2026 TAK Offsite Media Access and Coverage Ground Rules

2026 TAK Offsite

Media Access and Coverage Ground Rules

The TAK Product Center welcomes responsible media coverage of the 2026 TAK Offsite and will make reasonable efforts to provide credentialed media with access to approved presentations, demonstrations, speakers, and event activities.

These ground rules are intended to support accurate public reporting while protecting classified information, controlled unclassified information, operational security, personal privacy, proprietary information, export-controlled information, and the interests of participating U.S. and international organizations.

1. Media accreditation and access

Media attendance must be approved in advance by the TAK Product Center or its designated Public Affairs representative. Media representatives may be asked to provide their name, organization, contact information, and professional credentials before receiving an event media badge.

Media access is limited to:

Sessions specifically designated Media Open
Presentations and materials approved for public release under Distribution Statement A
Designated demonstrations, common areas, and interview locations
Other event activities expressly approved by the media point of contact

Media representatives may not attend sessions designated government-only, partner-restricted, proprietary, CUI, export-controlled, classified, or otherwise limited for public release.

Distribution Statement A is a prerequisite for media access but does not, by itself, authorize photography, recording, livestreaming, or republication of presentation materials. Session-specific media permissions will be established by the event organizers in coordination with the presenter and sponsoring organization.

A session’s media-access status may be changed when required by the presenter, sponsoring organization, security personnel, release authority, or event leadership.

Media badges must remain visible while covering the event. Media representatives must remain within approved areas and comply with reasonable instructions from event staff and the designated media point of contact.

2. Photography, video, and audio recording

Still photography, video, and audio recording are permitted only during approved sessions and within designated areas.

Unless specifically authorized, media representatives may not photograph or record:

Identification badges, registration records, attendee lists, or personal contact information
Computer screens, mobile devices, login information, passwords, credentials, QR codes, network addresses, or system configuration details
Materials displaying classification, CUI, limited-distribution, export-control, proprietary, privacy, or other restrictive markings
Operational dashboards, maps, network diagrams, architecture displays, mission data, or live system information not specifically cleared for public release
Speaker notes, presentation preview screens, staff workspaces, registration systems, or administrative work areas
Individuals identified as unavailable for photography or recording

Photography or recording of international participants should be coordinated with the media point of contact or the appropriate delegation representative. Close-up photography, recorded interviews, and identification of individual attendees should occur with the knowledge and consent of the individual.

Full-session recording, continuous recording of presentation slides, and livestreaming are not authorized unless separately approved in advance.

Short video clips, photographs, interviews, and general event footage may be captured during approved sessions and designated media opportunities.

3. Interviews and attribution

Media interviews should be coordinated through the event media point of contact whenever practicable.

Prearranged interviews will be considered on the record unless a different attribution arrangement is agreed upon before the interview begins.

Informal conversations in hallways, dining areas, exhibit spaces, or other common areas are not automatically interviews and should not be quoted or attributed without the individual’s affirmative consent.

Government personnel may discuss unclassified, publicly releasable matters within their areas of responsibility and expertise. Questions involving policy, acquisition-sensitive information, operational matters, security details, another organization’s activities, or subjects outside the speaker’s authority may be referred to the appropriate Public Affairs office.

International participants, contractors, vendors, and industry representatives speak for their respective organizations unless otherwise stated. Their presence or participation does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, or TAK Product Center.

4. Protection of sensitive information

Only information and materials approved for public release may be published, broadcast, or otherwise distributed.

If classified, controlled, proprietary, personally identifiable, operationally sensitive, or otherwise nonreleasable information is inadvertently displayed, discussed, photographed, recorded, or provided, the event media point of contact will promptly notify the media representative and request that the information not be used while its status is reviewed.

The TAK Product Center will not routinely request editorial approval or prepublication review of independent reporting.

Any security review specifically required for imagery or recordings captured during a controlled demonstration will be announced before access is granted. Such review will be limited to identifying classified information, CUI, OPSEC-sensitive content, proprietary information, personal information, export-controlled information, or other material not authorized for public release. It will not be used to direct the editorial content, conclusions, or opinions of the resulting coverage.

5. Official information and presentation materials

Official fact sheets, attendance figures, photographs, biographies, quotations, presentation materials, and other information provided by the TAK Product Center for publication will have been reviewed for public release.

A presentation’s inclusion in a Media Open session does not automatically authorize publication or redistribution of the complete presentation file.

Slides, recordings, photographs, demonstrations, software interfaces, and other materials may be published only when:

Provided to the media for that purpose
Clearly identified as publicly releasable
Expressly approved by the presenter, sponsoring organization, or appropriate release authority

Media representatives should confirm the approved spelling, title, organization, and attribution of interview subjects before publication.

6. Changes to access and coverage

Event leadership may modify or suspend media access when necessary to protect safety, security, privacy, sensitive information, event operations, or the rights of participating organizations and individuals.

Media representatives who do not comply with these ground rules may have their access restricted or credentials withdrawn.

7. Event and media contact information

Event: 2026 TAK Offsite
Location: The Antlers, A Wyndham Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Public event information and current schedule:
https://tak.gov/events/2026_Offsite

Media coordination:
TAK Product Center
media@tak.gov

By accepting event media credentials, media representatives acknowledge these ground rules and agree to comply with reasonable instructions provided by the TAK Product Center, event staff, security personnel, and designated Public Affairs representatives.