Pro Rodeo Canada Media Guidelines

NOTE: The following guidelines govern media covering CPRA events. All media must review these. At the discretion of the CPRA and/or the respective rodeo committee, failure to adhere to these may result in forfeiture of media credentials and escort from the premises, as well as refusal of accreditation for future events. Unless specified otherwise, journalists and media are general terms for print, electronic, television, Internet and photo journalists.

General media guidelines and regulations

• Credentials are distributed on an as-available basis to journalists of recognized news outlets who are on assignment to cover the event and/or the CPRA. Journalists must represent recognized daily or weekly newspapers; news services; recognized publications and outlets that regularly cover rodeo; recognized national/regional radio and television networks; local radio and television stations; and/or recognized Internet sites. In each case, this is determined by the CPRA and the respective rodeo at their sole discretion.
• Accreditation badge must be worn at all times.
• Freelance journalists and photographers must provide proof of assignment to be considered for accreditation. They also must sign a form confirming that the images taken will only be used for that specific publication and for that specific story.
• News media credential applications and approvals to cover individual CPRA rodeos are available through the Canadian Rodeo News office. Media credentials must be requested no less than one week in advance.
• Security checkpoints and procedures have been implemented for the safety and protection of all. Accredited media are expected to cooperate with the procedures and requirements implemented for access to the media, photographer and broadcast areas. Media access will vary by rodeo, and the media rules of the respective rodeo must be followed.
• Contestants are available for interviews after they compete.
• Many of the individuals staffing media areas are volunteers, and the accredited media and broadcasters are expected to treat them with courtesy and respect.
• Media access to contestant warm-up areas depends on the regulations of the respective rodeo.

Television, radio and internet

The CPRA owns the rights to originate live, play-by-play coverage from the rodeo grounds, and in many instances, these rights may have been awarded to a broadcast or cable network and/or an Internet provider. Subject to the limitations previously outlined, non-rights-holding local radio, television stations, networks and Internet providers are encouraged to cover CPRA events with the following limitations.

• The CPRA retains all rights in and to the filming, taping, recording in any media now or hereafter known, still footage/photography, videography, radio or television broadcasting or reproduction in any manner or form thereof of any CPRA-sanctioned event. The only exemption is coverage for local, regularly scheduled newscasts. Any non-local news outlets must first get approval from the national CPRA office and the local rodeo before it can shoot footage at any CPRA-sanctioned rodeo.

• Television, radio and broadcast credentials applications and approvals to cover individual CPRA rodeos are available through the CPRA office. Credentials must be requested no less than two weeks in advance.
• Some rodeo rounds are televised, and for those sessions, access may be limited.
• Any TV/radio broadcaster who does not comply with the above regulations will, without warning, have his/her accreditation withdrawn for the remainder of the rodeo and may be banned by the CPRA from covering future events.
• For local, regional and national TV news coverage, coverage of CPRA rodeos shall not exceed three minutes in length in the daily aggregate and must be a part of a regularly scheduled newscast. Only taped footage may be included in these reports. The outlet may not purport to show live, play-by-play coverage from a rodeo unless approved in advance by the local rodeo and the CPRA.
• Local credentialed TV outlets may broadcast live from the rodeo grounds, as long as the broadcast does not include action from inside the arena (which is covered above).
• Television cameras are not allowed on the arena floor, with the exception of the TV network covering the event.
• The CPRA owns the rights to all recorded coverage of its rodeos, whether it airs on a national, regional or local network. All media outlets will provide the CPRA with copies of their coverage upon request.
• Radio and Internet (audio or video) coverage may not purport to be live, play-by-play from the rodeo unless this has been approved and arranged in advance with the local committee and the CPRA.


General photography guidelines

• Only accredited photographers may shoot at a CPRA-sanctioned rodeo for media and/or commercial purposes.
• Freelance photographers will not be accredited without proof of assignment for a specific media outlet and without signing an agreement for limiting usage of the images to the specified assignment.
• Only CPRA photographers are allowed to shoot in the arena. The only exception to this is for a post-rodeo ceremony shot, if applicable.
• Photographers must shoot from designated photo areas as set out by the rodeo committee. Photographers may not shoot behind the bucking chutes during a rough-stock event except with specific committee approval and may only shoot from there for timed events with the appropriate approval.
• Any secondary non-editorial or commercial use of any picture, film or drawing of a competitor is prohibited without prior consent of the CPRA, the contestant and/or the stock contractor.
• Only CPRA accredited photographers and approved media will be allowed on site with professional camera equipment and/or long lenses.

Photographers who do not comply fully with the above regulations may, without warning, have their credentials withdrawn for the remainder of the rodeo and could be banned by CPRA from attending future events.