Media Policies and Guidelines for General Convention 2009
July 8 – 17, 2009
Anaheim, California

Thank you for your interest in the work of the Episcopal Church.

• Media credentials will be issued at the Media Operations Office in Anaheim, California beginning Monday, July 6, 2009.  No advance credentials will be issued. 
• General Convention Media Operations reserves the right to limit the number of credentials to any media outlet.
• Walk-in media credentials will be available on-site on a limited basis.
• Deputies/alternates and vendors/exhibitors to GC09 will not be granted media credentials.
• General Convention Media Operations reserves the right to refuse media credentials and to revoke media credentials.
• General Convention 2009 media credentials must be visible at all times while in the Anaheim Convention Center.
• The media room is open to credentialed media only. 
• The media room is wireless; dial-up is not available.
• Media briefings are held daily. Location and time will be announced. Additional media briefings will be slated with the location and time announced by email and posted in the media room in advance.
• Time and location of special news conferences will be announced as soon as they are scheduled.
• The allotment of media space in the House of Bishops is limited and will be offered on a first come/first served basis.
• While more media space is available in the House of Deputies, it is also provided on a first come/first served basis.
• Bloggers who are granted media credentials are not allowed access to the House of Bishops or House of Deputies sessions.  Special seating in the media room with access to the gavel-to-gavel activities of the two houses will be allotted.
• The GC09 newsroom is designed to be a place for credentialed members of the working media. Recipients of media credentials agree to refrain from advocacy-oriented activities in this area. Personal endorsements and/or promotional efforts will not be tolerated; media credentials will be revoked.
• The daily schedule of General Convention is subject to change.  Check Media Operations Office for updated info.
• Requests for interviews should be submitted to the Media Operations Office.
• Digital/tape recording and still photography are permitted during plenary business sessions in both Houses; however, flash photography is prohibited during all plenary gatherings in both Houses.
• Pool still and video photography will be available from the worship services. Kindly check with Media Operations for details.
• Cell phones and pagers must be silenced during all sessions, media briefings, and while in the media room.
• Media are not permitted on the floor of the Houses while sessions are in progress.  Media are required to remain in the designated media area.
• Media seats for committee hearings are allotted on a first come, first served basis. In the event of a special hearing, Media Operations will provide details.
• Media updates will be issued throughout General Convention via email and postings.
• Inappropriate behavior, abusive language and threats of any kind will not be tolerated. Media credentials will be immediately revoked.

Questions?  Contact the Episcopal Church Public Affairs Office, mailto:newsline@epsicopalchurch.org; 212-716-6080 or, during GC09, the Media Operations Office.

Resources:

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

General Convention 2009: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gc2009.htm

Follow legislation through the House of Bishops and House of Deputies: (url to come)

General Convention 2009 at the Anaheim Convention Center: http://anaheimoc.org/microsites/sites/Episcopal.asp

Links for media resources for photos, videos, facts, etc. will be available at General Convention and will be made available to offsite (distant) credentialed media.