2016 LIBERIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION MEDIA GUIDELINES & POLICIES

We would like to thank you for your continuous coverage of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) and the Liberia National Teams and Leagues. Please review all the information below as it relates to coverage of National Teams matches in 2016. This is the most up-to-date LFA Media Guidelines and policies enforced by the LFA Media/Communications Department. If you have questions about the policies listed here, please do not hesitate to contact LFA Communications Consultant Horatio Bobby Willie at [email protected]  / [email protected] or call 088-651-6921 / 077-751-6921

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Professional Conduct

Media are expected to follow the guidelines set forth in this document, as well as the instructions of LFA staff, stadium employees and security, at the risk of limitation of access or revocation of credentials.

Media credentials are issued with the purpose of providing access to interviews and written, audio and visual accounts of the game as appropriate. Media members should not use access for autographs, personal photographs or commercial requests.

Media credentialed for access to shoot photographs and video are expected to use professional equipment to file photographic or video accounts. Use of equipment such as ‘point and shoot’ style cameras or mobile telephones that are not considered professional equipment will result in access being restricted or rescinded.

Media Services

Press Releases: Please send an email request to [email protected] or [email protected]  if you would like to be added to the LFA Media distribution list.

Media Guides: To request a current media guide for the Liberia Men’s or Women’s National Team, please send an email request to [email protected] . Digital editions of the Men’s and Women’s National Team’s media guides will be available at www.liberiafa.com.

Interview Requests: Media requesting interviews with Liberia National Team players, coaches or administrators should make arrangements with the LFA Communications Department. When requesting and conducting interviews, media should identify the organization that they are representing, and provide advance notice if audio or video will be recorded for later distribution. All audio and video interviews are subject to LFA’s Video Guidelines, which are included in this document.

www.liberiafa.com: Is the official web site of the Liberia Football Association. All press releases – content that includes a dateline are posted on www.liberiafa.com, and can be republished by media in their entirety.

Video: Media are welcome to embed videos that appear on www.liberiafa.com. Visit youtube.com/liberiafa and www.liberiafa.com for the latest LFA-produced videos.

Audio, Video Roll & Interviews: LFA periodically sends out video and audio media rolls from National Team events for outlets to use free of charge, provided they properly credit video/audio as; Courtesy of LFA Media. If you’d like to sign up for the email list that distributes these media rolls, please email [email protected] or [email protected] with Media Roll in the subject line. Also, all audio media conferences can be found at www.liberiafa.com/media/conferences.

Twitter: LFA provides updates at www.twitter.com/liberia_fa that include breaking news and new content posted to www.liberiafa.com. Media are welcome to re-tweet @Liberia_FA including play-by-play accounts.

Photography Requests

Head Shots and Action Photography: LFA maintains a limited number of head and shoulder portraits of select Liberia National Team players and coaches that can be requested by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] or calling 088-651-6921 or 077-751-6921

LFA EVENTS

Credentials

Policies: In addition to the policies listed below, please note that only working media will be credentialed and no one under the age of 18 will be issued a credential without prior arrangements being made.

Applications: Media can request credentials for matches online at http://www.liberiafa.com/media/accreditations. The online application process can be found by clicking on the Media tab in the menu bar on the front page of www.liberiafa.com. Media can also contact LFA Communications with questions on the application process directly by phone at 088-651-6921 / 077-751-6921 or [email protected] / [email protected] .

Deadlines: The deadline to apply for credentials to LFA events is generally one (1) week prior to the game. There is no guarantee that late applications will be accepted.

Pickup: LFA will distribute credential pickup times prior to each game. Credential pickup times generally coincide with media availabilities. For pickup on the day of the game, Media Will Call at the stadium will open approximately two (2) hours before kickoff for WNT matches and three (3) hours for MNT matches. Each media member must show identification in order to receive their credential. An individual cannot pick up more than one credential.

Media Facilities

Media facilities, including the press box and photographers’ work area, will open approximately two (2) – three (3) hours before each game.

Press Box: All seats will be assigned. Auxiliary seating arrangements will be made if the capacity of the press box is exceeded.

Game Notes & Media Guides: Game notes will be placed at each seat and also on a table near the press box entrance. Media guides will be made available upon request and digital versions are available online at www.liberiafa.com (link here).

Lineups: Official lineups are made available approximately one (1) hour prior to kickoff. Lineups, which include jersey numbers for each team, will be distributed to the media as quickly as possible.

Media Access / Interviews

There is no pre-game access to National Team players and coaches on game days. No “flash” interviews are permitted on the field. All post-game access is available in the press conference and mixed zone.

Press Conference: There will be a formal press conference with the head coach and one player shortly after the final whistle. In the event something changes a member of the LFA communications staff will inform the media.

Print & Online Media

Live Blogging / Commentary: Live blogging of LFA events from either the venue or via the television broadcast is subject to our Live Blogging Guidelines. The guidelines are included in Appendix III of this document.

Video: Please notify LFA in advance if your coverage includes video recording. Any video footage, including interviews, gathered by print and online media is subject to the LFA Video Guidelines. The Video Guidelines are included in Appendix I of this document.

