09/21/17 – Fall Sports Championship Media Credentials

September 21, 2017

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The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for the Fall Sports Championships is now live, and can be accessed by going to credentials.khsaa.org.

Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media that regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system (credentials.khsaa.org).

Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of his/her organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves the right to limit the quantity of credentials issued to media outlets when space is at a premium.

Failure to adhere to the KHSAA policies and guidelines, as well as unauthorized use of the media credential, will result in the revocation of the credential and non-issuance of future passes.

DISTRIBUTION POLICY
1 – Credentials will be provided to established and recognized media outlets that cover high school athletics on a regular basis (including, but not limited to, timely reports of regular season competitions);
2 – No athletic recruiting organizations or media outlets that can be construed as recruiting publications will be credentialed;
3 – Media passes will not be issued to persons under 18 years of age (with the exception of a School Media Pass);
4 – Passes may be revoked at any time for behavior deemed inappropriate for the intended use of the pass, including transferring a credential to someone other than its intended recipient, or using the pass to help others gain access to an event. A credential grants the bearer, and only the bearer, access to KHSAA events, and does not include admission for children and family members;
5 – Media members are expected to act professionally and objectively at all times. Cheering or cheerleading during an event is strictly prohibited and can result in removal from the press area;
6 – At any time, the KHSAA may request proof of a media outlets’ legitimacy. To help the KHSAA protect access to its events, media members applying for credentials may be asked to provide samples of their work as well as information such as circulation numbers (newspapers/magazines), Aribtron Ratings numbers or similar information (broadcast), page views/hits (online entities);
7 – Freelance photographers not working for an accredited media outlet will be treated as Commercial Photographers, and will only gain access to an event by paying the media rights fee for the event in question;
8 – Each team advancing to a state championship event can be represented by one (1) broadcast team (radio or online), which will be designated by the participating school’s principal;
9 – Schools are permitted one (1) School Media Pass at each championship event, which is limited to students or full-time staff members at the participating school.

The distribution of credentials is conducted using the following priorities:
1. Daily Newspapers and Wire Services;
2. Statewide Media (TV, etc.);
3. Media Covering Specific Teams on a Regular Basis;
4. Regional Media;
5. All Other Outlets (Non-Broadcast Radio, weekly media, etc.).
Credentials may be issued on a limited basis to valid websites that report timely results. They are not issued to message board websites or to websites that do not regularly contain Kentucky based high school regular season content throughout the year. The KHSAA reserves the right to grant or deny any requests on an individual basis.

OWNERSHIP OF RIGHTS
The intellectual property, corporate, broadcasting and media rights to all State championship rounds of the KHSAA postseason championships belong exclusively to the KHSAA, including titling agreements and sponsorships. As such, the KHSAA is the only entity permitted to originate a live broadcast during state championship events (this includes the use of streaming platforms such as Periscope and Facebook Live by media members). Broadcasts of prior rounds of the state championships (region, district, etc.) are permitted provided the requisite media rights fee has been paid to the association per its agreement with the NFHS Network. Video streaming through social media platforms is also prohibited unless the rights fee has been paid to the Association.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography passes are provided to accredited news media outlets in conjunction with print outlets and affiliate websites. Commercial and freelance photographers can obtain fee-based credentials, space permitting. Information regarding rights fee payments will be confirmed through the online credentialing system.

While photographers own the intellectual rights to individual photos, the KHSAA owns the intellectual property rights to all state championship events; therefore photos taken during these games are not for resale by individuals unless the requisite media rights fee has been paid by commercial photographers. By accepting your credential you agree to all KHSAA terms and conditions. The KHSAA reserves the right to deny credentials to commercial and freelance photographers who do not agree to these terms and conditions. Failure to abide by the KHSAA’s policies and procedures could result in having your credential revoked and a loss of access to future events.

WEBCASTING/VIDEO STREAMING
Live video webcasts of select games from the Soccer, Volleyball and Football Championships will be available at KHSAA.tv through the NFHS Network (http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/), which is a subscription-based service. Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available for $9.95 a month. A monthly subscription, priced less than the cost of admission to a state championship event, entitles users to every broadcast by the KHSAA and the more than 40 participating state associations.

A free audio-only feed of the games will also be available online through Mixlr (http://mixlr.com/khsaa/), which has a corresponding app available for iOS and Android devices.

All webcasts are produced by the KHSAA in partnership with First String Media and Prepspin.com.

TEAM BROADCAST RADIO/INTERNET
Each participating team can be represented by one designated broadcast team (radio or online). Approved team broadcasts are audio only. Once the tournament field is set, the designated representative at each participating school will complete the online form and submit it to the KHSAA to designate one official team broadcast crew. The designated broadcast team will be permitted to originate broadcasts of games involving that specific school, so long as the requisite media rights fee is paid to the KHSAA. A radio station not chosen by the participating school may apply for an auxiliary credential to attend the tournament, but will not be given transmission rights. KHSAA.org is the exclusive home for video webcasts of state championship events.

– KHSAA –

The KHSAA staff routinely publishes blog posts to better communicate with its various constituencies and the public. For a list of those blogs, go to http://khsaa.org/news-stats-pubs/news-and-information/sports-blogs/

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