Following are media protocols for Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) regular season athletic events. The  GREATER MIAMI ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GMAC) governs and manages the access for regular season athletic events for middle and secondary schools.  Postseason events are governed by the  FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOC (FHSAA) 

REQUIREMENT FOR Media Access 

All media, multimedia, journalists, reporters, bloggers, vloggers, social media channels, athletic promoters or individuals, or companies seeking access to an M-DCPS event for the purposes of recording, photography, videography, reporting, etc. must have applied for and received a media credential. Each individual must present (and wear) this badge and lanyard while working at an M-DCPS athletic event.

WHO MAY APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE CREDENTIALS 

1. Tier one — FCC & FTC Licensed media organizations with Journalists who report news via photos, and video to tell a story online, on TV, on the radio, or in print. Students, parent photographers, and contractors hired at the request of a  school  newspapers, yearbooks, and proms 
2. Tier three —For-profit, athlete profile promoters or video or still photography professionals working for recruiters. Any work that can be considered “for profit” or “pay for service” is not considered traditional media who is providing coverage of an event for the purposes of informing the general or school-specific audiences. Importantly, this tier must submit, in advance, “consent and release” forms for their clients. Although members of the public may attend an M-DCPS event, these are not public events (those that occur on M-DCPS property), and due to student privacy concerns governed by law (FERPA), this tier must refrain from taking and selling video or pictures of fans, spectators or other athletes not identified in a signed “consent and release” form. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS GUIDING ATHLETICS CREDENTIALING 

1. These credentialing rules are administered and amended as deemed appropriate by M-DCPS in its sole and absolute discretion. 
2. M-DCPS reserves the right to grant, issue, deny and revoke credentials to any individual or outlet based on the interpretation and intent of these policies and rules as determined by M-DCPS in its sole and absolute discretion. 
3. Media credential requests from internet sites, specialty publications, recruiting services, scouts, and college coaches will be considered individually and in alignment with the tiered definitions above. 
4. Media credential requests must be made annually by July 1 for review in advance of the fall season beginning in August. Applications may be submitted by completing the application form.
5. M-DCPS licensing retains the right to administer and/or amend the rules and regulations concerning media credentialing at its sole and absolute discretion. 

APPLY FOR CREDENTIALS 

Use this form to request M-DCPS Athletic Event Credentials 

EXPECTATIONS FOR WORKING MEDIA AT M-DCPS ATHLETIC EVENTS 

• Promote the core values of the M-DCPS Athletics program. 
• Being respectful to all around you, including fans, officials, coaches, student-athletes, support staff, administrators, and fellow members of the media. 
• Not distracting those around you, including fans, officials, coaches, student-athletes, support staff, administrators, and fellow media members. 
• Refraining from cheering while attending an event in an official media capacity. 
• Not blocking the view of fans. 
• Be mindful of the workspaces, including taking care of food and beverage containers and not spreading out to take up too much space. 
• Not bringing guests’ who are not credentialed media to the event with the expectation that they will receive free admission or privileges accorded to the media. Specific to Still and Video Photographers. Photographers from accredited media and M-DCPS-approved photographers must possess media passes at the ticket gate and have media credentials to present upon request or have previously arranged for photo credentials from the M-DCPS. 
• Photographers and Videographers  are not allowed in the line of play and may not be in the way of officials, coaches, or student-athletes. 
• The use of flash photography is not allowed. 
• Drones are not allowed anywhere on M-DCPS school property. NOTE: Violation of any of these guidelines may result in removal from the field or the property at the discretion of the school athletics director and school principal. 

SPORT-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES 

• CROSS COUNTRY: Photographers may not be in the way of timing equipment, officials, coaches, or student-athletes. 
• BASEBALL: Photographers are not allowed on the field of play and must be outside the fence and field of play. 
• BASKETBALL: Photographers are not allowed on the court (including the painted baseline area and behind the basket/lane) and cannot shoot in front of or behind team benches and the scorer’s table. Photographers should not affect the view of fans. 
• FOOTBALL: Photographers are not permitted on the sidelines between the 20-yard lines and must remain outside the restraining lines surrounding the field. 
• GOLF: Photographers are not allowed in any areas in which they are in the line of play or could interfere with officials, coaches, or student-athletes. 
• LACROSSE: Photographers are not permitted in the team bench areas and must remain outside the field’s restraining lines. 
• SOCCER: Photographers are permitted on the sideline but not in front of the bleachers. Photographers should avoid the endline areas. 
• SOFTBALL: Photographers are not allowed on the field of play and must be outside the fence. 
• SWIMMING: Photographers are allowed on the pool deck but may not be in the way of the timing equipment, officials, coaches, or student-athletes. No photography is allowed behind the starting blocks.
• TENNIS: Photographers must be outside of the fence and may not be in the way of coaches. Photographers should not obstruct the view of fans. 
• TRACK: Photographers are not allowed in any areas in which they would interfere with the running of an event and must be out of the way of timing equipment, officials, coaches, and student-athletes. 
• VOLLEYBALL: Photographers are not allowed on the court (including the painted baseline area) and are not allowed to shoot in front of or behind team benches or the scorer’s table. Photographers should not affect the view of fans. 
• WRESTLING: Photographers are not allowed on the mat and are not allowed to be in the way of officials, coaches, or student-athletes. Photographers should not affect the view of fans.

