Despite a strong concern for ethical and responsible journalism, journalists themselves disagree as to whether their practice is a profession and if it is, which of the many definitions of "profession" describes it. Judged according to the following criteria sometimes used to describe other professions, journalism cannot be classified as a profession: training--successful journalism does not require specialized intellectual training; professional responsibility--reporters and publishers differ radically on this issue; professional organizations--the print and broadcast journalist is not represented directly by any group; professional regulation--this occurs outside the field, rather than from within; professional pride--a lack of pride is reflected in the low economic status and high attrition rate among reporters; and ethical standards--the journalist is monitored from outside the field. Rather than judge the practice of journalism, it seems fairer to evaluate individual journalists as professional or non-professional according to the importance of their work, the integrity involved, and the responsibility and time that are demanded. (MAI)