Contents of this message

1. Press conferences planned
2. Press Room
3. Important visa information (repeated from Media Advisory 1)
4. Press Registration Information (repeated from Media Advisory 1)
5. Press Registration Form
6. Who's coming

See also Media Advisory 2:
http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl0426.html

1. Press conferences planned

We are in the planning stages of press conferences on some of the interesting news being presented at the meeting. The following list of topics under consideration is, of course, subject to change. A media advisory with the final list, including participants and their institutions, will be issued in early August.

1. Cassini at Saturn (discoveries so fresh they aren't discovered yet)
2. Plate tectonic models for the evolution of the Western Pacific region
3. Studying oceanic and atmospheric flows on the Earth Simulator
4. How and why of volcanic eruptions the Western Pacific
5. Low-frequency tremor and slow slip in subduction zones: are two recent seismic discoveries related?
6. How hot spots and superswells shaped the Pacific domain

2. Press Room

The WPGM Press Room is Room 325b [CORRECTED from Media Advisory 2], on Level 3 of the Hawaii Convention Center. It will be open daily during the meeting from 0800 to at least 1730.

The Press Room phone number is +1 (808) 792-6523. Please provide this number to anyone who may have to reach you at the meeting.

The Press room provides working space for Press registrants, including phones (no charge for business calls), computers, and a copier. The Press Room is wi-fi equipped for Internet access with your own laptop computer.

Press releases and other materials submitted by WPGM presenters will be available. Lunch will be provided daily, Monday-Friday, for Press registrants at around 12:00 noon. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks will be available all day.

3. Important visa information (repeated from Media Advisory 1)

The U.S. State Department requires citizens of many countries to obtain visas to attend a scientific meeting. In addition, the State Department requires citizens from visa waiver program (VWP) countries to obtain visas if they do not have machine-readable passports and they wish to visit the U.S. Enforcement of this new rule has been delayed from 1 October 2003 to 26 October 2004 for all but five VWP countries: Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Slovenia. Passports held by nationals of these countries are already mostly machine-readable.

Journalists from outside the U.S. who are covering WPGM should apply for an "I" visa:

"(I) upon a basis of reciprocity, an alien who is a bona fide representative of foreign press, radio, film, or other foreign information media, who seeks to enter the United States solely to engage in such vocation, and the spouse and children of such a representative if accompanying or following to join him"

General information about visas:
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/visas/

4. Press Registration Information (repeated from Media Advisory 1)

Press registrants receive a badge that provides access to any of the scientific sessions of the meeting, as well as to the Press Room and Briefing Room. No one will be admitted without a valid badge.

Eligibility for press registration is limited to the following persons:

• Working press employed by bona fide news media: must present a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of the publication.
• Freelance science writers: must present a current membership card from NASW, a regional affiliate of NASW, CSWA, ISWA, or SEJ, or evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science intended for the general public and published in 2003 or 2004.
• Public information officers of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies: must present a business card.

Note: Representatives of publishing houses, for-profit corporations, and the business side of news media must register at the main registration desk at the meeting and pay the appropriate fees, regardless of possession of any of the above documents.

5. Press Registration Form

The Press Registration Form is set up for online submission, but includes a link to a version that can be printed out and faxed or mailed. Go to:
http://www.agu.org/meetings/wp04/review/wp04pressreg_cgi.shtml

The last day for advance press registration is August 6. You may also register onsite in the Press Room.

6. Who's coming

Amitabh Avasthi, New Scientist
John Baer, Oahu Island News
David Briscoe, Associated Press
Kirk Fernandes, KHON-TV
Tara Hicks, SOEST - University of Hawaii
Trisha Jackson, Freelance
Christina Reed, Freelance

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