Media access policy
On Thursday 19th August, climate change activists from across the UK will be ‘swooping’ down on a mystery location in Edinburgh to set up the 2010 Camp for Climate Action – a week long camp that combines sustainable living, more than a hundred workshops, direct action and direct action training.
This year, the Camp for Climate Action has expanded its media access hours in order to provide more opportunity for journalists to cover the camp.
In the run up to the camp
In the week-long run-up to the camp, many working groups in Scotland and local groups across the country will be in a frenzy of preparation.. making props, assembling cooking equipment, painting banners. The taking of the site, the ‘swoop’ on the 19th will be an exciting opportunity for journalists to cover the launch of the camp
We have a limited capacity for journalists to meet and chat with campers as they go about their preparations in advance of camp, and we also have a limited capacity to match journalists up with campers when the swoop happens. Please contact us if you would be interested in taking advantage of these opportunities.
Print and radio journalists – bring your tents!
This year, print and radio journalists have the option of staying for as long as they choose in order to get a fuller insight into camp life and the many activities. We request that print and radio journalists register upon arrival, and sign up to a short code of conduct. The camp media team will provide a ‘buddy’ who will provide a point of contact and can also try to facilitate your access to the type of campers or activities you may be hoping to profile. We request that media badges are worn at all times, and that you inform people that you engage with that you are a media professional covering the camp.
Photographers and TV Crews
While in previous years, photographers and TV Crews have only been permitted on site for a couple of hours, this year we have extended that access so that you will be welcome on site in the hours between 1pm and 6pm. You will be accompanied by an assigned camper during that time, who will ensure that both campers and journalists are kept happy, and can ensure that consent is obtained from people being filmed and photographed.
Outside of these hours, there will also be a particular spot close to the entrance to which TV crews can be escorted to do interviews.
Off limit areas
Certain neighbourhoods and work spaces may decide to ‘opt out’ of the media access policy, and no journalists of any kind should go to these spaces in any kind of capacity. This is not because these areas have ‘anything to hide’ but because the camp process respects the right of those neighbourhoods and working groups who don’t feel comfortable engaging with the media. Our ability to provide wider access to the camp depends on us being able to respect the decision of these groups to opt out like this. Journalists will be informed by the media team on arrival which neighbourhoods and spaces have opted out. The neighbourhoods that opt out may change during the week.
Obtaining photos and video footage of the camp
Photos and footage of the camp will be available for commercial media to use during the camp on a website. To arrange access to this material, contact Mike on 07878 892486
A small thought on the media access policy In previous years, the climate camp has been criticised by some journalists for having a restrictive media access policy. We wish to emphasize that these policies are not created as a result of trying to ‘control the story’ or spin events. The access policy is created as a way of trying to enable journalists to cover the camp, while also providing campers with a hospitable and comfortable camping environment rather than feeling that they are living for a week in a media goldfish bowl. The policy is agreed upon by consensus during the national climate camp planning meetings and the media team is given the mandate to work within those restrictions.
The media team would like to help journalists with their coverage of the camp before, during and after the camp itself. If you have a request for a particular angle, person or situation, get in touch and we will see if we can help.
To contact the media team, call 07040 900905
A Camp for Climate Action 2010 press briefing will be made available in the week run up to the camp
www.climatecamp.org.uk