Independent Journalist Collective (IJC)


IJC Card - FrontThe Independent Journalist Collective (IJC) is an independent membership organisation established and administered by NZ Media World.
The purpose of the IJC is to support independent and commercial journalists by providing:

  • Journalist accreditation and identification
  • A recognised press identification card with member verification
  • A professional Code of Ethics
  • A transparent complaints and disciplinary process
  • Professional standards and accountability for members
  • A collective network of journalists committed to ethical reporting

Membership of the IJC may assist journalists in identifying themselves to event organisers, public bodies, courts, councils, and other organisations where media access is available. However, membership does not guarantee access to any event, venue, or institution, as access decisions remain the responsibility of the relevant organisation.

Membership Requirements

IJC Card - BackTo become a member of the Independent Journalist Collective, applicants must:

  1. Be actively engaged in journalism, news reporting, commentary, media production, or a related field.
  2. Provide the names of two current IJC members who are willing to sponsor and support their application.
  3. Agree to comply with the IJC Code of Ethics and all membership policies.
  4. Pay the annual membership fee of NZD $50 plus GST.
  5. Provide accurate contact information and identification details required for membership verification.
  6. When reporting an event, using your IJC card identification, also submit a link to your story so we can share it early with other IJC members to help promote your journalism.

Code of Ethics

All members of the Independent Journalist Collective agree to uphold the following principles:

    1. Accuracy and Truthfulness
      Members must take reasonable steps to ensure information is accurate, factual, and properly verified before publication.
    2. Fairness and Balance
      Members should make reasonable efforts to present relevant viewpoints and avoid knowingly misleading audiences through omission or distortion.
    3. Independence
      Members must act independently and avoid conflicts of interest that could compromise their reporting.
    4. Transparency
      Where errors occur, members should correct them promptly and transparently.
    5. Respect and Privacy
      Members should respect personal privacy except where disclosure serves a clear and legitimate public interest.
    6. Accountability
      Members accept responsibility for their published work and agree to cooperate with legitimate complaints investigations.
    7. Integrity
      Members must not knowingly publish false information, fabricated content, manipulated evidence, or misleading material.
    8. Lawful Conduct
      Members must conduct their journalism in accordance with New Zealand law.

Complaints Procedure

The Independent Journalist Collective provides a process for addressing concerns regarding member conduct.

Making a Complaint
Any person may submit a written complaint regarding a member's conduct or alleged breach of the Code of Ethics.
Complaints should include:

  • The complainant's name and contact details
  • The member's name
  • A description of the alleged breach
  • Relevant evidence or supporting material

Investigation

  1. The complaint will be reviewed by the IJC Membership Committee.
  2. The member concerned will be given an opportunity to respond.
  3. Relevant evidence will be considered.
  4. A determination will be made within a reasonable time-frame.

Outcomes
The committee may:

  • Dismiss the complaint
  • Issue guidance or a warning
  • Require corrective action
  • Suspend membership
  • Cancel membership

Appeals
Members may request a review of any disciplinary decision within 30 days of receiving notification.
The complaints process is intended to reflect the principles of fairness, natural justice, transparency, and accountability commonly applied within New Zealand media standards frameworks.

Cancellation of Membership

Membership may be suspended or cancelled if:

  • A member no longer satisfies membership requirements.
  • A member breaches the IJC Code of Ethics.
  • A member provides false or misleading information during the application process.
  • Annual membership fees remain unpaid.
  • Both sponsors withdraw their support and the member fails to secure replacement sponsors within 90 days.
  • A disciplinary investigation determines that continued membership would damage the integrity or reputation of the Collective.

Membership will not be cancelled solely because members disagree with a journalist's opinions, lawful reporting, or editorial positions.

IJC Charter

The Independent Journalist Collective is founded on the following principles:

  • Freedom of the Press
    A free and independent press is essential to a democratic society.
  • Editorial Independence
    Members retain complete editorial independence and are not required to follow any political, commercial, or ideological viewpoint.
  • Professional Standards
    Members are expected to maintain high standards of journalism and conduct.
  • Transparency and Accountability
    The Collective promotes responsible journalism through clear standards and a fair complaints process.
  • Equal Opportunity
    Membership is open to eligible journalists regardless of employer, political views, ethnicity, religion, gender, or background.
  • Public Interest Journalism
    Members are encouraged to pursue reporting that informs the public, promotes transparency, and contributes to public understanding of issues of legitimate public interest.

Membership Verification

Each member receives an official IJC Press Identification Card containing:

  • Member name
  • Membership number
  • Member photograph (where applicable)
  • QR code linking to the member's verification profile which also displays membership Expiry date
  • The back of the IJC Press Identification Card contains a summary of our Code of Conduct and Personal Contact Details for event organisers.

Event organisers, public bodies, and members of the public may use the QR code to verify the current membership status of the card holder.

Disclaimer

The Independent Journalist Collective is a membership organisation. Membership does not confer legal authority, special privileges, or guaranteed access to any location, event, institution, court, council, parliamentary facility, or restricted area. Access decisions remain at the discretion of the relevant authority or event organiser.

NZ Media World is a "Not for Profit" division of Spinning Planet Limited (Operating since 2002), that is owned by Brynn Neilson.

Register your interest here: Register Interest