Brazil Supreme Court debates journalism degree requirement

Ministers of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) have reignited a debate regarding whether a university degree should be mandatory for the practice of journalism. This discussion revisits a 2009 STF decision which, by an 8-to-1 vote, ruled that requiring a journalism diploma was unconstitutional and incompatible with freedom of expression and the right to information.

STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes suggested it is time to reflect on the diploma requirement, while Minister Flávio Dino expressed long-standing support for professional regulation. The debate highlights a tension between the desire for highly qualified professionals capable of navigating ethics and technology and the constitutional principle against state mechanisms that control access to information.

Parallel to this, observers have noted the distinction between professional regulation and judicial requirements. For instance, the Brazilian Constitution does not require STF ministers to hold a law degree, instead requiring them to be citizens of notable legal knowledge and irreproachable reputation, appointed by the President and approved by the Senate.