| For information only - not an official document. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note to Correspondents | Press Release No: Note No. 90/Rev.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Release Date: September 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media Arrangements for Millennium Summit Of United Nations, 6-8 September 2000 |
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NEW YORK, 1 September (UN Headquarters) -- The Millennium Summit of the United Nations will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 6 to 8 September 2000. The Building will be closed to the public during this period and access will be restricted to those persons who are accredited and wearing a United Nations grounds pass. Media Accreditation: From Monday, 28 August, to Friday, 22 September, the Media Accreditation Centre will be at: 304 East 45th Street Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed 1-2 p.m. The hours of operation for the days immediately prior to and during the Millennium Summit will be as follows:
Correspondents already possessing a valid United Nations grounds pass will not need additional accreditation for the Millennium Summit. All others must apply for accreditation by submitting a completed accreditation form available from: -- Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, room S-250, United Nations -- The Media Accreditation Centre at 304 East 45th Street -- The UN Web site at www.un.org/millennium/media.htm -- United Nations Information Centres and offices around the world All members of the press corps accompanying heads of State, heads of government or heads of delegation must complete an application form for accreditation, attached to an official letter from the permanent mission concerned, addressed to: Chief, Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit The letter must list the names of the media representatives with their functional titles and affiliation. Members of the media accompanying the head of State, head of government or head of delegation must present themselves to the Accreditation Centre, where they will have their photographs taken and be issued a United Nations grounds pass upon presentation of national passports and another valid photo ID. All other media wishing to cover the Millennium Summit will have a United Nations grounds pass issued at the Accreditation Centre upon presentation of a letter of assignment from their Editor-in-Chief, addressed to the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit. Two pieces of photo identification (such as passport, national press credentials, police press pass, drivers’ license, etc.) are also required. For security reasons, all members of the press corps will be required to wear both their United Nations grounds pass and national press ID at all times. Entry and Screening Procedures For the Millennium Summit, the designated press entrances for visiting press and for resident correspondents with equipment are as follows:
Resident correspondents without equipment may use the 42nd Street Gate (open at 6:30 a.m.). All media representatives will be required to present a valid United Nations grounds pass to the United Nations security officers at the gate. All media personnel are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time for screening. Last-minute arrivals will encounter delays, and may be further delayed should First Avenue be temporarily closed for motorcades. Media Centre and Other Facilities The facilities available to the press on the third floor of the Secretariat Building will include telephone, fax, audio dispatches and Internet access at commercial rates. The Ex Press Bar on the third floor of the General Assembly Building will serve as an overflow area for the press corps, particularly the official photographers and cameramen waiting to enter the booth assigned to them. These locations will also be equipped with electrical outlets and a television monitor showing the proceedings in the Plenary Hall. The United Nations will establish a Media Centre for the local and visiting press corps in Conference Room 1, which will provide the following technical services: -- Television sets carrying live proceedings on closed circuit television in English -- Video distribution in NTSC and PAL standards, with the “floor” and English tracks. Media organizations must provide their own video recording decks (most camera equipment cannot accept video inputs) -- Audio distribution to record official proceedings will be available, with provision for language selection, including “floor” audio and English interpretation -- Paging system for general announcements to the media -- Telephone lines (credit cards required) and 110 volt electrical outlets; journalists using their own laptops must provide their own modems -- Computers with Internet access -- Documents distribution (including press releases) An information desk will be staffed at all times from 5 to 8 September to assist journalists with both substantive and organizational questions. Media Centre United Nations Audiovisual Materials Photographs, videotapes and audiocassettes are available from the United Nations. During the Millennium Summit, the offices providing these services will open at 9 a.m. Photographs will be available to accredited correspondents free of charge. Photographs of morning speeches will be available during the afternoon of the same day; photos of the afternoon speeches, the morning of the following day. Please direct photo inquiries and requests to: United Nations Photo Library Videotapes of speeches are available for a fee (NTSC standard only) in VHS, U-matic (3/4”), and Betacam SP formats. Advanced tape orders will be available for pick-up, insofar as possible, during the same day. Tapes ordered afterwards will be available during the next day or two. To request a videotape of a speech, contact: