Article I, Section 9 (h) states thatNo title of nobility shall be granted by the United States . . .There is of course such a thing as "free association" as a right of the people; you can associate with who you want to and do not have to listen to or mingle with those you do not choose to. And some associations are famous for the grandiose titles they assign to their leaders. "Grand" is the sort of adjective to be expected among such titles. And such organizations certainly may have idiosyncratic names for ordinary members as well. A mundane example would the use of the term "associates" for the employees of Walmart.The Associated Press is an exercise of the right of free association by certain of the people. And "the press" is a title which the people in that association call all its members. But not the only one. Another title which members confer on each other is, "objective journalist." And, IMHO, those titles which members of the Associated Press assign to each other and themselves deserve precisely the same status before the law as a title like "Grand Dragon" would merit in any other association. The courts would not assume that a "Grand Dragon" actually is either "grand" or a dragon. No more so should they assume that people who calls themselves "the press" are actually pieces of machinery for printing text and images on paper.
Nor should the courts assume that people who call themselves "objective" have any inherent superiority over those who do not. In point of fact, assigning a virtue to yourself is often associated with the vice of arrogance.
BTTT