UK PRESS CARD SCHEME Rules
Issued by the Board of UK Press Card Authority Ltd
1.2 “Gatekeepers Organisations” refers to any one of the constituent Organisations of the UK Press Card Authority Ltd.
1.3 “The Authority” refers to the UK Press Card Authority Ltd.
1.5 “Director” refers to a member of the Board of directors appointed by the Gatekeeper Organisation
1.6 “Gatekeeper” is the appointed representative, at any meeting, of the gatekeepers organisation (This can be a director or another person in his absence
1.7 “The Press Card” is the form of identity issued by a Gatekeeper under the powers of the Authority.
1.8 “Eligible Newsgatherer” refers to a media worker who meets the Criteria and so is entitled to carry a Press Card.
1.9 “The Criteria” refers to those characteristics of a Newsgatherer which comprise eligibility for a Press Card. An Eligible Newsgatherer is anyone working in the UK whose employment or self-employment is wholly or significantly concerned with the gathering, transport or processing of information or images for publication in broadcast electronic or written media including TV, radio, internet-based services, newspapers and periodicals; and who needs in the course of those duties to identify themselves in public or other to official services.
1.10 “The Card Provider” is the contractor employed by the Authority and gatekeeper organisations to hold the database of card holders and manufacture the Press Card
1.11 “Verification” is the process of matching the card number with a personal PIN known to the holder. This is done via the Hotline (see below)
1.12 “The Verification Hotline Provider” is the organisation which provides the near-24 hour telephone response service – the “Hotline” which underpins the Verification system. The Hotline Provider is a contractor to the Authority.
2.1 The purposes of this Scheme are:
2.1.1 To provide a standard, verifiable photo card to anyone who is working professionally as a media worker and who needs to identify themselves in public and who meet the criteria
2.1.2 To seek and maintain accreditation for the card
2.1.3 To provide verification of the card holders' identity to inquirers.
3.0 THE PRESS CARD AND THE CRITERIA
3.1 Recognises that the definition of a media worker should rest only in the hands of the industry. Eligibility does not depend upon membership or non-membership of any organisation; nor does it depend upon the views of any State or private organisation.
3.2 The authority for the card rests with the UK Press Card Authority Ltd, and its shareholders, the Gatekeeper Organisations (See attached schedule),
3.3 The Authority owns the copyright design of the card and other elements of the scheme.
4.0 THE CARD
4.1 This is an electronically imaged plastic card with security features, which are set out in another document called Card Construction and is only revealed to the police or similar authorities
4.2 The front will display
4.2.1 the word PRESS in bold black letters on a yellow background; a photograph of the holder; the holder's name, job title, card number, logo of the holder's employer or issuing gatekeeper and the expiry date of the card.
4.3 The reverse will carry the following wording:
4.3.1 "The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland recognise the holder of this card as a bona fide newsgatherer. To check, ring our verification hot line 0870 8376477
If found, please hand this card in at the nearest Police Station. This card is not transferable.
Card design copyright of The UK Press Card Authority Ltd.
5.0 THE CARD PROVIDER
5.1 The current producer under contract is Custom Card – IBS, The Lennox, Lennox Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 4AP, have been selected by a broad range of media organisations to produce the card and they will be the ONLY producer appointed by the Authority
6.0 THE BOARD
6.1 The Authority’s board of directors’ comprise a person nominated as such by each of the Gatekeeper Organisations.
6.2 Each Gatekeeper may nominate one director. The Board may appoint non-Gatekeeper directors to fill the posts of Chairman and Secretary, and any others it sees fit to a limit of five.
6.3 Every Gatekeeper shall be entitled to appoint one director to a seat on the Board of the Authority.
6.4 The Board will hold the necessary meetings as is required of it under the Companies Act and those meeting will normally coincide with the Gatekeepers’ Committee meetings.
6.4.1 For those meeting requiring directors to vote, only the directors will vote
6.4.2 For those requiring shareholder to vote, the directors and or the appointed representative of the organisation will vote,
6.4.3 The companies year end will be set at the 31st December in each calendar year
6.4.4 One of these meetings will be the Annual General Meeting, which will normally be the first meeting of each calendar year.
7.0 THE GATEKEEPERS
7.1 Gatekeepers fulfill the task of issuing the authorised press card strictly within the criteria of the scheme to newsgatherers who fulfill the Criteria and who need a form of recognised identification in order to carry out their duties.
7.2 A Gatekeeper is accountable for the performance of its role to the board of directors of the authority and will report at each regular meeting on the numbers of cards issued and withdrawn and issues or problems which bear upon the Scheme as a whole.
7.3 A Gatekeeper will immediately notify all authority members and officers immediately if an issue arises which may affect the scheme as a whole or which require the attention or vigilance of all Gatekeepers. An example would be an attempt to obtain a card by fraudulent means.
7.4 Any gatekeeper shall not knowingly
7.4.1 Recklessly or negligently issuing a card to an applicant who does not comply with the Criteria.
7.4.2 Have an advertising campaign aimed at potential recruits, based on having a press card.
7.4.3 Carry out any other action which has or would bring the Scheme or the Authority into disrepute.
7.5 Any of the actions mentioned in 7.4.1 to 7.4.3 will merit suspension of a Gatekeeper by the Board on a resolution passed by a majority of all the gatekeepers at a duly constituted meeting held after at least seven days notice. In the event of a gatekeeper being suspended a Gatekeeper will be nominated by the committee to look after the interests of the suspended Gatekeeper:
8.1 Any organisation wishing to become a Gatekeeper must fulfill the following criteria
8.1.1 It must be an established media organisation which can demonstrate that
8.1.1.1 Its principal activity is concerned with Newsgathering, Broadcasting, Publishing or representing individuals or companies involved in this area.
