PIO actions to accommodate media access at the scene include: 

• Establish a media staging/briefing area that doesn’t hinder operations, but affords the media reasonable, legitimate access. 
• When selecting a staging/briefing area, choose your background wisely. If you do not want something recorded by the media, cover it up or shield it with a vehicle. Use the staging area for all media releases, printed materials, live updates, and conferences — it will keep them there! 
• Reporters may record anything that they see or hear. They should not be told to stop recording. Always assume you are being recorded! 
• Coordinate access to persons in charge. 
• Occasionally it is necessary to restrict access to an area from the multitude of assembled media, but you still want to provide access under a more controlled system, such as a “media pool.” A media pool is simply one representative from each of the four types of media (television, radio, print and Internet) who will be allowed access to a restricted area. These representatives are allowed access with the understanding that any video, audio or interviews they acquire will be shared with all of the rest of the media. Sometimes media representatives need to include more than one person from each media type (e.g., television might need a reporter and a camera operator, a newspaper might need a reporter and a photographer). This practice is legitimate and should be allowed. Members of the media must decide among themselves who will be in the media pool. Do not put yourself in the position of choosing for them.