Persons of suitable qualifications who are directing editors having immediate charge of journalistic policies and operations of daily newspapers, editorial and opinion pages, news gathering operations of daily newspapers, or wire services and other organizations that gather and publish information for daily newspapers, which, in the opinion of the directors, shall have attained adequate journalistic standards, are eligible to membership.

The secretary heads a board committee of three persons to review membership applications and situations and make recommendations to the board. This committee is known as the Membership Review Committee.

Who is eligible?

ASNE's bylaws, adopted in 1922, specify the term "directing editor." Over the years, this has included editors, executive editors, managing editors, and editorial page editors. The following job categories generally qualify one for ASNE membership, providing the position involves broad editing and managerial responsibilities, including hiring and firing and editorial policy-making:

• Assistant or deputy managing editors, including those whose titles indicate a particular news responsibility (e.g., features, administration, personnel, metropolitan news, etc.)
• Sunday editors, when their authority is equivalent to that of a managing editor or assistant managing editor.
• Associate editors, when the position involves broad managerial responsibilities.
• The chiefs of Washington bureaus, news services, and other organizations that generate content for daily newspapers, who are not primarily involved in the sales or marketing of the service.
• Editors who direct the content of on-line publications affiliated with newspaper companies.
• Other executives (such as publishers or newspaper group executives) with specific or general supervisory responsibility over news and editorial departments whose background and experience as editors qualify them for membership in the final judgment of the ASNE board.

Newsroom titles that generally have not been deemed as eligible for membership include:

• Departmental or specialized editors, such as sports, city, business and wire editors, unless the person exercises unusually broad responsibilities in the newsroom.
• Assistants to editors.

A qualified member shall remain eligible for membership as long as he or she remains in a directing role significantly related to the news or editorial activities of daily newspapers.

Editors of general circulation, foreign language newspapers in the Americas are admitted. Newspapers that do not qualify as "general circulation" dailies include free distribution newspapers ("shoppers") and papers aimed at specialized audiences, such as bankers, energy executives, or other professional or industry groups.

Applications from editors of newspapers outside the Americas are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Procedures for handling applications

Applications for membership in ASNE are submitted, upon the authorized application form, to ASNE headquarters. Each application is reviewed by the Membership Review Committee, which conveys its recommendations to the board of directors. The board makes the final decision on each application.

In addition to electing members at its spring and fall meetings, the board reviews applications by mail. Any board member can delay action on any candidate on mail ballots merely by voting "hold." Applicants receiving all affirmative votes are elected to the Society and are so notified by the secretary.

All candidates for membership in the spring are invited to register for the convention at the same fee charged to members.

Applications and other membership correspondence are retained at ASNE headquarters in Reston.

Resignations, ejections, and reinstatements

If a member leaves newspaper work, or otherwise becomes ineligible to continue membership, his resignation is sought. Sometimes efforts to locate such members are not successful, and in such instances the member is dropped.

The ASNE staff monitors trade publications for news of job changes that affect membership. On the annual dues notices, ASNE asks members to indicate their job titles and the information is carefully monitored for titles that might disqualify members.

Members who leave their jobs sometimes request to be carried on the rolls while they are "in between jobs." This is generally permitted until the next board meeting or for a period of about six months. Members can automatically move their membership if they switch from one paper to another and continue in a qualifying position.

Members who leave the Society and take positions that do not qualify them for admission cannot subsequently be readmitted based on their previous position.

The initiation fee is a one-time payment. A member who seeks to rejoin, after his or her membership lapses, is not required to pay the fee again.

Transfer to retired membership status

Members who retire may continue their membership in ASNE, the bylaws provide, so long as they "do not engage in any occupation which in the opinion of the board would make them ineligible." In the past, this has been interpreted mainly as public relations work. Members who, on retiring, continue as consultants or columnists, or who go into teaching, may continue as retired members. Under the bylaws, retired members have all the rights as regular members, except they may not hold office. Retired members who attend the convention are allowed to vote in board elections. Members who retire and do not apply for retired membership immediately but choose to do so after a lapse of time will be accepted, providing all the requirements are met. Requests for transfer to retired status must be submitted to the board for approval. Retirement age is 50 or older.

Inactive membership

The bylaws provide that members "who have left their posts temporarily to enter public service and who clearly intend to return to their previous positions may, at the discretion of the board, be elected to temporary inactive membership." The board has construed "public service" in a broad sense, applying to governmental, civic, educational, political or other affairs not of a strictly commercial nature. Inactive members do not have to pay dues, and they are ineligible to vote or hold office.

Distinguished Service

The bylaws provide for a "distinguished service" membership. Practice relative to DS membership has been:

• Election to DS membership is limited to persons not eligible in any other category, and who have made a notable contribution to journalism.
• DS membership is for life, or so long as dues are paid. DS members, however, may apply for retired membership.

Regular members who become affiliated with non-profit organizations connected with the newspaper industry will be asked to become Distinguished Service Members.