MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS FOR GENERAL DEBATE OF FIFTY-NINTH SESSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 21 SEPTEMBER - 1 OCTOBER

Note to Correspondents

MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS FOR GENERAL DEBATE OF FIFTY-NINTH SESSION

OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 21 SEPTEMBER - 1 OCTOBER

The general debate of the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly will begin on Tuesday, 21 September, and will continue through Friday, 1 October, in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters.  The Building will be closed to the public from 19 September to 1 October, and access will be restricted to those persons who are accredited and wearing a United Nations grounds pass.

Access for accredited media, with a valid United Nations grounds pass, will be through the Visitors’ Entrance at 46th Street and First Avenue or the entrance at 42nd Street and First Avenue.  Resident correspondents without equipment are exempt from screening through metal detectors.  However, resident correspondents carrying media equipment will have to pass their equipment through security screening.

Non-resident media representatives and their equipment will be required to pass through a magnetometer.  Camera crews accompanying resident and non-resident correspondents, as well as all categories of temporary correspondents, must use the Visitors’ Entrance at 46th Street where they and their equipment must pass through security screening.

Media Accreditation

Correspondents already in possession of a valid United Nations grounds pass will not need additional accreditation for the general debate.  All others should make arrangements to receive accreditation by contacting:

Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU)

Room S-250

Tel.:  (212) 963-6934 or (212) 963-7164

Fax:  (212) 963-4642.

The Media Accreditation Pass and ID Office is located in the UNITAR Building, 807 United Nations Plaza, Room U-100, on the corner of 45th Street and First Avenue.  Accreditation for the general debate will be issued at the North Lawn tent facility, located at First Avenue and 47th Street.

Correspondents can begin the registration process online by logging on to the MALU web site, at www.un.org/media/accreditation.  The French version is at www.un.org/french/media/accreditation and the Spanish at www.un.org/spanish/media/accreditation

The hours of operation for the Pass and ID Office will be, as follows:

DAY	DATE	TIME
Tuesday	14 September	7 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent
Wednesday	15 September	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent
Thursday	16 September	8 a.m. - 8 p.m.  Tent
Friday	17 September	8 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Tent
Saturday	18 September	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.  Tent
Sunday	19 September	9 a.m. - 9 p.m.  Tent
Monday	20 September	7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tent
Tuesday	21 September.	7 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Wednesday	22 September	7 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Thursday	23 September	7 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Friday	24 September.	7 a.m. - 7 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Saturday	25 September	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Tent
Sunday	26 September	9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Tent
Monday	27 September	8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tent   General Debate
Tuesday	28 September	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Wednesday	29 September	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Thursday	30 September	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent   General Debate
Friday	01 October	8 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Tent   General Debate

All media personnel are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time for processing of passes.  Last-minute arrivals will encounter delays, including road closures for motorcades.

Due to staffing shortage, as well as security metal-detection procedures, some delays may be expected in escorting the media to the locations of meetings and events.

Stakeouts will be located in the following areas:  the Delegates’ Entrance, the Secretariat Entrance and on the 2nd floor near the Security Council Chamber.

For information about the general debate, log on to the United Nations web site, at www.un.org/ga/.  The site has links to all other language versions. 

United Nations Audiovisual Materials

Photographs, videotapes and audiocassettes are available from the United Nations.  During the general debate, the offices providing these services will open at 9 a.m.

Digital photographs will be available to accredited correspondents free of charge.  Digital photographs of speakers will be available soon after the speeches are delivered and prints will be available the following day for a nominal fee.  Please direct photo inquiries and requests to:

United Nations Photo Library

Room S-805L

Tel.: (212) 963-0034 or (212) 963-6927

Fax: (212) 963-3430

Audiocassettes of speeches will be available, free of charge, from:

United Nations Audio Library

Room GA-1B-27)

Tel.: (212) 963-9272 or (212) 963-9269

Fax: (212) 963-4501

Speeches are normally available in the original (“floor”) language in which they are delivered.  Special requests for a recording of the interpreter’s track in one of the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) should be made in advance, and are subject to the limitations of the recording facilities.

Live television feeds will be available through commercial carriers.  For information, please contact:

UNTV

Tel.: (212) 963-7560

Fax: (212) 963-3860

Please note that unilateral television production services will not be available from United Nations Television during the general debate.

Videotapes of televised proceedings are available from the film/video archives for a nominal charge.  Inquiries and requests should be addressed to:

Room:  S-2B-66

Tel.:  (212) 963-1561 or (212) 963-0656

Fax:  (212) 963-3430 or (212) 963-4501

Other Arrangements

Pool Coverage:  Owing to logistics and space considerations, selected media pools will do nearly all visual media coverage.  The pools are reserved exclusively for United Nations Television and United Nations photographers, internal wire services and photo agencies.  In the case of print media, the United Nations Correspondents’ Association (UNCA) will notify the Department of Public Information (DPI) of its representatives.

TV and Photo Coverage in the General Assembly Hall:  There are seats available for media representatives in the Press Gallery of the General Assembly Hall.  Tickets will be distributed in Room S-250 and at the Media Liaison Desk, on the 3rd floor of the General Assembly Building, half an hour before the morning and afternoon meetings, on a first-come, first-served basis, and, subsequently, as space becomes available.  Correspondents leaving the Press Gallery before the end of a meeting should return their tickets to the Media Liaison Desk for use by others.

Quiet Room for TV Interviews:  A small, quiet room will be available for ENG taped interviews.  Broadcasters need to bring their own portable lights.  For bookings/inquiries, contact:

Media Liaison Desk

Tel. (212) 963-7756 or (212) 963-3353

Copies of Speeches for Press:  The texts of speeches by heads of State, heads of government or heads of delegation, as provided by delegations, are available from the relevant delegations and the Media Documents Centre, located in the 3rd floor press area.

United Nations Press Release Coverage:  DPI will provide press release coverage, in English and French, of the general debate, other proceedings in the General Assembly Hall and Security Council meetings.  Press releases may be obtained from the Media Documents Centre in the 3rd floor press area, and are also available on the United Nations Web site, at www.un.org/News (English) and www.un.org/french/newscentre (French).  Further queries should be directed to:

Meetings Coverage Section:

Tel. (212) 963-7211 (English Unit)

Tel. (212) 963-7191 (French Unit)

Internet:  The United Nations Web site will present full coverage, in English, of the general debate at: www.un.org/ga/ and in the other five official languages under their respective pages.  It will offer a live webcast of the official proceedings of the general debate, as well as selected press conferences.  The Web site will also make available texts of statements in the plenary in their original language, press releases, radio programmes and photos, along with background information regarding the general debate.  The URL is www.un.org/webcast.  The general debate webcast will be archived for six months.

Press Conferences and Briefings for Journalists:  During the general debate, press conferences will be held in room S-226.  The briefing by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General and by the Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly will be held daily, at noon, in the same room.

Coverage of Bilateral Meetings:  Photo opportunities will be available for bilateral meetings that are open for coverage.  Media representatives covering these meetings will be asked to assemble at the Media Liaison Desk on the 3rd floor of the General Assembly Building, from which point they will be escorted by a Liaison Officer from DPI.

Coverage of Treaty Signature/Ratification Event:  Media representatives will be able to cover the signature and ratification of treaties during the general debate from a special platform near the Delegates’ Entrance (ground level).  There will be space for a limited number of photographers.  Please direct inquiries to:

Media Liaison Desk

Tel. (212) 963-7756 or (212) 963-3353

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