• Includes creators of long-form stories or compositions about marine sciences, such as books or feature-length documentary films.
• Must present evidence of a current project in the marine sciences or a project in the marine sciences published in the past year.

• Includes freelance journalists who regularly report or produce news on the marine sciences for a recognized news media outlet that engages in reporting and distributing information directly to the general public.
• Must present three (3) bylined news reports in the marine sciences intended for the general public and published in the past year.

• Includes science communicators and writers of recognized scientific societies, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit marine science research organizations whose primary role focuses on communicating science with the public.
• Must show evidence of three (3) bylined, original news or feature stories in the marine sciences published in the past year and intended for the general public.
• SMM2024 provides complimentary press registration to professional journalists representing media organizations for the express purpose of gathering news and information to produce media coverage of the SMM2024 Biennial Conference. Freelance journalists, photographers, videographers, bloggers, authors, filmmakers, public information officers and institutional writers may also be eligible to receive complimentary press registration.

• Includes journalists who regularly report, edit or produce news on the marine and ocean conservation sciences and are employed at a recognized news media outlet (newspaper, wire service, magazine, radio, television or online media outlet) that engages in reporting and distributing information directly to the general public. Media outlets associated with advocacy organizations must be explicitly editorially independent of the advocacy organization.
• Must present a press card, business card or webpage of a recognized media outlet stating their name, title and affiliation; or a letter from an editor of a recognized news media outlet assigning coverage of SMM2024.

• Includes photo and video journalists whose primary purpose is news gathering and dissemination, and who regularly produce images and/or video for recognized news media outlets that distribute information directly to the general public.
• Must present a press card, business card or webpage of a recognized media outlet stating their name, title and affiliation; a letter from an editor of a recognized news media outlet assigning coverage of the conference; or a portfolio of work that includes images and video of news reports on the marine sciences.

• Includes public information and press officers of recognized scientific societies, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit marine research organizations whose primary role focuses on communicating science with the press or public, and are attending the meeting to facilitate interaction between scientists and journalists.
• Must present a business card or webpage clearly showing job position, a letter from a supervisor describing job duties or a recent sample of relevant material distributed to the press, such as a news release.

• Includes writers for recognized, editorially-independent blogs that have been in existence for at least one year, have a readership of at least 3,000 unique visitors or sessions per month, and regularly produce original news content in the marine sciences. Blogs should have editorial freedom from advertising sponsors and sponsors must be clearly identified. Corporate-owned blogs and personal blogs are ineligible for press credentials.
• Must present evidence of three (3) bylined news posts in the marine sciences in the past year and a screen shot of blog analytics covering the period of the past year showing the number of unique visitors or users per month. (Click here for an example.) The SMM2024 Media Committee may, on a case-by-case basis, weigh a bloggers’ social media following in determining eligibility for registration.

Representatives of publishing houses, the business side of news media, political action committees or similar, and for-profit corporations, will not be accredited as press and will not be eligible for complimentary press registration. Editors of journals or other publications who do not report for or edit their outlet’s news section will also not be accredited as press and are not eligible for complimentary press registration.Press registrants receive, at no charge, a badge that provides access to all scientific sessions, the press room and the press conference room. Some Biennial Conference events and activities, including but not limited to invitation-only events, special dinners and communications workshops, are not open to press badge holders. Scientists who will be presenting at the meeting and who are also reporting from the meeting for a recognized media outlet may also be issued press credentials at the discretion of the SMM2024 Media Liaison. Anyone who presents at the meeting must also register for the meeting and pay the appropriate fee as a presenter. These registrants should first register as press and indicate that they are also a presenter on their press registration form. These registrants should not register as a presenter until after being contacted by a member of the SMM2024 Media Liaison who will provide additional information for registering as a presenter.