Media and Press Application


Media Terms and Guidelines

The Cincinnati Comic Expo welcomes professional members of the media to our event. We are happy to provide complimentary Press badges to qualified journalists. Media Registrations are available by completing the application on this page. The Cincinnati Comic Expo Press application is open to journalists who are regularly making editorial contributions. Editorial press includes writers, reporters, producers, photographers, etc. who are attending specifically to write about the Cincinnati Comic Expo and/or cover the event for newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, as well as certain blogs and podcasts. 


Press badges to the 2018 Cincinnati Comic Expo are being made available for the following media outlets:

-Print Media: Print Media includes local newspapers, national newspapers, college newspapers, magazines, etc.

-Television and Radio: TV& Radio include AM, FM, Satellite, Local TV and National TV

-Internet Press: Badges for Internet press will be issued on a very limited case-by-case basis. We have a limited amount of press badges for Press, making it difficult to grant passes to everyone who makes a request. In order to even be considered for Internet Press badges you must fit the following criteria:
-The website you write for must have been active on the web for at least two years.
-Must have original content updated at least weekly.
-Websites deemed offensive or antagonistic towards our fandom, guests or the event will not be approved.
-Proven community involvement/support for the Cincinnati Comic Expo or other comic conventions around the U.S.
-Your website must have at least two verifiable social media pages with followers. Pages can be on Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, or Instagram.
-Must appear on a Google search for your site.

Press badges are extended as a courtesy of Cincinnati Comic Expo. Please understand that your Press badge allows access as long as space is permitting.

Your Press badge DOES NOT allow:
-Early access into the building, special access or guaranteed seating
-The ability to cut lines
-Free access into any events requiring an additional ticket (such as Geek Prom), unless specific coverage is granted for that event.

Press is limited to one or two passes per outlet. Pass holders must work for the outlet in question and have verifiable credits. Additional passes for working members of the team must be applied for. Please don’t try and pass your friend off as a photographer for the site, it won’t work and you will be banned from ever being considered for press credentials in the future. Press badges are provided only to journalists and their essential support staff (such as a camera operator). Family members, friends, and non-journalist colleagues must purchase admission.

NOTE: If you are not approved for “free” press credentials, you may still purchase a ticket to the show and report on the show that way. As well, having a press badge does not guarantee any interviews.  Cincinnati Comic Expo is not responsible for setting up interviews with any celebrity guest, authors, artists, or anyone other special guests attending this event.

We value our featured guests and strive to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for them.  We expect all those who receive press passes to also maintain this environment.  If press pass holders fail to live up to this standard, Cincinnati Comic Expo reserves the right to revoke press passes for the current event as well as for future events.

NOTE: Your pass is not approved until you receive a confirmation email from Cincinnati Comic Expo. Do not assume it is approved and just show up. Everyone in attendance must have a pass, so you will be required to purchase one to enter if you are not approved for a press pass.

The deadline to apply for press passes for the 2018 Cincinnati Comic Expo is Friday, August 17, 2018 at 11:59PM EST. You will be notified of approval or denial within two weeks of that deadline.

An email will also be sent in regards to where and when you can pick up your press pass.  Please ensure that the email address you provide to us is a working email address.  We ask that you also add matt@cincinnaticomicexpo.com to your preferred addresses so those emails arrive in your inbox instead of your spam folder.

Cincinnati Comic Expo reserves the right to approve or deny any application. This decision is final and cannot be appealed. Include any and all information in your application that will allow the Cincinnati Comic Expo to make an informed decision, as you will not be able to submit further information later on if your application is not approved.

Cincinnati Comic Expo Press badges are non-transferable and non-resellable. Any individuals caught transferring or selling their Press badge will be disqualified at future events.

There will be no on-site Press registration at Cincinnati Comic Expo. Once all Press badges are allocated, no more will be released.

Approval for Press Credentials at a prior Cincinnati Comic Expo event does not guarantee approval for this event.