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SITE NAVIGATION

Media & Communications

Media Guidelines for High-Attendance Meetings

Social Media Policy

Media & Communications

Media Guidelines for High-Attendance Meetings

The City of Sacramento is committed to promoting civic engagement, making information readily available to the public and assisting the news media in its work.

In order to safely accommodate the public and journalists during high-attendance City meetings – including but not limited to City Council meetings -- the City has developed the following media guidelines for Council Chambers.

These procedures will be enacted only when the City expects attendance at a meeting to be at or near maximum occupancy.

Notifications

The City via email will notify media outlets that regularly attend and cover City meetings if it expects a high-attendance meeting, ideally at least 24 hours before the meeting occurs. It also will post the notification on the City’s website to alert both local and non-local media.

Check-in

The City will begin checking in representatives from the media one hour before the start of the meeting.

Journalists will check in with the City’s media and communications staff (MCS) before they enter Council Chambers. At the check-in, journalists will need to indicate if they need a location for camera placement in the Council Chambers. The City will also have designated seating for reporters in Council Chambers.

Journalists will be asked to identify the name of any print or electronic periodic publication, news association or radio or television station that employs the press representative, as well as any other occupations or employment the journalists might have. If they previously have not worked with the City’s MCS, journalists may be asked to present a photo I.D.

Journalists will be given a media pass by MCS at check-in. This media pass must be worn at all times during the meeting.

Media passes will be given to up to two representatives from a media outlet. If a media outlet would like additional journalists to attend the meeting, those people will need to enter as members of the general public.

All journalists need to check themselves in – a colleague cannot do it for them.

Media seating in Council Chambers

During a high-attendance meeting, the Council Chambers will have 10 seats identified for media. These seats, located in the back righthand side of Council Chambers, are designated by signage. They will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

If a reporter leaves their designated seat for more than 30 minutes, the seat may be released and made available to another journalist.

If media seating is not available, reporters will need to utilize general seating.

Cameras in Council Chambers

During a high-attendance meeting, the Council Chambers will have 10 locations identified for camera operators, videographers and photographers. There are camera areas designated by tape on the sides of Chambers and in the back righthand side. Please note that media will not be allowed to stand on the ramp leading to the dais.

These locations are numbered and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Each of the 10 locations is for a single journalist.

Camera operators, videographers and photographers are expected to remain in their designated locations and not move around Council Chambers during the meeting. However, they can briefly leave these locations to get wide-angle and reverse-angle shots (without a tripod) so long as they are not impeding the public’s ability to enter, exit or move around the Chambers. They also are permitted to leave and re-enter the Council Chambers to file stories as needed.

If journalists leave the Council Chambers’ secured areas, they will be required to go through another security screening. If a camera operator, videographer or photographer with a designated location exits the Council Chambers for more than 30 minutes, their location may be released and made available to another journalist.

General protected areas

No persons, including media, shall be permitted to stand, loiter or wait in the carpeted area between the security check point and the Chambers’ doors. (This is the carpeted area between CH1104 and CH1104A and includes the vestibule near the Chambers’ doors.) Occupying this area, except for entry and exit, can present a danger to those in this space as well as those inside the Chambers. When possible, an area in the City Hall foyer (but still inside the secured area) will be designated as a place where journalists can interview members of the public.

Willfully disregarding any of these guidelines at a high-attendance City meeting could result in the immediate revocation of the media pass or be viewed as disruptive behavior, leading to immediate revocation and ejectment. The City respectfully asks media outlets and journalists to help create a safe environment where all attendees can exercise their First Amendment rights.

If you have any questions, please contact the City's Office of Media and Communications at CityPublicInformation@cityofsacramento.org.

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