For Press Secretaries


State of the Union 2011

 

Gallery Regulars:
The radio and television reporters who regularly work out of the Senate gallery.


How we can help:

The staff of the Gallery serves as a liaison between Senate offices and news correspondents and works to keep broadcasters informed of Senate activities. Senate Gallery staff members attend all Senate functions covered by the broadcast media and may be called upon for assistance or for a list of those members of the broadcast media attending.

NEWS CONFERENCE LOCATIONS

**Senate Radio-Television Gallery Studio, S-325

The Gallery studio, next to the Radio-Television Gallery staff area, is a multimedia room to which all Senate news galleries have access. To avoid scheduling conflicts, use of the studio is coordinated through the Senate Radio-Television Gallery staff. The Gallery staff posts scheduled appearances by Senators on the Gallery’s electronic bulletin board. The information is displayed simultaneously in the other three Senate news galleries and the three House news galleries.

The main studio may be used for news conferences under the following rules:

1) Only members of Congress may be interviewed or make statements in the studio.

2) A member of Congress must be invited to the studio by a member of any Congressional News Media Gallery. The Majority and Minority Leaders do not need invitations to appear in the studio.

3) Only members of Congress, press secretaries and accredited journalists will be allowed in the studio during the news conference.

NO ONE ELSE will be allowed in the studio, so please do not invite special interest groups or government agency officials to attend or participate. Any staff members accompanying their Senator to his or her press conference should stand along the south wall of the Gallery. Access by the staff may be restricted depending on available space.

The Gallery also has a smaller studio that may be used for interviews. Reservations for this facility are made in the same manner.

Alternate Sites

There are several other sites, not under the control of the Galleries, which may be used to hold news conferences when other parties participate. These locations and the offices that coordinate use of them are as follows:

The Capitol Building
1) S-207 – contact: Sergeant at Arms 4-2341.
2) S-211 – contact: Secretary of the Senate 4-3622.

The Capitol Visitors Center
Several SVC rooms (for example SVC 200/201) are available for press events. – contact: Senate Rules Committee 4-6352.

The Senate Office Buildings

1) Committee Rooms – contact: the appropriate committee for permission to use their room.
2) SR-325, SD-106, SH-216 and other rooms under control of the Senate Rules Committee – contact: 4-6352.

Outside

Weather permitting, news conferences may be held at a location on the Capitol grounds established for this purpose.

The “Swamp Site” – located on the grass across the drive from the east Senate steps – has a brick pad and power outlets. Contact the Senate Radio-Television Gallery to avoid conflicts in scheduling.

DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION

Electronic Bulletin Board

Studio appearances, notices of press conferences, stakeouts and photo opportunities will be placed on the electronic bulletin board, which is seen in all Congressional News Media Galleries. Call the Senate Radio-Television Gallery to post items.

Releases

The Radio-Television Gallery will coordinate distribution of Senate press releases. We request that Press Secretaries deliver 20 copies of press releases to S-325 for the members of the broadcast media. These releases will be posted upon arrival. Press secretaries may also personally deliver press releases to Gallery members in their booths.

SENATE COMMITTEES

Committee Coverage

The Gallery staff coordinates broadcast coverage of Senate committee hearings. Senate offices may check with the Gallery after 4:45 p.m. to learn which committees are being covered by the broadcast media the following day.

OUT OF TOWN REPORTERS

Congress requires that all broadcast reporters and technicians covering news events on Capitol Hill be accredited by the Radio-Television Correspondents’ Galleries. Gallery credentials must be displayed while working inside the Capitol complex or on the Capitol grounds. Reporters from your home state, while not eligible for regular membership in the Galleries, may get temporary credentials by contacting the Senate Gallery staff.