Press

All working press must have Spring Meetings credentials to attend the meetings.

Requests for media accreditation will be denied if applicants cannot establish they are professional journalists.

To be accredited:

• Journalists in the Washington area must have press credentials issued by either the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the House and Senate Press Gallery, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the USIA Foreign Press Center.
• Journalists based outside Washington must have:
  1. press credentials issued by national or local authorities;
     
     OR
     
     
  2. clear evidence that you are on assignment from a specific news organization or publication. This applies to all freelancers, including photographers. A valid assignment letter from that news organization, or publication, is required. Photographic agencies must provide clear evidence from a client news organization or publication.
     
     Submissions should be sent to:
     

     Press Registration
     Email: press@imf.org
     Fax: +1 202-623-4004

If such credentials are not held, or are in question, it will be at the discretion of the World Bank Group and the IMF to determine whether access to the Spring Meetings is granted.

Journalists who meet the requirements above should register on-line at https://www-amsweb-ext.imf.org/press-ext/reg.aspx .

Registration for press credentials will close on Saturday, April 18, 2015.

The World Bank Group or the IMF will not be responsible for journalists' travel costs and/or other expenses.

Journalists traveling from overseas to cover the Spring Meetings, who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States, are reminded that they will need to display a valid I visa to immigration officials at their port of entry into the U.S.

Before departure, participants are requested to obtain entry visas for the United States from the U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in their countries. The lack of a valid visa may cause authorities to deny boarding at the port of embarkation, as well as delays in clearance with immigration authorities upon arrival at the port of entry into the United States.

Participants should be aware that changes are being made to U.S. immigration procedures for certain countries, including some which are currently under the Visa Waiver Program. It is strongly recommended that all participants check with their nearest U.S. diplomatic or consular mission, or on the internet at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html, for the procedures which will be in effect at the time of the Spring Meetings. If visas are required, applications should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time for processing.

Journalists who have been approved for accreditation can pick up credentials starting at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 13, 2015, at the Press Registration Desk, located 1850 I Street, NW, Washington, DC. You are required to present press credentials and photo identification.

The Spring Meetings press credentials grant access to the Press Room, press conferences and briefings in IMF Headquarters. In order to access offices in the World Bank Group and the IMF buildings, accredited press should be escorted by WBG or IMF staff.

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations should visit Information for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for details on CSO accreditation.

The Press Room is located in the IMF HQ2 building, at the corner of 19th St and Pennsylvania Avenue, and will open at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 13, and close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2015.

Technicians for financial news wires and other accredited news organizations may arrange for advanced access to the IMF Headquarters press room through special arrangements with the IMF's Media Relations Division (media@imf.org).

The press room has limited space, and operates on a first come, first-served basis. Each desk will be equipped with power outlets. Self-service fax machines will be available in the Press Room, although use will require a major credit card. The Press Room provides wireless (Wi-Fi) access for personal laptops. For further information regarding telecommunications arrangements within the IMF, please contact Cecile Pratt, Tel: (202) 623-6192 E-mail: cpratt@imf.org

Computers are not provided to journalists. However, a limited number of internet kiosks will be available in the Press Room. The Internet kiosks allow easy access to the World Bank Group web site and the IMF web site. The web sites will have links to a joint Spring Meetings' site containing the schedule of press events, as well as transcripts, news releases, and other information as it becomes available.

The press room does not have ISDN lines in place. Journalists who require an ISDN line can order one directly through Verizon. Please e-mail Potomac.media@verizon.com or call (301) 236-6012.

World Bank Group and IMF media relations divisions handle requests for interviews with World Bank Group and IMF officials during the Meetings. However, the press officers do not service interview requests for official delegations to the Meetings. Those requests must be made directly to the delegations.

There will be photo opportunities at the start of ministerial committee meetings (e.g. Development Committee and International Monetary and Financial Committee), which may be pooled depending on demand.

Photojournalists are requested to assemble 15 minutes prior to the event at the World Bank Group/IMF Press Desk.

A selection of still photos in high resolution will be available after each event on the Meetings web site and on http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldbank and www.flickr.com/photos/imfphoto. Download and use of images are free of charge, but must be credited to the listed photographer and organization when published online or in print.

In addition, broadcast quality video clips of selected press conferences will be available for downloading on http://mediacenter.imf.org/ and on www.un.org/unifeed. This service is free of charge.

For World Bank Group events, broadcast quality clips will be available for download at www.un.org/unifeed and on our World Bank Group FTP Server. For inquiries contact Mehreen Sheikh at the World Bank Group on (202) 458 7336 - msheikh1@worldbankgroup.org

To inquire about the video and audio transmission arrangements from IMF Headquarters, please contact Jennifer Beckman at the IMF at jbeckman@imf.org. Please note that LiveUs cannot be used within the IMF buildings.

Broadcasters who would like to do live interviews may park their trucks on the street. Please contact Sgt. Kenny Bryson at the MPD (Metropolitan Police Department, contact number 202-727-4383) for information regarding the exact location for parking the trucks.

A tentative schedule of the press conferences is available here.

All press briefings are transcribed and posted on the external web sites of the World Bank Group and IMF as soon as possible. Most briefings will also be webcast live.

The Media Briefing Center offers advance access to embargoed information of the World Bank Group. It is a password-protected site for working journalists only.

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The IMF Press Center offers advance access to embargoed IMF information. It is a password-protected site for working journalists only.

Already Registered? Login

Not Registered Yet? Register today!