PokerStars ANZPT Media Guidelines

PokerStars Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) welcomes all members of the media to ANZPT events and looks forward to helping with all media requests. Our goal is to ensure ANZPT events run smoothly for players, tournament organisers, staff, film crew and all attending media. Please make sure that you read the following media accreditation requirements. Any media infringing upon these requirements risk losing their media accreditation for the entire event and future PokerStars tournaments.

Submitting an online application does not automatically guarantee you a media pass or access to the media room at an event. Each applicant will receive an email to confirm if their request has been successful. ANZPT reserves the right to limit the number of passes issued to each media outlet.

Media accreditation requirements

• All applicants must be working full time during the poker tournament they are applying for. Work must be for a legitimate news outlet whose primary objective is to provide media coverage of the ANZPT tournament. 
• Media passes will only be issued to employees of recognised media outlets including: mainstream newspapers and magazines, national news services, poker publications, recognized poker news internet sites and TV and radio stations.
• Media passes will not be issued to non-editorial staff attending the ANZPT for their own marketing purposes. Non-editorial staff includes organisation representatives from public relations, marketing, sales, advertising etc.
• Media personnel must register for each PokerStars ANZPT event using the online media accreditation form, submitting their name, organisation, full contact details and their plans for media coverage. Non-poker media should submit a shooting plan to press@pokerstars.net at least one week prior to travelling to the event.
• Media should apply for and receive accreditation prior to travelling to the event. We cannot guarantee a media pass for people who attend events without prior accreditation and they may be turned away.
• First-time applicants and freelance journalists must provide a letter of assignment / official email from their news editor or producer and submit three examples of past news reporting.
• If an individual journalist is planning to come to more than one event (or all of them), they must apply for accreditation to each event.
• The number of media passes issued is limited to a maximum of three per organisation; this can be reduced depending on the venue, as a result of venue capacity and the discretion of ANZPT. Exceptions can only be made for television crews, with media applications dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Please apply online as normal and email press@pokerstars.net with further questions. All media must adhere to the rules regarding their media pass at all times.
• The number of media passes issued is limited to a maximum of three per organisation; this can be reduced depending on the venue, as a result of venue capacity and the discretion of ANZPT.
• Once online media accreditation closes it will not be possible to obtain a media pass, so please ensure you submit your online registration on time.
• Media passes are NON-transferable. If, for any reason, you need to change personnel before or during an event, please contact press@pokerstars.net as soon as possible.
• All requests for interviews with players should be pre-arranged through press@pokerstars.net wherever possible. For any interviews with players while at the event, please contact the PR Manager to arrange a suitable time. Please respect the players’ time by turning up on time for all interviews. It is often very difficult to re-schedule interviews that aren’t kept.
• All applicants must meet any age requirements set forth by the hosting casino.

Code of conduct

• Please ensure that you adhere to the casino or venue dress code. Note that T-shirts or other items of clothing with rude/lewd slogans are not permitted, and you may be asked to change your clothes before being allowed back into the tournament area or media room.
• Your press badge should be worn at all times in a prominent position and should be presented when requested by security, a PokerStars or ANZPT employee or any agent or employee working on PokerStars ANZPT’s behalf.
• Do not approach the dealer and ask questions about the previous hand or ask the dealer to slow down play in order for you to take a picture.
• Do not use flash when taking pictures while any tournament is in play.
• Media should respect the players and their personal space while playing. This means keeping a respectful distance and not sit directly behind players while they are playing, not sitting down in a player’s seat or occupying their space to film or take photographs when they move away from the table.
• Never try to look at a player’s cards even if the player is not protecting them.
• Do not rail a specific player for the duration of the tournament.
• Do not touch player’s chips or sit at a table while the tournament is on a break.
• Do not discuss or comment on how a player played out at the table.
• Do not celebrate when specific players win a pot.
• Only conversation in the official tournament language is allowed in the tournament area with players while they are seated at a table and a hand is in progress.
• During the tournament, media should ask permission of the Tournament Director or PokerStars/ANZPT staff member before taking any player away from the table for an interview or picture.
• Accredited trade media are forbidden to play in the Main Event of the festival. In addition, trade media are forbidden to cover any Side Event in which they have played, or intend to play.

Tournament area - procedures

• Accredited media should only be in the tournament area for a maximum of 30 minutes where possible, and there will only be a maximum of 20 accredited media allowed into the tournament area at any one time.
• In the tournament area, it is essential that the Tournament Director, his staff and the PokerStars ANZPT staff, film crew and bloggers are allowed to go about their work unhindered at all times.
• Please vacate the tables and the tournament area when asked by the Tournament Director or the floor staff.
• All media should leave the tournament area when the floor staff and/or players are bagging chips.
• If you are asked to leave a particular area, please do so immediately. Media who refuse to follow instructions from any PokerStars ANZPT staff members or member of the ANZPT film crew risk losing their accreditation for the entire event and future events.
• During the later stages of a tournament, when we are down to a fewer number of tables, it will be necessary to clear the playing area of non-essential participants, including media. This is to ensure that the players, tournament director and TV crew can go about their business unheeded.
• When the playing area is cleared, tournament staff will endeavour to provide a separate, cordoned-off media area.
• Accredited media should not distract players during tournament action; this is liable to result in immediate ejection.
• Be aware of the floor staff and players, and allow them space to move through the tables as required.
• Media are asked to keep a respectful distance from the TV crew. This is a safety precaution as cameras are heavy and boom poles are long, so crouching underneath the arm of a cameraman to get a shot is never a good idea.
• If you need to get a particular shot talk to the producer or the floor manager, and let them know what you're trying to do. They can often move a cameraman / audio engineer out of the way for you.
• All filming of the TV feature table is prohibited while the tournament is in play. If you are following a player who is moved to the TV table, please speak to your PokerStars/ANZPT representative or a member of the PR Team, or Floor Manager, Donna Tait, who will be happy to provide any footage you require.
• If you would like access to the TV table to film while play isn’t taking place, please send through your request in writing to press@pokerstars.net.
• Bloggers requiring access to the TV table area should liaise with Floor Manager Donna Tait who will find a suitable spot where it is safe to stand.
• Keep the tournament area tidy. Spare kit, batteries and stock need to be placed strategically around the room, but where possible should be out of sight and always kept tidy. Cables should be laid neatly, and away from tables where possible.
• Media should understand the importance of getting to a table quickly in order to minimize the waiting time for play during showdown hands.
• If you are unsure about anything, please ask a member of PokerStars/ANZPT staff, a dealer or a Tournament Director.

