Skip to Content
Policy and Procedure Statements

A/PPS 06.01 - Media Relations

Media Relations

A/PPS No. 06.01 (1.1)
Issue No. 2
Effective Date: 6/01/2021
Next Review Date: 11/01/2024 (E3Y)
Sr. Reviewer: Director, Athletics

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to fostering relationships with media outlets to ensure proper representation of the university.

  1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

    1. As an intercollegiate NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision institution, the events and activities of the Texas State University Department of Athletics are of special interest to the public. The Department of Athletics depends upon the Sports Information Office to publicize information regarding all intercollegiate sports teams in a professional manner, creating both interest and support for the intercollegiate athletics program.

      The Sports Information Office serves as the intermediary between the university’s athletic teams and local, regional, and national media outlets.

  2. RESPONSIBILITIES

    1. The assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information and assistant Sports Information members will be responsible for the following:

      1. writing, editing, and publishing athletic-related news releases, event programs, and annual sports brochures;

      2. compiling and disseminating statistical information and other requested material to the NCAA, Sun Belt Conference, and governing bodies of individual sports in a timely manner;

      3. creating and updating information on the Department of Athletics’ website and social media pages;

      4. responding to media inquiries in a timely manner;

      5. coordinating all requests from media outlets (e.g., radio, television, and newspaper reporters) for information and interviews with athletic administrators, coaches, and student-athletes;

      6. coordinating photography sessions for each sports team and distributing photographs as allowed by the university, Sun Belt Conference, and NCAA;

      7. helping student-athletes gain postseason academic and athletic honors;

      8. developing working relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets and providing information, including feature ideas, in a timely manner;

      9. maintaining accurate, historical files on the university’s athletic programs including statistical records and images; and

      10. keeping the university’s Media Relations staff informed in an effort to keep the university public aware of events and activities.

  3. LOCAL MEDIA

    1. Appropriate cultivation and stewardship of the media will be handled by the assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information. This includes, but is not limited to: media days, media luncheons, banquets or dinners, and public relations visits.

  4. INTERVIEW PROCEDURES

    1. The Department of Athletics will make every effort to coordinate interviews between the media and its student-athletes and coaching staff. Dependent on practice schedules, student-athletes and coaches will be available prior to or at the conclusion of practice.

      Interviews can also be set up during the day, when possible, around the student-athletes’ and coaches’ class and meeting schedules.

      Phone interviews with student-athletes and coaches can also be arranged around class and meeting schedules and should be requested well in advance. No telephone interviews are permitted on game days.

      Following events, each sport’s coach and selected student-athletes will be made available to answer questions from the media after a brief 10-minute cooling off period. Media may request particular players for post-game interviews.

  5. PROCEDURE FOR ISSUING EVENT CREDENTIALS

    1. Credentials for Texas State home games are issued for working media and legitimate news organizations. Credentials should be requested 48 hours prior to an event. Sports Information staff will adhere to policies put in place by NCAA regarding credentialing members of the media. Credentials for athletic events are granted to those members of the media (reporters, photographers, or videographers) from the following:

      1. daily newspaper and radio or television station which cover Texas State Athletics or a visiting team on a daily basis;

      2. specialty publication on Texas State or visiting teams;

      3. Texas State student newspaper or radio station;

      4. website of participating institutions;

      5. agencies engaged by Texas State to record the event;

      6. representatives of radio, television, and cablecast networks given rights to televise a contest on a national or regional basis; and

      7. other media outlets approved based upon proximity to the Texas State campus, circulation, subject to availability, or a member of Texas State Athletics.

      Credentials are not issued to any individual not serving in an assigned working capacity for a legitimate news organization (e.g., a photographer working on a portfolio is not provided with press credentials).

      Photographers and videographers will be requested to comply with the guidelines set forth by NCAA on photographing and shooting video at events. They will be made aware of and will be expected to stay away from off-limit areas to the media (i.e., team locker rooms and offices, training rooms, and other team areas).

      Requests made for scouting purposes should be made in advance to the Sports Information Office and must conform with NCAA policies.

  6. RADIO BROADCASTS

    1. Learfield’s Texas State Sports Properties owns the media rights for Texas State Athletics. The official flagship station is KTSW (89.9 FM). Radio contact requests and information should be directed to the general manager of Sports Properties. Stations designated as official by visiting opponents will be provided a courtesy telephone line, ISDN line, or ethernet connection on press row or in the press box. Additional broadcast needs are dependent on availability, and charges may appl

  7. PROCEDURE FOR PUBLICATIONS

    1. The Sports Information Office will coordinate, edit, and distribute publications and news releases to both print and electronic media. All media guides and brochures are the copyrighted property of the Department of Athletics, and the assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information has final authority on all brochures and publications. All media guides and other departmental publications should be approved by the assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Sport Administrators before going to print.

  8. CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND SPECIAL ISSUES

    1. The director of Athletics is the front-line spokesperson on any Department of Athletics issue which may become public through media coverage. All Department of Athletics administrative staff and coaches should first direct any media to the director of Athletics via the Sports Information Office. Under no circumstances should an Athletics staff member, head coach, or student-athlete make any sort of comment regarding a crisis without direction from the director of Athletics.

  9. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

    1. Reviewer of this PPS includes the following:

      PositionDate
      Director, AthleticsNovember 1 E3Y

  10. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Athletics policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    Director, Athletics; senior reviewer of this PPS

    President