The Israeli High Court of Justice recently granted a petition to review a claim by an Israeli user-generated news website named "Scoop.co.il" to recognize its writers as Journalists. The petition was filed against the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO).

The petitioner is looking for two remedies: it asks to recognize itself as 'media' and its writers as 'Journalists'. These definitions are used by the GPO to determine whether to grant writers’ requests for "press cards". "Press cards" are certificates that allow journalists better access to governmental institutes, dignitaries, and additional privileges.

The petitioner claims that the GPO discriminates against medium-sized news sites. It argues that the standards created by the GPO give unfair advantages to printed news media and large news sites (which are usually connected to large printed media corporations). Scoop.co.il claims that these allegedly discriminatory practices damage its reporters’ accessibility to information and their ability to provide news to the public.

The petition raises for the first time a request to acknowledge "the birth of the new and free media", and complains against the GPO’s attempts to "constrain the evolution of free internet journalism". Scoop.co.il demands that the court order the GPO to cease their discrimination and to establish equal standards that will allow "press cards", its reporters.