Journalism: Standards cannot be compromised

After graduating from a journalism school alongside more than thirty-four classmates in 2022, I can count on fingers who are still practising journalism. The rest have drifted away due to different circumstances: gaps in employment, low or no pay, or the lure of more stable careers. Wages and exploitation are major causes of this exodus. Why does this happen? Because the field is crowded by individuals treating journalism as a stop-gap, or simply as a title for access: former bus conductors, drama actors, video-shooting shopkeepers, Mobile Accessory sellers who accept free work in exchange for a press card. They undercut wages and saturate the profession, while trained professionals continuously find themselves switching fields or giving up altogether.

In the midst of renewed debate over so-called fake journalists and the administration’s verification drive in Jammu and Kashmir the core question remains: what truly qualifies someone to be called a journalist? As a practising journalist holding both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in journalism I believe the time has come to define this profession not merely by access to a microphone or a press card but by education, ethics and professional training. Journalism is no longer an unstructured craft that anyone with fluency and flair can claim. It is a profession with a direct impact on democracy truth and public trust. When the Directorate of Information & Public Relations and the Lieuten­ant Governor Manoj Sinha direct district officers to verify credentials of individuals posing as media personnel and to weed out impostors the issue at hand is far deeper than mere credential checks. It is the misuse of journalistic identity for personal gain.

There have been numerous documented cases of people presenting themselves as reporters to blackmail extort or influence others. In Jammu and Kashmir arrests have been made of individuals who used self-styled press identity to intimidate officials, contractors etc. These cases highlight how unregulated access to journalistic privileges can be exploited.

The argument that journalism should remain open to all without educational barriers may have made sense in an earlier era. Decades ago before journalism schools proliferated fervent communicators entered newsrooms and learned through experience. But today the information ecosystem is far more complex. It demands understanding of media law ethics digital verification and public accountability, all skills that are now taught in journalism schools. Just as law’s professions require an LLB and medicine requires an MBBS journalism too should evolve towards structured qualification.

Across India and particularly in Jammu and Kashmir universities now produce hundreds of journalism graduates, post-graduates, diploma holders each year. These students study ethical reporting news verification story-framing conflict-sensitivity and media law. To deny these trained professionals their rightful recognition while untrained individuals occupy the same space is unfair. Journalism schools shape students through internships, newsroom simulation, and multimedia storytelling, ensuring graduates are prepared for real world challenges.

In Kashmir’s delicate socio-political landscape where every word carries weight and bears consequences, journalism is not a hobby; it is a responsibility. The spread of unverified content, misleading narratives and sensationalism by unqualified individuals has already damaged the reputation of local media. When public cannot differentiate between genuine reporters and self-styled ones, faith in the press erodes. A degree alone will not guarantee integrity but it establishes a foundation, a shared code and an understanding of what the profession demands and where its limits lie.

What is under scrutiny is not just the press card but the entire ecosystem of accountability and trust that gives journalism its legitimacy.

When individuals without training flood the profession they frequently lack editorial oversight. They operate as self-styled correspondents, stringers or influencers with little affiliation to credible news organisations. They bypass fact-checking, promote sensationalism or exploit media privileges for personal gain. Their actions tarnish the profession and make it harder for trained journalists to perform their work: officials treat all media with suspicion access is tightened and genuine reporting becomes more difficult.

By contrast a degree in journalism provides essential safeguards. It offers admission standards, coursework in media, law, ethics and practice internships, ,supervision assessment and mentorship. Globally universities emphasise multimedia tools, newsroom workflows, and internships in industry settings. In Indian media schools’ practical training and real-world simulation are now built into curricula. This is not to say that only degree-holders can succeed in journalism but to argue that the title of journalist should indicate someone who has pursued a recognised educational path committed to the craft’s rules and responsibilities.

In Jammu and Kashmir the stakes are higher. Reporting in this environment often involves security concerns, trauma, vulnerable populations and a highly politicised setting. A mis-reported story can inflame fault-lines, undermine public institutions or delay peace processes. Public trust is eroded when journalism is practised by untrained voices. The credibility of the entire profession suffers.

The profession’s evolution demands clarity. The digital transformation of journalism means misinformation spreads rapidly. Social media channels labeled as news operate without editorial standards or accountability. In Jammu and Kashmir authorities have noted pages operating under media labels that publish unverified or defamatory content, misuse press identity and claim access as journalists. Without proper training in digital verification, source validation and ethical boundaries such channels risk becoming tools of extortion, propaganda or manipulation rather than information providers.

Babar Rather is a Journalist