British Association of Journalists

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The British Association of Journalists (BAJ) is a UK Press Card Gatekeeper and a non-political trade union founded in 1992 for journalists, both staff and freelancers, working within broadcasting, newspapers, magazines and online media. We welcome members who earn an income from being part of an editorial workflow process. These include broadcasters, reporters, hyperlocal editors, photographers, writers, sub-editors, page layout artists, and many other roles associated with journalism. We are an independent trade union not associated or affiliated with any political organisation or cause.

Below are just some of our membership benefits:

  • Prompt access to specialist in-house legal advice covering all employment issues, including disciplinary, redundancy, non-payment and discrimination.
  • Unpaid fee/invoice recovery service with Small Claims litigation, County Court Judgement issuing (CCJ) and High Court enforcement orders. 
  • Expert copyright, intellectual property and ‘passing off’ advice and litigation.
  • Exclusive free access to Journo Resources, including mentoring, training and guidance for staff and freelance journalists.
  • In-house professional legal team to help with employment hearings, disputes and personal support through litigation and arbitration.
  • Professional press accreditation and ID via the UK Press Card Scheme
  • Out-of-hours support and advice hotline.

Cost-effective membership:

Working from virtual offices ensures we have minimal operating costs passing these savings onto our members through significantly lower subscription fees while providing unrivalled services through streamlining, efficiency and accountability to our membership. In addition, we have built a proud reputation for being responsive, caring and professional, remaining ever-determined to protect our member’s rights and needs making the BAJ the best value-for-money union for journalists. 

UK Press Card:

UK Press Card Flyer

The BAJ is proud to be a gatekeeper for the UK Press Card Scheme – Press Cards are available to BAJ and freelance press members who must identify as working journalists. Applying for accreditation is comparatively easy; nevertheless, there are strict criteria for issuing cards. Applicants can find more detailed requirements in this website’s UK Press Card section. In addition, Royal Park Permits for members of the media working in and around London’s Royal Parks are also detailed.

Join us:

The choice is simple, make the BAJ your union today – Still unsure if the BAJ is the right union for you, read first-hand what our members have to say about BAJ membership and the services we offer in our testimonial section before joining us.

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* ‘UK Press Cards’ are issued subject to meeting strict criteria laid down by the UKPCA. While the BAJ is a Gatekeeper for the scheme, membership of the BAJ does NOT guarantee entitlement. This site is SSL protected to secure your visit and data. We do not use your information for marketing purposes or share it with any third party outside the BAJ.