Congress Media Guidelines 2012

Media representatives are required to pre-register on-line by Friday May 25, 2012 and are strongly encouraged to apply early due to high registration volume. Registration forms sent without supporting documents and information will not be reviewed or approved. Registration requests by third-party organizations will be rejected without recourse.

Media representatives can register on-site as of Wednesday June 13, 2012, 13:30 local time.

Dual Registration is prohibited. Physicians covering the conference for a media outlet must register as either a regular attendee or member of an approved press outlet but cannot register as both.

• The embargo for abstracts not selected for inclusion in EHA’s official Press Briefing will lift at May 18, 2012 unless otherwise indicated.
• Embargoes for abstracts selected for highlighting in the Press Program will lift at the beginning of the Press Briefing (June 15, 8:30 local time) or the beginning of the Scientific Session containing the research, whichever comes first.

This Embargo Policy covers all abstracts accepted as part of the 17th congress regardless of whether information is obtained from another source.

Journalists employed by news organizations attending the meeting for the purpose of editorial coverage will be granted media credentials. Journalists are required to submit appropriate media credentials as part of their registration application including a photocopy of official press credentials, a letter of assignment from the media organization being represented, two bylined medical/health/science articles published within the last six months, coverage from the previous year’s meeting (if applicable), and a copy of the publication. (Business cards or membership cards from news media, communications, or writers’ organizations are not sufficient to establish eligibility.)

Journalists credentialed for the 2011 EHA Annual Congress who are requesting 2012 credentials for the same media outlet are required to submit coverage of the 2011 annual congress, but are not required to submit two recent bylined medical/health/science articles.

Journalists must work exclusively for the media outlet for which they are credentialed by EHA (please see exception under Freelance Journalists below). Journalists who use their media privileges to work for non-credentialed organizations will have their EHA media privileges revoked for a period of one year.

Please be advised that registration forms sent without supporting documents and information will not be reviewed or approved.

Companies or organizations producing publications, videos, and other products intended for marketing, advertising, financial analysis, or public relations purposes may not register as media. Financial analysts; sales, advertising, or marketing representatives; public relations personnel; book publishers and book authors; and individuals from communications, print, and online promotion services may not register as media, but are welcome to register as regular attendees.

Media are invited to the official EHA Press Briefing that will take place on Friday June 15 from 8:30 – 9:30 local time. Media are also welcome to attend all general admission Scientific and Educational Sessions. Please Note: Ticketed sessions, such as “Meet the Expert” sessions, are not open to media.

EHA staff in the EHA Press Center is available to help facilitate one-on-one interviews with EHA officials and research authors. EHA also provides private interview rooms for media use on a first-come, first-served basis. Use of interview rooms is limited to two hours per day in half-hour increments. Use of interview rooms by television and radio broadcast media outlets is limited to three hours per day in one hour increments. To schedule use of these rooms, please see the EHA Press Center staff on-site.

Videotaping at the EHA Annual Congress is restricted to the following sessions:
the EHA Press Briefing, interview rooms and as well as common areas of the congress center. Video recording of the Education or Scientific Sessions is strictly prohibited. Photographing of slide presentations is strictly prohibited.

Live coverage, including truck parking requires prior authorization by EHA. Requests for authorization may be directed to the EHA Executive Office, Communication & Press at (communication@ehaweb.org) prior to the 17th congress. During the meeting, requests must be processed through the EHA Press Center. Press vehicles requiring electrical service or external cabling must apply for a limited use parking pass 24 hours in advance. An authorized representative of the vehicle must be available to coordinate logistical details with EHA. Live coverage from inside the convention center is restricted to designated areas on a first come, first served basis.

Consumer newspaper and magazine outlets are eligible to register up to three journalists. Additional registrations will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Medical journals that provide original editorial news content and that meet the criteria below are eligible to register three journalists to cover the 17th Congress of EHA:

1. The journal must have a regular editorial news section.
2. The journal must be peer reviewed and publish original manuscripts.
3. The journal must issue an official letter of assignment for registration.

Medical journals meeting criteria 2 and 3 above that publish original, supplemental, editorial meeting coverage (that, if sponsored, has more than one sponsor) are eligible to register one journalist.

Professional societies and their informational products (other than medical journals meeting the criteria above) do not qualify as news media.
Professional society representatives are welcome to register as regular attendees.

