ABOUT THE NEWSROOM
OPERATING HOURS
The newsroom is located in
Exhibit Hall C. Weekday hours will be 8 a.m.
until 11 p.m. Weekend hours will be posted.
SMOKING
No smoking in the newsroom.
PRESS REGISTRATION
AND BADGES
Individuals registering must
be legitimate news reporters and must be prepared to give evidence that they will be
filing stories to legitimate news publications and outlets. Free-lance writers for secular
newspapers must have a letter from the editor indicating that he/she is a legitimate
reporter for the newspaper.
Registration will begin at 8
a.m., Tuesday, May 2, in the newsroom and continue throughout the conference. Each person
registered will receive a badge, which must be worn at all times in order to enter the
newsroom, press seating and legislative committees.
With few exceptions, only one representative per news outlet will be
accredited. Go to accreditation form.
SEATING FOR
ACCREDITED NEWS REPRESENTATIVES DURING SESSIONS
Seating with tables is
available in the balcony, stage right. We recognize that this is not ideal, but the age
and design of this auditorium and the number of delegates make the situation difficult.
Photographers may get access to the main floor with passes provided by the photo desk in
the newsroom.
NEWS AND ASSIGNMENT
DESK
This desk is the hub for the
entire newsroom. It will be staffed at all times with people who can assist you with
background information and other needs. Staff members can suggest people you may wish to
interview or help you find spokespersons related to issues you are covering. United
Methodist News Service will have a staff person covering each major activity and action of
the conference. Our goal will be to have these stories in your assigned press box within
an hour after each action. The news desk phone number: (216) 348-2601.
PRESS BOXES
Each accredited news outlet
will be assigned a press box, in which news stories, phone messages and other information
will be placed. Only newsroom staff will distribute information to press boxes or press
tables. A special table near the entrance of
the newsroom is designated for printed material from caucuses and special-interest groups.
PHONES/COMPUTER
HOOKUPS/FAXES
Bring your own computer. Electrical and phone hookups will be available at
the press tables. Printers will be available. You are asked to charge all calls to your
own credit card. Fax machines will be
available in the workroom.
PHOTOGRAPIC SERVICES
During plenary sessions, the
number of photographers on the conference floor is limited to 10. Special passes will be issued at the photo desk
each day on a first-come basis.
Please be as unobtrusive as
possible. Do not use the flash during worship services, especially during the service of
Holy Communion.
The photo desk is located
just inside the newsroom. Mike DuBose is director. Mike and staff photographer Paul
Jeffrey will provide photographs for United Methodist News Service and accredited media
representatives. The photo desk will not be responsible for souvenir or delegation photos.
These are available for a fee from Dewayne and Ginnie Lowther, who will be located
elsewhere in the convention center.
UMNS photos will be
available for downloading from the UMNS Web page or by e-mail transmission. Photo desk
staff will be available to assist with selecting and downloading photos or arranging for
e-mail transmission to your office. Hard-copy prints will not be available for delivery
during the General Conference.
Photo desk staff can direct you to nearby photo
labs for processing of your personal film.
VIDEO SERVICES
- Video services, available to
accredited press, include:
- Video and audio feed of all
plenary sessions;
- Videotape dubs of plenary
sessions;
- Beta-SP camera crew; and
- Cuts-only editing (with
editor).
All services must be
scheduled in advance. Please contact Video Services in
the news room for more information.
RADIO NEWS
For assistance, see staff in
Room #E109. A radio hot line with a 1-800
telephone number will provide radio stations with regularly updated stories from General
Conference. In addition, stories will be available on the General Conference Web site (gc2000.umc.org) in a digitized form that can be used by
stations. United Methodist Communications will notify selected U.S. radio stations by mail
that this service is available.
United Methodist Church
communicators are encouraged to contact stations in their area to find out how many want
the General Conference 1-800 hot line number and calling instructions. The number will be
available at a later date.
When possible, radio staff
will arrange to provide knowledgeable spokespeople to discuss pertinent issues on the
phone for live or taped interviews. Radio staff will also feed stories to regional and
national news networks and services, including those with Hispanic formats.
CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION
Closed-circuit television in
the convention center will carry conference proceedings. The newsroom will have several
monitors. On the large screen in plenary sessions, the name of the person speaking will be
superimposed along with the legislation paragraph number in the Daily Christian Advocate.
PRINTING AND COPYING
The newsroom
clerical/production staff in the workroom will be available to make limited copies for
accredited news reporters. If large numbers of copies are needed, you might be referred to
a full-service print shop nearby.
REFERENCE MATERIALS
The Daily Christian Advocate
is the most important reference for the General Conference. An Advance Edition is
available before the conference; one issue is produced each day of the conference.
Representatives of all
United Methodist and ecumenical publications will be responsible for ordering their own
Daily Christian Advocates (advance and daily issues). Call Cokesbury: 1-800-672-1789. Secular press representatives will find two copies
of the Advance Edition available for reference in the newsroom. Secular press
representatives will be given complimentary tickets at the Registration Desk, and those
may be exchanged at the Cokesbury Display Room for Daily Christian Advocates during the
conference.
The Advance Edition includes
all legislative proposals and reports from the study committees, general boards and
agencies. It also contains a Handbook for
Delegates, including an alphabetical listing of delegates, legislative committee
assignments, seating assignments and rules of order for the conference.
The Daily Christian Advocate
contains daily transcripts of the conference proceedings, news stories and features, and
daily summaries of legislative committee actions.
The following resources will
be available for reference in the newsroom:
- 1996 edition of the Daily
Christian Advocate and proceedings from the 1996 General Conference;
- The Bible, New Revised
Standard Version, and the United Methodist Hymnal (1989);
- The 1996 Book of Discipline
and The 1996 Book of Resolutions (statements on social, political and moral issues);
- 1998 edition of The General
Minutes (statistical information about church membership, ministerial appointments, etc.);
- Yearbook of American &
Canadian Churches;
- A dictionary, a thesaurus and
The Associated Press Stylebook; and
- Editor and Publisher Yearbook
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