8.1.1.2 it employs newsgatherers; or has newsgatherers in membership; or that it represents the employers of newsgatherers
8.1.1.3 It has not been set up with the sole or major intention of issuing the newsgatherers’ card or other accreditation for individuals
8.1.1.4 Its individual members or member companies’ employees (whichever applies) cannot reasonably obtain accreditation from one of the existing Gatekeepers.
9.0 GATEKEEPERS COMMITTEE
9.1 The Board of the Authority has agreed on the following guidelines for a Gatekeepers Committee to ensure the smooth running of the Authority.
9.1.1 Regular meetings. The Gatekeepers Committee will meet quarterly. The attendees will be the Gatekeepers representatives ,the officers of the authority and the manufacturer.
9.1.2 The number to make up a valid quorum of a meeting shall be of half the authority’s members plus one including the Chairman.
9.1.3 If more than one person from a Gatekeepers’ organisation attends this meeting only one vote will be counted for that organisation; and only one person shall count toward a quorum.
9.1.4 A binding decision can be taken by a majority of the Gatekeepers providing there is a quorum, except for those decisions in para 9.1.5 below.
9.1.5 A resolution for the following specific items requires a 2 /3rds majority of a valid quorum at a Gatekeepers’ committee meeting which has been given 14 days notice at a duly constituted meeting and is the sole mechanism for
9.1.5.1 Modification of this scheme, including the criteria for issue of the card
9.1.5.2 Admission of a new gatekeeper
9.1.5.3 Removal of a gatekeeper
9.1.5.4 Appointment or removal of the contractor for the production of the press card and maintenance of the associated database
9.1.6 Delegation of any function excluding those in sub-paragraphs 9.1.5.1 to 9.1.5.4 can be delegated to a sub-committee.
9.1.7 Gatekeepers should make every effort to attend regularly, to account for the previous quarter’s activity.
9.1.8 Extraordinary meetings will be arranged when necessary at the request of a Gatekeeper and with the agreement of the Chair.
9.1.9 In an emergency, a meeting can be called at two hours’ notice. This cannot include the Items mentioned in 9.1.5.1 to 9.1.5.4.
9.1.10 The Chair of the Gatekeepers Committee will be appointed by the Committee at a regular meeting and would normally be the Chairman of the board. The Chair will normally be a non-Gatekeeper who will not exercise a voting right unless there is a tied vote on a matter of great urgency.
9.1.11 In the absence of the appointed Chairman, the chair will be taken by the director or appointed person representing the organisation hosting the meeting who will be entitled to vote but will also have a casting vote if needed
9.1.12 The Secretary and Minute Taker will be elected bi annually at the Annual General Meeting.
10.0 CARD ISSUE
10.1 The Card Provider will attend all Gatekeeper’s committee and Directors meetings unless notified not to so by the Chairman or Secretary.
10.2 The Secretary will notify the Card Provider of those organisations appointed as Gatekeepers. The Card Provider will be supplied with specimen signature(s) of the Gatekeepers' Authorised representative(s) and the Gatekeeper's official stamp. The Card Provider will only be authorised to issue cards to applicants whose application forms carry both these pieces of information. Gatekeepers will deal direct with Custom Card - IBS with whom they will make their own arrangements for card issues, payment etc.
10.3 No newsgatherer in this Scheme will be authorised to hold more than one card. The card producer will assign a unique number to each card and this system will be designed to detect and prevent duplication. The Newsgatherer will provide a PIN or Code of alpha or numeric digits of up to 7 characters. They are expected to keep their PIN or Code secure.
10.3.1 A card will be withdrawn if the Gatekeeper considers:
10.3.1.1 The holder has become ineligible for whatever reason such as not being entitled to hold a particular gatekeepers
10.3.1.2 The holder has used the card in a way likely to bring the Authority into disrepute through misrepresentation or dishonesty.
11.0 VERIFICATION
11.1 The Card Provider will provide the Verification Hotline Provider with the Press Card numbers and their matching PIN or codes in order that verification can be established:
11.2 No personal data will be released by the Card Provider except to the relevant gatekeeper if they require it.
11.3 Any person can use the verification hotline to check the card number against the PIN or code, during the hours of hotline operation.
12.0 APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE AUTHORITY
12.1 Gatekeepers can agree their specific requirements for information on their own application forms but it has been agreed that each form will contain the following core information :
12.1.1 Gatekeeper Organisation's name and address
12.1.2 Name and address of applicants organisation
12.1.3 Applicant's family name
Full given names or forenames
Preferred forename on card
Address of holder
Post code
Personal identification number/code
Date of birth
Employed as (reporter, cameraman, engineer etc)
12.1.4 Have you ever held this press card before yes/no
12.1.5 Have you ever been refused this card before? yes/no
12.1.6 I certify that the above particulars are correct ……………………………..
(Applicant's signature)
12.1.7 I certify that the applicant is a responsible member of this organisation who meets the agreed criteria for holding the press card
Authorising signature: ………………………………….
Position:……………………………………………………
Daytime telephone no:……………………………………
12.2 The gatekeepers will ensure that the applicant and the person authorising the holding of the card are aware of the criteria set out in 1.9 either within the application form or any covering letter
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