Joining the Media Bloggers Association
Welcome and thank you for taking the time to apply for membership in the Media Bloggers Association. This page begins with a brief overview of the application process and ends with a link you can click on to begin what will be the first of four steps to complete your application. In between is everything you need to know about becoming an MBA member.
The entire process looks like this:
1. Register for a TempID
2. Take MBA Application Exam (basics of media law)
3. Pay MBA Annual Dues
4. Setup your MBA Profile & Place the MBA Logo on your site
Read carefully through the entire page, click the link at the bottom to obtain a TempID and enter it here:
Again, before requesting your TempID below, please read the following carefully:
Introduction
Since our founding in 2004 we have relied on a "hands on" membership application process that included personnel referrals and a review of each candidate's blog by a membership committee. As interest in joining the MBA has grown, this mode of vetting applicants has placed a strain on our organization and led to delays in making decisions on applications. At the same time we want to make sure each applicant supports the principles of the organization, its mission and rules, and has a basic understanding of media law as it pertains to defamation, copyright and privacy. In order to achieve this and expedite the processing of membership applications we have now moved to an automated process which relies on, among other things, an application exam on media law and requires the applicant to make certain affirmations.
Benefits of MBA Membership
Associate Membership ($25.00 a year)
*MBA Associate members who purchase liability insurance will also get access to a legal advice "hotline" (limit 3 incidents per year)
Accredited Membership [coming in 2009]
Accredited members get all of the benefits described above for Associate members plus additional benefits. This is primarily designed for MBA Members interested in obtaining media credentials.
To complete the process you will need to do the following:
[Special Message for Bloggers Outside the United States]
An Important Note on Media Liability Insurance
Media/Professional Insurance FAQ
The MBA does not sell insurance. We have created a program to obtain insurance at a reduced rate from Media/Professional Insurance. They sell insurance. Joining the MBA only entitles members to obtain a discounted rate if they qualify. Those applying for MBA membership for the primary purpose of obtaining media liability insurance should first read the Media/Professional FAQ. The insurance company makes a separate decision on whether to offer coverage (and if so, at what price) based on a determination of risk unique to each customer. To eliminate any mystery for applicants, we have asked Media/Professional Insurance to create a non-binding quote calculator so that prospective members can get a sense of the quote they can expect if they join the MBA before they apply. The hope is to have that available in 2Q09. In the meantime, please note the The BASE rate for insurance $540, a rate that may increase but not decline depending on various risk factors.
Getting Started with the MBA Membership Application Process
The web site will take you through the entire process, step-by-step but if you would like to open a new window with a detailed set of step-by-step instructions click here. Once you have a TempID return to the top of this page and enter it in TempID form.
To get started you need to Obtain Your TempID.
The entire process looks like this:
1. Register for a TempID
2. Take MBA Application Exam (basics of media law)
3. Pay MBA Annual Dues
4. Setup your MBA Profile & Place the MBA Logo on your site
Read carefully through the entire page, click the link at the bottom to obtain a TempID and enter it here:
Again, before requesting your TempID below, please read the following carefully:
Introduction
Since our founding in 2004 we have relied on a "hands on" membership application process that included personnel referrals and a review of each candidate's blog by a membership committee. As interest in joining the MBA has grown, this mode of vetting applicants has placed a strain on our organization and led to delays in making decisions on applications. At the same time we want to make sure each applicant supports the principles of the organization, its mission and rules, and has a basic understanding of media law as it pertains to defamation, copyright and privacy. In order to achieve this and expedite the processing of membership applications we have now moved to an automated process which relies on, among other things, an application exam on media law and requires the applicant to make certain affirmations.
Benefits of MBA Membership
Associate Membership ($25.00 a year)
- Online Course in Media Law for Bloggers
- Discount on Liability Insurance from Media/Pro Insurance
- MBA Legal Referral Program
- Full Access to MBA website
- Voting on MBA Awards
- MBA Newsletter (coming soon)
- MBA conferences and events
- MBA group discount program (coming soon)
- MBA Dispute Resolution Program
- MBA Virtual Press Conference (coming soon)
- Eligible to apply for MBA Accredited Membership
*MBA Associate members who purchase liability insurance will also get access to a legal advice "hotline" (limit 3 incidents per year)
Accredited Membership [coming in 2009]
Accredited members get all of the benefits described above for Associate members plus additional benefits. This is primarily designed for MBA Members interested in obtaining media credentials.
- Additional Discount on Media Liability Insurance
- Eligible for MBA Blogger Credentialing Program
- MBA tamper-proof ID
To complete the process you will need to do the following:
- State that you have read and understood the MBA Mission & MBA Statement of Principles and agree to abide by MBA Membership Policies.
- Answer 20 questions on an exam. If you are not familiar with media law we can recommend several good options to learn what you need to know in about an hour, including a course we developed specifically for MBA members with News University, Harvard Law and the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism.
- Make a $25.00 payment using PayPal (annual membership dues); if you do not have a PayPal account you should create one before starting this process. Paypal accepts major credit cards, eCheck and ACH payments; we do not offer any alternative to PayPal for payment. Because we do not refund annual dues, this step comes AFTER you take the exam just in case you do not pass the exam.
NewsU Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Online Publishers - a full-fledged, online multimedia course with fun quizzes, interesting case studies and games designed to reinforce the course material in an engaging, immersive learning experience.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Legal Guide for Bloggers - a linear, text-driven course which gets straight to the point; intended for the traditional learner.
Knight Citizen News Network: Top 10 Rules for Limiting Your Legal Risk - a collection of mini-modules on important legal concepts for bloggers with loads of video, well-suited for the visual learner.
[Special Message for Bloggers Outside the United States]
An Important Note on Media Liability Insurance
Media/Professional Insurance FAQ
The MBA does not sell insurance. We have created a program to obtain insurance at a reduced rate from Media/Professional Insurance. They sell insurance. Joining the MBA only entitles members to obtain a discounted rate if they qualify. Those applying for MBA membership for the primary purpose of obtaining media liability insurance should first read the Media/Professional FAQ. The insurance company makes a separate decision on whether to offer coverage (and if so, at what price) based on a determination of risk unique to each customer. To eliminate any mystery for applicants, we have asked Media/Professional Insurance to create a non-binding quote calculator so that prospective members can get a sense of the quote they can expect if they join the MBA before they apply. The hope is to have that available in 2Q09. In the meantime, please note the The BASE rate for insurance $540, a rate that may increase but not decline depending on various risk factors.
Getting Started with the MBA Membership Application Process
The web site will take you through the entire process, step-by-step but if you would like to open a new window with a detailed set of step-by-step instructions click here. Once you have a TempID return to the top of this page and enter it in TempID form.
To get started you need to Obtain Your TempID.
