Media credentials
Press and Media Pass
Print event media passes with the outlet name, a large PRESS label and zone access, 6 per sheet on 3 x 4 inch inserts.
Events and conferences
Recommended templates
- Newsroom-style media credential with a big PRESS header, outlet, credential number and dates.Use this template
- High-visibility black and yellow staff card with a hazard stripe and ID number.Use this template
- Black and gold portrait pass with a fine frame and an access band that changes metal by tier.Use this template
Make every name easy to recognize
Create a consistent set of passes for approved reporters, photographers and broadcast crews, showing the outlet, role and permitted areas. Import your media list once and print portrait inserts that staff can compare with the event's accreditation records.
Groups people often use
- Press
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Broadcast
- Media Relations
What to include
- PRESS or MEDIA in capital letters big enough for a gate guard to read before the person reaches the checkpoint
- The journalist's full name exactly as it appears on your accreditation list, so staff can match it fast
- Outlet or publication name in the company field, or Freelance plus the commissioning outlet
- Role such as Photographer, Videographer or Broadcast, shown by the group color and label
- Areas the pass allows, like Photo Pit, Mixed Zone or Press Room, in the custom1 field
- Event name and dates, plus the media desk's number rather than anyone's personal phone
Verify outlets before you print a single media pass
Confirm the outlet and assignment before adding someone to your approved media list, then print the passes in one sorted batch. At collection, check each person against that list and provide the same record to staff controlling press areas.
Designing a pass photographers can flash in a second
Use a portrait layout with PRESS clearly visible above the name and outlet, followed by a short zone line such as PIT or PRESS ROOM. Offer a suitable clip or lanyard holder and keep detailed photography rules in the media instructions.
Zones, roles and what to leave off a media credential
Use Group for the media role, Company for the outlet and a custom field for permitted areas, so reporters and broadcast crews share a consistent layout. Leave personal addresses and phone numbers off credentials that may appear in photographs.
How to make press and media passes
Start from the Press Pass template
Open Templates in the maker, choose Press Pass, and keep the size at 3 x 4 portrait. Add your event logo in the Logo panel as a PNG, JPG or WebP file.
Build the approved media CSV
Make columns for Name, Title, Company, Group and Zones. Put the outlet in Company and the role in Group, list areas like Photo Pit in Zones, then map Zones to custom1 when you upload.
Check each role in preview
Step through a photographer, a broadcast tech and a media relations contact to confirm the PRESS label, outlet and zone line fit. Auto-fit shrinks long newspaper names instead of cutting them off.
Print, trim and file by last name
Export the PDF with cut lines, trim the inserts, and sort passes alphabetically by last name for the media desk so photographers are not kept waiting at check-in.
Questions about press and media passes
Is a press pass from an event the same as an official press card?
No, a pass you print covers access to your event only, on your terms. Government press credentials, where they exist, and employer IDs are issued by those bodies under their own rules. Label yours clearly with the event name and dates so nobody mistakes it for a standing credential, and avoid seals or wording that suggest police or government approval.
How should I credential freelance photographers who have no staff ID?
Ask for a letter or email from the outlet commissioning the coverage that names your event and dates. Put that outlet in the company field, or print Freelance if your media policy allows coverage without a confirmed buyer. Many events limit freelance access to outlets that confirm publication, so decide your rule before requests arrive and apply it the same way to everyone.
What size works best for a press credential worn on a lanyard?
A 3 x 4 inch portrait insert is a popular choice because vertical holders hang flat and leave room for a large PRESS label above the name. The maker prints 6 per sheet on US Letter. If you only need a pocket card for a small press room, the CR80 ID card size fits standard card holders instead.
Can a printed media pass keep unapproved people out of the photo pit?
Not on its own. Paper passes are simple to photocopy or borrow, and this tool adds no barcodes or anti-counterfeit features. Pair the pass with a printed list of approved media at each restricted area, use a new accent color for each show or event day, and brief guards to check names when a face does not match the pass.
Where do the outlet name and access zones go when importing a media list?
Use one row per person with Name, Title, Company, Group and a zones column. The outlet goes in Company, the job such as Photographer or Broadcast goes in Group, and the zones column maps to custom1. Title works well for a beat or a short pass number that matches your check-in sheet. Save Excel or Google Sheets files as CSV before uploading.
Will a credit line appear on our press passes?
Your press passes and the surrounding sheet margins have no added credit line, and PNG downloads are watermark-free too. Import a media list of up to 500 people with names, outlets and access zones, then check each assignment before printing.
Your badges, printed in minutes
Start with Press Pass, add your logo and names, and print your first set free for up to 500 people.