Photography

• At all events there will be designated ANZPT photographers taking photos of the tournament, players and the final table action. These pictures will be available on request throughout the event and afterwards. Please email press@pokerstars.net for more information.
• In some venues, photography is not allowed anywhere outside the tournament area and any photographer found to infringe upon casino regulations will have their media pass taken away for the entire event and future PokerStars ANZPT events. Photographers need to respect the privacy of casino clients who are not participating directly in the event.
• Flash photography is prohibited near to and around the TV table during tournament action and filming.
• Certain venues have specific photography requirements; please check the events pages for more details or contact press@pokerstars.net.

Video

• In some venues filming is not allowed anywhere outside the tournament area and any media found to infringe upon casino regulations will have their media pass taken away for the entire event and future PokerStars ANZPT events. Videographers need to respect the privacy of casino clients who are not participating directly in the event.
• Filming of the TV table is strictly prohibited during tournament action, other than by the designated PokerStars ANZPT film crew.
• Certain venues have specific video requirements; please check the events pages for more details or contact press@pokerstars.net.
• You can request to film the TV table while poker play is not taking place by emailing press@pokerstars.net with your requirements.

Media room regulations

• Broadband internet capability at the PokerStars ANZPT events can be limited. At certain events a “video corner” is allocated in the media room with specific internet cables JUST for video uploads. All media will be asked to a) collaborate with each other on the use of these cables, i.e. sharing; b) not use any other cables for uploading video. Any media infringing upon this regulation will lose their media accreditation for the entire event and future PokerStars ANZPT events.
• The PokerStars ANZPT will endeavour to provide media facilities, including press room equipped with wireless or cable internet access, wherever possible. Only accredited media are allowed access to the media room and/or any other media facilities.
• If we reach full capacity, it may become necessary to restrict access to the media room or require journalists from the same organisation to share desk space and internet access.
• In order to conserve bandwidth at events where wireless internet access is provided, we ask if you can disconnect your wireless connection while you are not actively using it. We also request all media not to use bandwidth for non-essential, non-work activities (such as playing online poker, downloading files etc). Journalists found abusing this rule risk losing their accreditation for the entire event and future PokerStars events.
• Please do not leave valuables in the media room. No responsibility will be taken for any items left in the media room and/or tournament area.
• For security reasons – and because space is often very limited – please do not invite players, colleagues or friends into the media room.
• The media room should only be used for writing or filing stories. Please do not use the media room for regular radio or television broadcasts. At most events the ANZPT can provide a separate room for photographers and TV crews.

Enforcement

• Any accredited media that is deemed disorderly or fails to comply with any of the foregoing requirements, or any set forth by tournament officials and security, will have their media pass taken away for the entire event and may be asked to leave the event. Additionally, accreditation for future PokerStars ANZPT events and may not be granted.
• Notwithstanding any other provision herein, this credential is a courtesy to the bearer only and creates no economic or other legally recognized interest in the bearer and this credential may be revoked at any time for any reason, or no reason in the sole and absolute discretion of PokerStars, or any agent or employee working on PokerStars ANZPT’s behalf.
• Media who swap or share passes risk being banned from the event.

PokerStars ANZPT coverage

• The PokerStars ANZPT requires that all media reporting on the tournament (press, radio, television and bloggers) give the event sponsor PokerStars prominent recognition in their coverage of the event.
• This includes clearly crediting the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour sponsor PokerStars in the first mention of the ANZPT within the article, using either the “PokerStars Australia New Zealand Poker Tour” or the “PokerStars ANZPT”. 
• For video coverage this would include prominently mentioning either the “PokerStars Australia New Zealand Poker Tour” or the “PokerStars ANZPT” during the video.
• This rule also includes any reports which are using information, photos or video supplied by PokerStars, even if journalists are not accredited to the event or attending the event.
• All media who stream ANZPTLive webcasts should credited PokerStars.tv and ANZPTLive as the source.
• The trademark policies must be followed with regards to the use of the PokerStars ANZPT logo.
• When an event is being broadcast live with a one hour delay, we ask all media to follow the delay with live reporting of the event. This is to keep in cohesion with our broadcasters receiving and transmitting the feed.

Live Event Security Policy

• All accredited media regardless of employment status are subject to the PSLive Event Security Policy when attending PokerStars Events. The details of the policy can be found here: http://www.anzpt.com/about/security-policy/.

Should you have any queries with regards to the media accreditation or media requirements, please email press@pokerstars.net.