(a) Media coordinator. (1) Each circuit and appellate court shall provide this Court with the name and contact information of the person recommended to serve as its media coordinator. Media coordinators shall be appointed by this Court. A media coordinator may be either a member of the media or a local court employee.(2) In the event a media coordinator has not been appointed or is not available, a judge for a particular proceeding, or his or her designee, shall serve as media coordinator.(3) Media coordinators shall be responsible for all arrangements for media coverage, including initial requests for coverage and any issues that may arise during the course of coverage.(b) Advance Notice of Media Coverage. Subject to a judge extending or reducing these times to ensure adequate notice, to prevent delay in a trial or other judicial proceeding, and to ensure the efficient administration of justice: (1) All requests by the media for media coverage or otherwise to use media equipment in the courtroom shall be made to the media coordinator in writing as soon as practicable after the judicial proceeding is scheduled but at least two business days in advance of the scheduled proceeding. If a proceeding is scheduled with fewer than two business days' notice, then any request for media coverage must be made as soon as practicable thereafter. This Court's communications counsel shall post the names and contact information of the media coordinators on the Missouri Court website.(2) The media coordinator, in turn, shall give notice in writing of said request to counsel for all parties, parties appearing without counsel, and the judge as soon as practicable. In addition, the media coordinator shall submit a copy of the notice to the clerk of the court in which the proceeding is being held.(3) Before trial commences, counsel shall inform any person counsel may call as a witness that the witness will be subject to media coverage unless the judge limits or prohibits such coverage.(c) Any media making a request to a media coordinator for media coverage of a judicial proceeding shall include the name of the person seeking such coverage; the affiliated entity, if any; and the media equipment to be used. The media coordinator shall provide this information to the judge, as to all media granted access to media coverage under this operating rule, as soon as practicable before a judicial proceeding is scheduled to begin.(d) Objections. Upon the objection of a party or a participant or on a judge's own motion, a judge may prohibit any or all media coverage of a participant in a judicial proceeding or any or all of the participant's testimony.(e) Media Hearing. A judge may hold a hearing concerning applications or plans for media coverage. During the hearing, the judge may hear any objections to media coverage and set terms and conditions of media coverage.Approved for publication 8/21/1995; amended March 21, 2018, effective 7/1/2018; amended May 29, 2018, effective 7/1/2018.