The
City of Rochester has a standing policy that
defines the circumstances under which still photography and video or audio
recording may take place within facilities owned and controlled by the City of
Rochester.
A
City of Rochester Media Pass serves as proof of express permission for the pass
holder to:
Utilize
video and audio recording when engaging with City of Rochester representatives at
emergency, spot, or breaking news events and non-emergency public events at
City facilities, and conduct interviews at these events as City spokespersons
are available.
Attend
City-sponsored events at City facilities that are open to members of the media,
and utilize video and audio recording to cover these events.
Conduct
and record individual interviews with City of Rochester subject-matter experts
at City facilities while accompanied by a member of the Bureau of
Communications & Special Events.
A
member of the City of Rochester’s Communications Bureau, Mayor’s Office, Law
Department, Rochester Police Department, or Rochester Fire Department may deny
entry or expel a Media Pass holder from an event or area due to space
limitations, safety concerns, evidence preservation concerns, or lack of
adherence to City policies.
Media Pass Eligibility
To
be eligible to receive a City of Rochester Media Pass, a member of the
press or newsgathering
organization must submit 6 or more articles, commentaries, books,
photographs, videos, films, or audios published, broadcast, or
cablecast within the 12 months immediately preceding the Media Pass
application, sufficient to show that the following events, occurring on
separate days, were covered, in person, in the City of Rochester:
- Emergency, spot, or breaking news events, or public events of a non-emergency nature where police or fire lines, or other restrictions, limitations, or barriers established by the City of Rochester have been set up for security or crowd control purposes.
- Events sponsored by the City of Rochester that are open to members of the media.
"Member of the press" means an individual who gathers and
reports the news, by publishing, broadcasting, or cablecasting articles,
commentaries, books, photographs, video, film, or audio by electronic, print,
or digital media, such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, wires,
books, and the Internet. A member of the press includes an employee of a newsgathering organization and a
self-employed newsperson.
"Newsgathering organization" means an organization or entity that
gathers and reports the news by publishing, broadcasting, or cablecasting
articles, commentaries, books, photographs, video, film, or audio by
electronic, print, or digital media, such as radio, television, newspapers,
magazines, wire, books, and the Internet.
NOTE: Applications
can be made by a Newsgathering Organization on behalf of an employee. The
employer shall represent that the employee on whose behalf an application for a
media credential is made is a reporter, editor, writer, photographer, producer
or broadcaster of spot news.
Submit a City of Rochester Media Pass application >>