MEDIA REGISTRATION AND GENERAL RULES

Registration for media representatives includes entry to all conference sessions, the exhibition and poster area, the opening and closing sessions and the media centre. Conference bags and conference materials will not be given to media representatives.

Kindly note that media registration for NHARCON 2023 will be opened on 1st March 2023.

REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION

Registration confirmation will be sent by email after the NHARCON 2023 Registration Department has received the duly completed registration form, the related payment (if applicable) and the applicant’s media credentials have been verified and confirmed. Media representatives may be requested to present this registration confirmation at the registration counter as proof of their registration.

Please note that access to the media centre may be refused without this identification.

ON-SITE REGISTRATION FOR JOURNALISTS

Most journalists will complete the accreditation process before the conference begins. However, an on-site accreditation desk will be available in the registration area. The hours for on-site accreditation are per the above registration time.

Journalists are encouraged to register online before the conference to avoid long delays –often up to several hours – when registering on-site.

REGISTRATION NAME CHANGE

A name change to an existing media registration is not possible. The granted media registration must be cancelled and the new media representative must register and submit the required documents.

ELECTRONIC NAME BADGE

All participants, including media representatives, will receive an official conference name badge. This name badge must be worn at all times during the conference and is not transferable. If for whatever reason, a participant’s name badge is used by another person in his or her stead, the participant is fully liable for any consequences of this person’s actions. Access to the conference facilities and session rooms will not be granted without a proper name badge. For security reasons, your name badge will be scanned at the entrance to the conference venue.

All accredited journalists must check in at the Media Desk in the Registration Area upon arrival at the convention centre. Please do not report to the Media Centre directly as you will not have access without an official name badge.

The conference name badge can be used as an electronic business card at some exhibition booths and at the entrance to some satellite symposia as a way for delegates to provide their contact details to exhibitors.

LOST NAME BADGE

The conference name badge must be worn at all times during the conference. Access to the conference facilities will not be granted without a proper name badge. If an attendee loses, misplaces or forgets the name badge, a handling fee of USD 60 will be charged for a new name badge. Upon handing out a new name badge, the lost badge will be deactivated and become invalid.

CONFERENCE EMBARGO POLICY

In the case of NHARCON 2023, as with most scientific/medical conferences, all conference abstracts are released to delegates and media under a strict embargo policy. A detailed breakdown of the embargo variations for different types of abstracts is available below. All regular delegates, presenters and media are asked to respect this policy.

ORAL ABSTRACTS

Information about the oral abstracts may not be published or presented before the start of the session at NHARCON 2023 in which the abstract is being presented.

ORAL ABSTRACTS AND POSTER EXHIBITION ABSTRACTS

Information about the oral poster discussion and poster exhibition abstracts may not be published or presented before 10:00 GMT on Tuesday, 7th December 2021

EMBARGO BREAKS FOR MEDIA REPORTERS

As well as having access to the materials detailed above, the media is also given prior access to the speakers’ slides. However, access is only granted to media onsite at the conference and the same embargo rules apply, meaning the information in speakers’ slides cannot be referenced or published before the start of the presentation.

If a reporter breaks the embargo policy, it will lead to one or more of the following measures:

• Immediate suspension of the reporter’s media conference credentials
• Immediate barring of the reporter from the meeting premises
• Removal of the reporter’s name from the NHARCON Media Distribution List for two years
• No access to the next NHARCON Conferences

Any breach in the embargo by the media will be brought to the attention of the Media Embargo Committee. If you have questions, please contact the NHARCON 2023 communications team at media@saafrica.org

NO ACCESS TO THE NEXT NHARCON CONFERENCES

Any breach in the embargo by the media will be brought to the attention of the Media Embargo Committee. If you have questions, please contact the NHARCON 2023 communications team at enquiries-nharcon@ghanaids.gov.gh

ACCESS TO FULL ABSTRACTS TEXT

The posting of full abstract texts to the online Programme-at-a-Glance is now being staggered to reflect the timing of the updated Conference Embargo Policy.

ACCESS TO SPEAKER SLIDES

Media delegates will also be given full access to the speaker’s PowerPoint presentations. The login and password will also be communicated to you in the media centre.

MEDIA ACCESS

All media accredited by the conference secretariat will have free access to the Media Centre. Media registrants will also have access to all sessions and exhibitions, including the Opening and Closing Sessions. At certain times, access to some parts of the conference may be restricted because of space or security considerations. Coverage of restricted areas will then be arranged on a “pool” basis, and conference staff will escort selected journalists.

All sessions are open to journalists, however, in some sessions, there may be a ban on recordings, photographs and/or video due to protect the anonymity of speakers. Conference Secretariat offices are not accessible to journalists.

ACCESS TO CAMERA PLATFORMS AND AUDIO DISTRIBUTION PANELS

Reserved space for camera persons and still photographers is available in Session Room 1 where all plenaries, the opening session and the closing session will take place. The space is at the front of the stage. In the press conference room located in the Media Centre, a camera platform will be available.

Space in front of the stage in Session Room 1 and on the camera platform in the press conference room is on a first-come, first-served basis only. Audio splitter distribution panels will also be available at these locations.

ON-SITE MEDIA CENTRE

Media delegates are strongly advised to bring their laptops, however, conference organizers will able to provide some computer workstations. The Media Centre will serve the needs of print, radio and broadcast journalists covering NHARCON 2021. Services provided to registered journalists include computer workstations, internet connections, ISDN lines, printers and photocopying machines for limited numbers of photocopies. A multi-lingual communications staff will be available to assist journalists with editorial, technical and logistical support. A room will be available for interviews, and a press conference room will be used for the official daily briefing and third-party press conferences.

OPENING HOURS

The Media Centre is accessible from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (from 25th to 28th April 2022)

ACCESS

Access to the Media Centre is reserved for conference-accredited journalists. Should journalists arrange to interview non-media conference delegates, they are to kindly meet the interviewee at the entrance to the Media Centre. Unaccompanied interviewees will not be allowed access to the Media Centre. On completion of the interview, kindly escort guests back to the entrance of the Media Centre.

PHOTOS

Photographic coverage of the conference proceedings will be provided. High-resolution photographs will be available for download on the Online Media Centre of the NHARCON 2023 website: (http://ghanaids.gov.gh/nharcon2023)

VIDEOS

Key sessions will be recorded and made available via the Programme-at-a-Glance (PAG).

THIRD-PARTY PRESS RELEASES AND MATERIALS

Some tables will be made available for the distribution of press releases and materials produced by third parties (organizations other than the conference itself) in the Media Centre.

PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM

The Media Centre will be equipped with a press conference room. When not in use by conference organizers, the press conference room will be available for use by third parties (this refers to all parties other than the conference organizers, including presenters, NGOs, international organizations or agencies, and/or industry representatives).

An initial schedule of each day’s press conferences will be provided on the http://ghanaids.gov.gh/nharcon2023 website and in your media kit distributed at on-site check-in. Updates will be posted at the information office in the Media Centre. Only accredited members of the media and press conference speakers will be allowed to attend press conferences.

BROADCAST FACILITIES

Broadcasters are required to capture their video and obtain the audio from the sound desks in session rooms and the press conference room.

ONLINE MEDIA CENTRE

During the conference, the Online Media Centre will feature links to videos of sessions and press conferences, photos, presentation slides, speeches and press releases. Access to other information, including conference abstracts, presentation slides, news reports and summaries of scientific sessions, will also be available through the website.