News Media Policy
Fostering good relations with the
news media and providing for a free flow of public information is vital to the
Asia-Pacific Center's programs and to our conference co-sponsors,
speakers and presenters and to our participants as well. We work with our
co-sponsors to ensure we jointly support good relations with the media and make
relevant information available to the public while preserving the Center's
policy of non-attribution in conference sessions.
- By their very nature, conferences and seminars are not public forums. We
believe private sessions encourage participants to freely discuss issues and
to engage in active problem solving. Therefore the Asia-Pacific Center
maintains a standing policy of non-attribution for its conferences, courses, and
seminars.
- News media opportunities (including press conferences, interviews, photo
opportunities) will be held during the conference only at the discretion of
the APCSS Conference Director, concurrence of the sponsors, and the approval
of involved dignitaries and speakers. The Asia-Pacific Center Public Affairs
Office coordinates news media invitations, accreditation procedures, and the
establishment of ground rules and escort.
- Unless specifically announced beforehand, no conference sessions will be
made available to the civilian news media "on the record."
Normally, no participant may be quoted by name, rank or title concerning
comments he or she has made during a conference session. No quotes obtained
from sessions may be used by the news media without permission of the
speaker. News media reps may only use information gained during attendance
of seminars to improve their knowledge of the issues and to help them frame
questions they may wish to ask during any interviews arranged separately.
- Arrangements may be made for civilian news media to unobtrusively visit
individual conference sessions, provided both co-sponsors and any speakers
presenting at that time concur. News media representatives may not be
permitted to attend an entire conference or seminar under the guise of
"providing coverage." News media may not ask questions of
participants or speakers during conference sessions. Interviews are only
permitted during breaks and at other times that do not disrupt conduct of
the conference itself, and must be coordinated in advance with the PAO.
- Under no circumstances will reporters be permitted into a conference with
cellular telephones, pagers or other electronic devices that could
potentially distract participants. Videotaping and photographs, except of
introductory or closing sessions are generally not permitted, for the same
reasons, unless coordinated in advance with the PAO.
- The Asia-Pacific Center reserves the right to refuse entry to reporters
arriving without prior coordination with the PAO staff or without proper
credentials.