General medical/health/science trade publications are eligible to register up to three journalists. Hematology-specific trade publications that do not have a CME component are eligible to register up to six journalists. Organizations that publish multiple trade publications are eligible to register one journalist per publication, unless otherwise approved.

Publications that provide CME within their issues, supplements, or online must meet the following criteria in order to register as media:
1. Must have multiple sponsors (no single-sponsored publications).
2. Must have complete editorial freedom from sponsors.
3. Must produce at least a 4:1 ratio of editorial coverage to CME.

Freelance journalists are required to submit an official letter of assignment from an approved news organization, two bylined medical/health/science articles published within the last six months, and coverage from the previous year’s meeting (if applicable). A copy of the publication and proof of editorial freedom from funding sources are required to establish media status for registration. (Single-sponsored publications are not eligible for media registration.) Publications are eligible to register a maximum of three journalists, unless otherwise noted.

Journalists must work exclusively for the media outlet for which they are credentialed by EHA. Exception: Freelance journalists may work for additional publications provided they confirm with EHA in advance that those outlets are credentialed by EHA. Freelance journalists who use their media privileges to work for non credentialed organizations will have their EHA media privileges revoked for a period of one year including the 17th congress.

Broadcast media organizations (TV or radio) are eligible to register up to three representatives and must abide by the policies in the Video, Photography, and Audio Recording and Live Coverage sections.

Production companies and documentary film crews that wish to register as media must submit a written request at least one month in advance of the meeting. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and must include:

1. Information on the production company
2. A film/documentary treatment
3. Marketing and distribution plans
4. Information on sponsors (no single-sponsored films considered)

Photographers or camera crew members accompanying approved media onsite at the 17th Congress of EHA are eligible for media registration but will not have access to embargoed information. Photographers or camera crew members must submit a letter of assignment on official letterhead and a copy of their press credentials.

Online publications that meet the criteria below are eligible to register one representative:

1. The website must provide original editorial news coverage.
2. Editorial content must be independent of advertising and sponsorship.
3. The site and its content must be overseen by an editorial board.
4. Advertising must be clearly identified as such.
5. If the website is sponsored, it must be sponsored by more than one entity; all sponsors must be clearly identified as such on the Website.
6. Personal websites do not qualify for media registration.
7. Online media are not considered separate from their parent media companies for purposes of media registration and attendance limits.
8. Blogs and other ‘new’ media will be evaluated for credentialing on a ‘case-by case’ basis.
9. Online television networks must meet the criteria of both the “Broadcast Media” as well as “On-line Media”

Newsletters that are widely published and publicly available, and primarily cover news within the field of hematology, are eligible to register one journalist. Investment newsletters are not eligible for media registration. Representatives must submit two issues of the newsletter, each containing at least one bylined medical/health/science article, and coverage from the previous year’s meeting (if applicable). Editorial freedom from funding sources is a prerequisite for registration and subject to review by EHA. (Single-sponsored newsletters are not eligible.)

Umbrella patient organizations registered to attend the annual congress that publish a newsletter meeting the criteria above are welcome to send one representative to attend the EHA Press Briefing to provide editorial coverage of the congress.

For security reasons, the 17th Congress of EHA badges will be required for admittance to all events; badges should be worn and visible at all times. Lost badges should be reported to the Registration Staff immediately. The following badge policies will be in effect throughout the meeting:

1. 17th Congress of EHA badge is the sole property of EHA.
2. Badges are non-transferable.
3. False certification of individuals as paid annual congress attendees, misuse of badges, any method of assisting unauthorized persons to gain access to any annual congress event, or any inappropriate or unauthorized conduct will be just cause for repossessing badges of any individuals involved, and expelling all parties involved from the meeting without obligation on the part of EHA for refund of any fees.

In addition, individuals who are part of the 17th Congress of EHA may not engage in any demonstrations or other behavior that EHA deems to be potentially disruptive to the conduct of the meeting. Violation of this rule is grounds for immediate dismissal from the meeting and/or ineligibility for attendance at future EHA congresses. Any person who is dismissed from the meeting may request that EHA review the matter, provided, however, that the individual understands that such dismissal will be effective immediately and will continue until and unless EHA issues a contrary decision.