M-DCPS LICENSING MEDIA INFORMATION PAGE

 Welcome to the M-DCPS Media Information landing page!  Located in this section of our website are forms and instructions for members of the print and visual media covering GMAC events.  Any questions regarding credentialing at state championship events or broadcasting of playoff events should be referred to the FHSAA.

CREDENTIALING

     The M-DCPS licensing contractor will register members of the media for GMAC events. The GMAC  Office does not issue credentials to state series preliminary events on the regional levels. State series event managers are instructed to provide complimentary admission and extend professional courtesies to licensed M-DCPS organizations  of news media organizations upon presentation of valid news media credentials.

     Credentialing is on a first come, first served basis and depends on the space available at the facility.  The M-DCPS GMAC may deny or revoke credentials for noncompliance with School Board policies and conduct for which there are reasonable grounds to believe violates state or federal law or constitutes a breach of professional ethics.  The GMAC along with its Licensing Branding and Enforcement contractor will research all media requests through vetting criteria that includes:

• Organizations must have an established, longstanding history of coverage.
• Organizations must have credibility as a news-gathering organization.
• Organizations must have editorial  and advertising oversight.
• Organizations must create original content which can only be generated by being onsite at an activity.
• Organization’s coverage must go beyond the distribution of in-game scoring/statistics updates and highlights.
• Organizations that are exclusively social media-based will not be approved.
• Organizations that are scouting, ranking, or recruiting services, college coaches, private clubs or specialty websites that are promotional services for an activity will not be approved.

      M-DCPS licensed media access is for use solely in connection to news and editorial coverage of the event.  Any non-editorial, commercial or other unauthorized use of any transmission, picture, film, videotape, audiotape, writing, drawing or other depiction of any game, game action, game information, player interview or other stadium activity, and any non-editorial or commercial use of the  Miami Dade County Public School marks or logo is prohibited without prior specific written approval of the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC).  To obtain media credentials for the GMAC events , please go to the Media Access and registration  request page.  Organizations requesting media access  must sign up on the request form  page. Those not on the media credential list at the event will not be provided credentials on-site.  

MEDIA EMAIL LIST

     We like to try to maintain a current Media Distribution list so that we can email media outlets with our press releases and news information regarding M-DCPS licensing activities and GMAC events.  To be placed on this list, please email your name, media outlet, phone number, and email address to media@M-DCPSlicensing.com.

BLOGGING/PODCAST POLICY

     Any credentialed individual (including news print, internet, new media, television and radio) for an GMAC event must abide by the GMAC  policies regarding blogging. Blogs may not produce any form of “real-time” accounts or descriptions of the event. Real-time accounts or descriptions are any coverage that provides continuous play-by-play, live and real-time statistics, or continuous detailed descriptions of the event. Periodic updates, scores and statistics are acceptable. Determination of periodic compared to real-time accounts is at the sole discretion of the M-DCPS licensing and the GMAC which has the right to revoke access  at any point during the event.    

BROADCASTING / PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

     The GMAC must be contacted, in writing, for permission to cablecast, telecast, or webcast (video stream) live or on a delayed basis, a contest or any portion of a contest.

     Persons photographing or videotaping a contest, and stations cablecasting, telecasting, or webcasting (video streaming) a contest must remain in the areas that have been designated for spectators, sports photographers, schools, cable/television stations, or internet video broadcasters, respectively.

     Persons cablecasting, telecasting, photographing, videotaping, or webcasting (video streaming) a contest shall not stand on any unsafe or potentially hazardous physical object or facility.  Persons cablecasting, telecasting, photographing, videotaping, or webcasting (video streaming) a contest shall not interfere with the visibility and comfort of spectators, shall not present a safety hazard to spectators, and shall not disrupt, disturb, or interfere with the competition or with an individual competitor.  In the interest of public safety, the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for broadcast or photographic purposes is prohibited during GMAC district, region, and state tournament competition.  Unmanned aircraft systems may not operate in airspace over host school grounds or facilities conducting GMAC events

     All broadcast agreements can be found in the menu on M-DCPS licensing website. Please review the broadcast agreement.

PHOTOGRAPHY

     Photography of GMAC  championship series events is strictly for the purpose of news and editorial coverage of the event.  ONLY those photos that appear in an actual newspaper or publication that the licensed credential member of the media represents may be sold upon request.  No other photographs or any other visual material taken at a GMAC events  may be sold without express written consent of the M-DCPS Licensing program contractor.  The actual newspaper or publication means a publication printed on paper and distributed to the homes of subscribers or sold at newsstands, or a news website or application operated by the organization that publishes such newspaper or publication.

     In the interest of public safety, the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for photography or any other purpose is prohibited during GMAC  district, region, and state tournament competition.  Unmanned aircraft systems may not operate in airspace over host school grounds or facilities conducting GMAC events.

MEDIA ENTRANCE

     All members of the media shall pass through the designated media entrance, if available.  Members of the media must display licensed approved credential provided by the GMAC or its Branding Licensing and Enforcement contractor. Members of the media with  professional credentials with photo identification and may be asked to sign in.  Bags and equipment may also be inspected for security purposes.

PRESS AREA

     A designated press area will be made available, where possible, for members of the media to view and report on contests.  Members of the media should contact the site coordinator prior to an event for access to phone lines, Ethernet or wireless access.  The GMAC  will do its best to provide this when available.