addition, applicants must submit work samples as well as let- ters verifying the nature of their employ- ment from their workplace or freelance editor. Annual renewals will be much easier and will not require a personal visit to the club. The application form can be filled out ahead of time on our web site at www.lapressclub.org to make your visit to Hollywood shorter.
