Brazil Supreme Court ministers debate mandatory journalism diplomas

Supreme Federal Court (STF) ministers Flávio Dino and Alexandre de Moraes are facing resistance from their colleagues regarding a proposal to reinstate the mandatory journalism diploma for the profession. The debate resurfaced following a controversy involving journalist Luís Pablo Conceição Almeida, who published sensitive information concerning Minister Dino’s security.

In response to the incident, Minister Dino argued that the lack of formal training could contribute to the spread of disinformation. However, current STF consensus does not support an immediate reversal of the 2009 ruling, which determined that requiring a specific higher education degree for journalism violates constitutional freedom of expression.

While the 2009 decision allowed individuals without diplomas to practice journalism, many media companies still prefer formally trained professionals. The push for mandatory certification remains a point of contention between those seeking technical regulation and those defending press freedom.