I think the point the author was making was that the PRESS is a thing, not a person. It is the medium of communication, not an individual endowed with special authority to communicate.
Yes, the author means “Journalist” as equal to “Freedom of the Press” is incorrect. The “Press” was used for any means of mass produced written communication to include newpapers/broadsheets and books.
Thus the current attempt by “Journalists” to say they, as a profession, are separately protected by the 1st Amendment is wrong. There was no intent to define the profession of journalism as sacred - only the right to print and disperse the printed word by ANYONE.