UNTV Live television feeds will be available through commercial carriers. For information, please contact: UNTV Please note that unilateral television production services will not be available from United Nations Television during the Millennium Summit. Audio cassettes of speeches will be available, free of charge, from: United Nations Audio Library Speeches are normally available in the original (“floor”) language in which they were delivered. Special requests for recording of the interpreter’s track in one of the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) should be made in advance, and are subject to the limitations of the recording facilities. Accredited correspondents are provided with audiocassettes of news items free of charge. Delegates may request one cassette of each speech free of charge. Additional copies, back orders and other special requests are subject to charge and are handled by: Sound Recording Unit Other Arrangements Pool coverage: Owing to logistics and space considerations, nearly all visual media coverage will be done by selected media pools. The pools are reserved exclusively for United Nations Television, United Nations photographers, international wire services and photo agencies. In the case of print media, the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) will notify the DPI of its representative. The official press corps accompanying a head of State, head of government or head of delegation, including the official photographer, will not be permitted to participate in these pools. In all instances, DPI liaison staff will accompany media pools. Other stakeout areas are being considered for a very limited number of journalists. tel.: (212) 963-6934 TV and Photo Coverage in General Assembly Hall: Official photographers and official television crews will have an opportunity to cover the speech of their head of State, head of government or head of delegation on a rotating basis, from the press booths surrounding the General Assembly Hall. Owing to space limitations, they may not remain to cover other speeches. A limited number of still photographers, escorted by DPI liaison staff, will also be allowed to take photographs from the “bridge” at the back of the General Assembly Hall during the speech. These operations will be coordinated from the third floor liaison desk in the General Assembly Building. Media Liaison Desk Tickets to Press Gallery in General Assembly Hall: There are 53 seats available for media representatives in the Press Gallery of the General Assembly Hall. The Media Centre in Conference Room 1 will distribute tickets on a first-come first-served basis half an hour before the morning and afternoon meetings and as space becomes available. Correspondents leaving the Press Gallery before the end of the meeting should return their tickets to the Media Liaison Desk for use by others. Media Centre Quiet Room for TV Interviews: A small, quiet room will be available for ENG taped interviews. Broadcasters need to bring their own portable lights. For bookings/inquiries, contact: Media Liaison Desk Copies of Speeches for Press: The text of speeches (by heads of State, heads of government, or heads of delegation) are made available by the relevant delegations in the Media Centre in Conference Room 1 (located in the first basement, 1-B), and at the documents distribution counter in the third floor press area. United Nations Press Release Coverage: DPI will provide press release coverage in English and French of open meetings of the Millennium Summit, including proceedings in the General Assembly Hall and the Security Council session on 7 September. Press releases may be obtained from the third floor documents counter and in the Media Centre. Further queries should be directed to the Press Service: Background Material: For press materials about the Summit, the Secretary-General's Millennium Report and key issues, see the United Nations Web site at www.un.org/millennium/media.htm. From 2 to 8 September, press kits will be available in the Media Centre, at the third floor documents counter and at the Media Accreditation Centre. During the Summit, for additional information, suggestions for interviews, and other related assistance, speak to the information officer in the Media Centre. Prior to and after the Summit, contact: Public Affairs Division/DPI Internet: The United Nations Web site will present full coverage in English of the Millennium Summit at http://www.un.org/millennium/summit.htm, and in other five official languages under their respective pages. It will offer a live webcast of the Summit’s official proceedings in English and French, as well as some press conferences. The Web site will also make available texts of statements in their original language, press releases, radio programmes and photos, along with background information regarding the Summit. The Millennium Summit webcast will be archived for six months. Press Conferences and Briefings for Journalists: During the Millennium Summit, press conferences will be held in room S-226 and in Conference Room 2. A briefing by the Spokeswoman for the Co-Chairs of the Millennium Summit and the Spokesman for the Secretary-General will be held daily at noon in Conference Room 2. Coverage of Bilateral Meetings: Photo opportunities will be available for bilateral meetings that are open for coverage. Media representatives covering these meetings will be asked to assemble at the third floor liaison desk, from which point they will be escorted by a liaison officer from the DPI. Coverage of Treaty Signature/Ratification Event: Media representatives will be able to cover the signature and ratification of treaties during the Millennium Summit from a special platform near the Delegates’ Entrance (ground level). There will be space for a limited number of photographers. Media Liaison Desk |
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