Licensing of Journalists: “L’ordine Dei Giornalisti Italiano”, A Historical Review and Comparison

Abstract

Italy is a peculiar case of a democratic country that requires journalists to be part of a formal journalistic order. While this certainly has some positive aspects, many individuals and organizations in the last sixty years have asked for the Order to be rescinded, arguing it breaks Article 21 of the Constitution. Born in 1963, but first planned in 1928, the Italian Order of Journalists is an organization that protects the rights of its members and guarantees various privileges. Nonetheless, since the Order’s creation, many politicians, writers, and journalists themselves have argued against it. In their opinion, nobody should be allowed to decide who can be a journalist and who can’t. This issue remains a vigorously debated topic in Italy. Some journalists love the Order, and some hate it. Every few years, different political parties have tried to erase it. Needless to say, all have failed. As this remains an active argument, this thesis seeks to shine a light on the controversy, explain how the Order works, and explore why, historically, Italy decided to create it. At the same time, this thesis tries to compare the Italian case to other examples around the world.