Press Membership

Thank you for your interest in becoming press at Kumoricon! With this year already shaping up to be another amazing year, we are pleased to open applications for professional and amateur press to join us this year.

Press applications for 2025 will open soon. We strive to attract a wide variety of press outlets to receive the best coverage for our event. To facilitate this, we feature the following tiered press categories:

Emerging Press

If you are an amateur journalist, a journalism student, part of a school news team, represent an organization founded after September 1, 2024, and/or do not meet the listed Standard Press requirements, you are considered Emerging Press. There is a limit of two badges per organization for Emerging Press.

Emerging Press membership features:

  • Complimentary weekend membership to Kumoricon
  • Ability to sign up for early entry into events for setup if space is available:
    • Advance sign-up required
    • First-come, first-served
    • Generally 1 spot per outlet, per panel; up to 2 spots in Main Events
  • Entry into press conferences, if available (advance sign-up required)

Standard Press

Standard Press is defined as an established news outlet. Your organization or outlet must have been active for at least a year; "active" to be determined based on your press type (see below). Traditional Print will be considered "active" if they are visibly published every three months.

Standard Press organizations are generally granted up to four badges per team, but larger teams may be accepted.

Standard Press membership features:

  • Ability to sign up for early entry into events for setup if space is available:
    • Advance sign-up required
    • First-come, first-served
    • Generally 1–2 spots per outlet, per panel; and 2–3 spots in Main Events
  • Early admittance to pass-required events, if space is available:
    • Advance sign-up required
    • Does not include participation in events with an additional charge unless you have paid that extra charge already
    • Generally 1 spot per outlet, per event; up to 2 spots with prior arrangement
  • The chance to request private interviews with our Guests of Honor
  • Complimentary weekend membership to Kumoricon
  • Entry into press conferences (advance sign-up required)

Types and qualifications for press

While Kumoricon welcomes a wide variety of press outlets, we do have a set of qualifications for what makes an outlet eligible for our press membership. If your type of press is not listed, you can still apply! We will determine your eligibility based on the information you provide. We may respond to your application asking for additional information to determine eligibility. Please note that meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee that your application will be accepted.

Local/national news, television, and radio outlets (broadcast media)

At the time you apply, your news outlet must have been in production for at least a year. This can be an online, newspaper, radio, or television news outlet. You must be able to show us that your news outlet is currently active.

Traditional print

At the time you apply, your print publication or organization must have been in production for at least a year. There must be visible updates at least once every three months.

News blogs/web-zines

At the time you apply, your blog or web-zine must have been in production for at least a year. It must be updated at least twice a month with new content and be on a public forum. If seeing your publication requires an account or payment, a trial account may be required for us to evaluate whether to approve your outlet.

Video bloggers/podcasters

To qualify for press membership based on video blogs, you must be an active blogger/podcaster that has been active for more than a year at the time of applying. You must have at least three video/podcast episodes a month to be considered active.

Photography/photojournalism

At this time, Kumoricon is not accepting press outlets that are exclusively focused on photography. However, Kumoricon will grant press membership to photographers that are covering our event as part of an approved press outlet.

Journalism students

At the time of the event, you must be enrolled in a Journalism track at a school of higher education (community college, university, etc.) and have a letter of acknowledgment or proof of required coursework/assignment from your professor. Proof of enrollment (unofficial transcript) is required at badge pick-up. High school students who are part of a high school news outlet may be accepted on a case-by-case basis, even if they are underage; please email press@kumoricon.org for details.

Other (please explain)

If your press type is not listed here, but you still think you would work well with our event, don't hesitate to apply. There will be a space in the application for your outlet to explain what your medium is, as well as to show examples of your work. To qualify for this, we require that you be an active outlet for at least a year and a half at the time of applying. You must have at least six robust examples of your work to be considered. Less may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Policies and guidelines

All press will be held to the same code of conduct that applies to general attendees. Please review the Convention Code of Conduct.

  • All press members must identify themselves to staff by having a Kumoricon press badge visible.
  • Any member of press must be age 18+ to qualify for press membership unless they are a high school student with prior approval for Emerging Press.
  • Photography of specific merchandise in KumoriMarket requires express approval from the exhibitor or artist.
  • Use of flash photography must be approved at each event individually.
  • Each member of a press outlet who will be attending must complete a press application.
  • Press must follow any photography restrictions that apply to regular attendees, which may include restrictions at particular panels or events.
  • Offering or soliciting paid photographs or photoshoots is not allowed in convention space (either with a regular membership or press membership).

Memberships are limited and not all applications will be approved. The number of badges issued to an outlet is at the discretion of the Director of Publicity and the Press Manager. Members of a press outlet will each receive individual consideration of their qualifications. If it is found that a membership has been requested under false pretenses, memberships for that entire organization will not be approved and/or will be revoked. A press outlet may be approved for press membership at a different tier than the one they applied for.