Audio: Please notify LFA in advance if your coverage includes audio recording. Any audio, including interviews, gathered by radio, print and online media is subject to the LFA Audio Use Guidelines. The guidelines are included in Appendix II of this document.

Field Access

Print, online and radio writers and reporters are not permitted on the field at any time. Media members granted field access must have a working purpose. Representatives from the broadcast media who are not filing reports, but would like to attend as an observer, should inform the LFA of such when making the application.

Still Photographers

Locations: Still photographers are permitted to shoot LFA events from behind the field sign boards in either end line. At events where space allows, photographers may also shoot on the sideline opposite the benches between the end line and the 18-yard line. Shooting from the 18-yard line will be allowed on a match-by-match basis depending on space.  The attacking direction of the teams is determined by a coin toss. Following the coin toss, photographers must pick one end of the field to shoot for the entire half. The ONLY time photographers may change ends is at halftime. At NO time are photographers allowed on the field of play.

Photo Marshals: The LFA will use photo marshals to assist on-field media. Photo marshals can assist with providing lineups/rosters, distributing bibs and assist with questions on location and other topics. Photographers are required to follow all instructions of the photo marshals.

Bibs: All still photographers are required to wear a colored bib as provided by the LFA. The bib is lightweight and designed to be worn outside of outerwear and be visible at all times. Please return the bibs to a photo marshal following the game, or leave them in the press box / photographers’ work room.

Pre-Game Photos: Each team’s starters will pose for a pre-game photo near the bench area following the national anthems. Photographers should gather in the near-side corners once the teams leave the field after warm-ups. LFA will escort the photographers to midfield.

Videographers

Video Footage: All video crews must follow the LFA Video Guidelines for all footage gathered at events. The Video Guidelines are included in Appendix I of this document.

TV Reporters: TV reporters may stay on the field until 30 minutes prior to kickoff to shoot ‘scene sets,’ and are not allowed on the field again until after the conclusion of the game. Reporters/anchors will not be issued a bib.

Location: TV cameras are permitted to shoot LFA events from behind the field sign boards of either end line. The attacking direction of the teams is determined by a coin toss. Following the coin toss, TV camera crew must pick one end of the field to shoot for the entire half. The ONLY time crews may change ends is at halftime. At NO time are any media members allowed on the field of play.

Photo Marshals: The LFA will use photo marshals to assist on-field media. Photo marshals can assist with providing lineups/rosters, distributing bibs and assist with questions on location and other topics. Crews are required to follow all instructions of the photo marshals.

Bibs: All TV camera operators and TV producers are required to wear a colored bib as provided by the LFA. The bib is lightweight and designed to be worn outside of outerwear and be visible at all times. Please return the bibs to a photo marshal following the game, or leave them in the press box / photographers’ work room.

Live Newscasts: Please contact the LFA in advance of the event if you would like to broadcast live pre or post-game as part of a newscast from the stadium.

Social Media

The LFA will not generally credential media looking to cover a LFA event only for social media purposes. This means someone looking to provide coverage of a match for social media sites not limited or restricted to; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., will be considered for a press credential on a case by case basis but in most cases will not be accommodated for a press credential.

Social Media Reporting: The LFA permits credentialed reporters to report on behalf of their media organizations through social media channels or personal accounts. The LFA permits pictures to be taken from the press box for social media reporting purposes but prohibits the collection of any type of video from the press box. Doing so may result in revocation of press credentials.

Appendix I: Video Guidelines

Television Broadcasters
Filming – Game Action: For televised events, non-rights holders  may record the first 15 minutes of each half (from 00:00 to 15:00 and 45:00 to 60:00 on the game clock). For non-televised events, non-rights holders  may record the entire game but are still subject to the aforementioned limits. This includes events that are web streamed live online.

Filming – Interviews and Scene Sets: There is no limit to the gathering of footage pre-game, at halftime and post-game. All footage gathered is subject to the usage guidelines indicated in this document.

Online Video

Game Action: Online organizations (including print publications that post video online) are not permitted to film or use game action video at any time. Game action includes any footage of the field, teams, etc., following the beginning of the television broadcast window. Only video of off-field activities (i.e. interviews, training sessions) may be recorded.

Professional Presentation: Online video is expected to be recorded, edited and presented in a professional manner. Video must be presented/hosted on an organization’s website, and not solely on a site provided by a third-party (i.e. YouTube, Vimio, Facebook, etc.).

Appendix II: Non-Rights Holder Audio Guidelines

Radio Broadcasters
Play-by-Play Accounts: Play-by-play accounts are forbidden by non-rights holders at any time.

Appendix III: Live Written Updates

All Media
Online or text reports (i.e., live blogs, Twitter, etc.) concerning LFA games while they are in progress (“Live Written Updates”) are subject to the following:

• Live updates may not use any audio, video or graphic simulations of LFA games.
• Live updates must provide television and radio broadcast information for that LFA Game.  For example: “Tonight’s Lone Star game is being broadcast live on (name of television/radio station).”
• All live updates must be free of charge to readers.

Note: This policy does not prohibit the posting of the facts of a game (i.e., goals scored, cards given, game score and time remaining).