Legislative History: Enacted September 19, 2017 (By-law No. CPOL.-124-376); Amended June 26, 2018 (By-law No. CPOL.-278-269)
Last Review Date: August 10, 2021
Service Area Lead: Director, Strategic Communications and Government Relations
1. Policy Statement
This policy outlines guidelines and expectations relating to media access to meetings, City staff, facilities and work locations, and media meals.
2. Definitions
2.1 Media
a) staff or authorized representatives of local, provincial or national print outlets (e.g.: daily, weekly, community/student newspapers);
b) staff or authorized representatives of radio and television agencies;
c) staff or authorized representatives of news websites;
d) staff or authorized representatives of wire services (e.g.: Canada News Wire (CNW), Canadian Press (CP));
e) staff or authorized representatives of local Internet information providers (web authors, bloggers, webcasters, etc.).
3. Applicability
This policy applies to City staff, media and the general public.
4. The Policy
4.1 Media Access to Meetings
The media are welcome to attend and report on all public meetings of the Municipal Council and its committees, ad hoc task forces and working groups.
The City will make every effort to provide the media with seating space in the Council Chambers and other public meeting rooms for the meetings noted above, recognizing that seating availability for the media might occasionally be impacted by the volume of outside delegations and staff in attendance at a meeting, as well as capacity limitations established under the Fire Code.
During meetings, it is expected that all media will conduct themselves in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Audio and videotape recording of public meetings is permitted provided that:
- all recording equipment is completely muted and operated in a manner which does not interfere with the audience’s or participants’ ability to hear or view the meeting proceedings;
- no recording equipment interferes with corporate systems; and
- no recording compromises confidential materials or discussions;
as determined by the Chair or City Clerk or designate.
- Media are not permitted to attend closed sessions of the Municipal Council or its committees, ad hoc task forces and working groups due to the confidential nature of the matters being discussed at these sessions.
Media must remove themselves and all of their equipment and personal effects from the meeting room, in a timely way, when a meeting is moving into closed session.
- Laptop computers and handheld devices, are permitted in the meeting rooms provided that the equipment:
- is completely muted and operated in a manner which does not interfere with the audience’s or participants’ ability to hear or view the meeting proceedings;
- does not interfere with corporate systems;
- does not compromise confidential materials or discussions; and
- does not occupy space otherwise required for a meeting participant or audience member.
- Media are not permitted to approach, interrupt or pass notes to meeting participants during meetings. Notes for meeting participants may be given to the on-duty Commissionaire, who will deliver them to the intended recipient at an appropriate time during the meeting.
- Interviews may not be conducted in meeting rooms while meetings are in progress, or in areas immediately outside meeting rooms where meetings are in progress, in order to avoid disruption to meeting proceedings.
4.2 Media Access to City Staff, Facilities and Work Locations
The media are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the following guidelines when visiting the City of London facilities and work locations:
- No media may enter any City of London facility or work location which is not normally accessible to the general public, without providing satisfactory identification and receiving clearance and a Media Badge by the appropriate City of London manager.
- Photo shoots, film shoots, or interviewing of staff at any City of London facility or work location must be pre-arranged through the appropriate City of London manager or Communications. Note: All non-media related filming information is covered under in the Special Events Administrative Procedures Manual.
- No media shall photograph or film any employee in non-public areas at City Hall or its facilities if, for personal or other reasons, they do not wish to appear in a photograph, video or film. This also applies to others who may be present including, for example, a customer or supplier.
- No media shall conduct themselves in a manner which is disruptive or otherwise poses a safety or security risk at the City of London facilities or work locations.
4.3 Media Meals
The media are welcome to take part in Council and Standing Committee dinners that are provided in the City Hall cafeteria on regular Council and Standing Committee meeting nights. Media must sign in for those dinners and will be required to pay for their meals. The sign-in sheet will be available at the tables designated for the media. Invoices will be issued by the City Clerk’s Office for participating media.
The media must sit at the designated media tables, unless invited by a Member of Council or by a member of the Civic Administration, to join them at their table.
4.4 Compliance with Policy
The Director, Strategic Communications and Government Relations, or their designate, and/or the City Clerk, or their designate, will address any issues of non-compliance with this policy. They may speak directly to the individual and/or their manager or supervisor to discuss any issues and remediation.