To ensure the enjoyment and safety of Kumoricon attendees, Guests of Honor, staff, and other credentialed Press, Kumoricon reserves the right to revoke any press membership at any time, for any reason. A press member who has their membership revoked may be restricted from returning to one of our events in the future, as press or a general attendee. Examples of behavior that may result in membership revocation include but are not limited to:

  • Violation of the Code of Conduct
  • Harassing a Guest of Honor
  • Bringing non-press, general attendees to interviews with Guests of Honor
  • Bringing non-press, general attendees into press-only areas without prior permission from Kumoricon
  • Engaging in unprofessional and/or inappropriate behavior during the event, as determined by Kumoricon staff
  • Requesting autographs or sketches outside the normal autograph sessions and/or disobeying the directions of Kumoricon staff manning autograph lines
  • Interfering with attendees' enjoyment of the convention
  • Violating any Kumoricon policy, facility policy, or law not otherwise listed

Registration and badge pick-up

When you arrive at the convention, if you have pre-registered as press, you may pick up your press badge at Registration. If you are applying for press at the event, please apply at Registration. Without your press badge, you will not have access to the convention. Please wear your badge in a visible location at all times when you are in the convention space.

Please note: Valid, government-issued photo ID is required for press badge pickup. For identification purposes, each press member may only pick up their own personal badge. Please report lost or missing badges to the Press Manager in the Press and Industry Lounge as soon as possible.

The Press and Industry Lounge will be staffed throughout the convention to provide daily schedules/one-sheets and to assist you with any questions you may have. Live updates to the schedule will be available on our website and through the Guidebook app.

Post-con coverage

Coverage for this year should be posted no later than one month after the convention ends, providing us a copy as proof of coverage. If you need longer, communicate with us, and we can work with you.

Your outlet will be evaluated year-to-year on the following requirements:

Standard Press and Emerging Press

  1. Any publication pertaining to our event should have a copy provided to the Press Manager. This can be a paper copy (if you are a print-only publication), PDF, or link to the publication. We track these on our site for future references.
  2. If photos are published, they should follow the Photographers' guidelines below.

Photographers and other photography

All photos you publish of Kumoricon must include written captions or be part of a larger written article. These captions should include, at a minimum, the subject's personal name, nickname, stage name, and/or character name when applicable (only with the subject's consent) or details on the event or location the photo portrays.

Photos are only valuable if they're current and relevant. We do recognize the additional time required to write captions, but please keep that in mind when publishing your work post-convention. We do require that photos be up within one month of the event's completion. We reserve the right to utilize any and all photos submitted directly to Kumoricon for promotional purposes, with full credit to the photographers who have taken them.

Did you sell or publish photos to other media outlets? Let us know, and we'd love a copy for our records!

Press Q&A

How do I apply for press membership?

Please review the press membership qualifications and submit a press application. You will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. We will receive applications online through late October (exact deadline to be determined). In early September, we will review the applications that have come in by that time and send out acceptance or denial emails. If you applied before September, and have not received an email about your status by mid-September, please follow up with the Kumoricon Press Manager at press@kumoricon.org. After this time, we will accept or deny applications as they come in, within two weeks of receipt.

What's the difference between Emerging Press and Standard Press?

Our press guidelines allow new or amateur press to attend and get to know us as we get to know them, while still continuing our relations with established press outlets. Emerging Press registrants are welcome to request Standard Press membership after their first year.

What's the difference between press membership approval and having a press badge?

A confirmation email will not get you into the convention. You must pick up a physical badge at Registration. All members of the press must wear their badges at all times during the event in convention space.

What do I need when I pick up my badge?

To pick up your badge, if you have pre-registered, you will need to present all of the following items:

  • A valid, government-issued photo ID
  • A business card if you have one
  • Proof of current enrollment in journalism courses (for students)

To expedite registration, you may also bring:

  • Press approval email
  • Copies of past work
  • Copies of reference letter from professor (for Journalism Student applicants only)

How do I obtain preferred or assigned seating for panels, or special events like the cosplay competition?

Both press membership levels will be permitted into the reserved spots for all public functions in Main Events if they are available. The same sign-up and time rules apply. Notify the Press Office Staff in the Press and Industry Lounge of the panels you would like to attend, and they will reserve a spot for you if they are available. When space is not available, they will let you know immediately.

Reserving a spot is not reserving a physical seat, but rather a spot on a digital list. Once you have reserved this space successfully, the Press Office Staff will explain how to take advantage of this benefit as it may change based on location or event type.

Please note that Standard Press will have priority access if there is a shortage of space, and 2 spots (Standard) and 1 spot (Emerging) remains the general rule per outlet. If you arrive after the panel has been seated, you will forfeit your reserved spots.

How do I interview a Guest of Honor?

While press will be able to attend guest panels, some panels may not have press entry available. Some guests may be available for private press conferences and/or interviews. Press are encouraged to ask questions, but also share the time with other press and fans. Members of the press are absolutely not allowed to bring personal guests into the convention or into guest interviews. If you would like to conduct a one-on-one interview with a guest, please contact the Kumoricon Press Manager for consideration. As we get closer to the event, an email will go out verifying interview requests before schedules are made. This is to accommodate outlets that apply and are approved before the rest of our guests are announced.

Why might my press membership be revoked?

Reasons for revocation include but are not limited to:

  • Bothering or harassing a guest
  • Requesting autographs or sketches outside the normal autograph sessions
  • Bringing non-press guests to interviews or special events
  • Unprofessional and/or inappropriate behavior
  • Offering paid services as a photographer
  • Violation of any policy set forth by the Press Office, Kumoricon, or our venue

Note: Kumoricon retains the right to revoke any press membership at any time for any reason whatsoever.

Application form

Press applications will be opening soon. Watch this space!