Often it does not depend on the personal goal but on the world of work at the time of choice. As soon as the light bulb of wanting to become a journalist turns on, it is necessary to start making contact with the online newspapers that are regularly registered with the competent regional court. This is in fact the first requirement for having access in the meantime to the List of Publicists, since the Order of Journalists provides three distinct lists: Publicists precisely, which are supposed to be those who exercise this activity as a secondary (Article 35 of Law No. . 69/1963); Practitioners, or those who are doing the 18-month internship; Professionals, or journalists who have passed the state exam and carry out the work of a journalist as their main activity.
The newspaper must be recognized by the Court and the aspiring publicist must have written over the last two years a total of 65 articles paid by means of a withholding tax of 20%. Everything you write for free, in the form of volunteering or on your blog, will be useful only for the purposes of a portfolio to be communicated to the newspapers during the interview or sending the Curriculum Vitae. Taking the path of professionalism with inclusion in the register is not an entirely simple path, considering that there are internationally renowned publicists who are considered journalists from experience but are not in fact. Pursuant to art. 1 law n. 69/1963, professionals are in fact those who exercise the profession of journalist exclusively and continuously; publicists are those who carry out journalistic activities that are not occasional and paid even if they exercise other professions or jobs.
To become a professional journalist, and to register in the relative list, it is necessary:
A) practicum or school of journalism
1) carry out 18 months of internship (art. 34 law n. 69/1963 and interpretative criteria at the link www.odg.it/leggi-e-documenti) and, moreover, attend one of the theoretical preparation courses, even “at a distance” , with a minimum duration of 45 hours, promoted by the National Council or by the Regional Councils of the Order;
2) alternatively, having attended one of the journalism schools recognized by the National Council of the Order of Journalists for two years (www.odg.it/scuole-di-giornalismo);
B) pass the professional suitability exam (art. 32 law n. 69/1963 Other information can be found on www.odg.it/chi-siamo/ordinamento, under the heading “Register” and in the Regulation implementing law n. 69 / 1963, Presidential Decree 115/1965
