I am a journalist, how do I register?
If you haven’t please make sure we hear from you ASAP. Registration is conducted via My ESC until the end of July. This online registration is now closed. Please register on-site at the Press Registration Desk.
You will need to provide a valid Press ID or letter of assignment. Freelance journalists without a Press ID may have to provide 2-3 articles with their name as a proof.
Will my badge be sent to me in advance?
On-site badge pick-up, on presentation again of valid ID, is conducted at the Press Registration Desk and not in the main Registration Hall. Press badges have not been / will not be sent out in advance.
What happens once on-site?
As soon as you are at the congress centre, make your way to the press area where our press staff await you at the registration counter. You will be handed out your press badge and the ESC Press Book containing plenty of useful information and a selection of embargoed press releases based on a selection from the PR & Press Committee .
Where is the registration counter located?
The Press Centre is on the first and second floor, above the Registration Hall. It includes the press registration and facilities. The Press Registration Desk is on the first floor.
You can access this area from the staircase close to the West (Main) Entrance or via the large escalators in the middle of the Registration Hall.
What facilities will there be for me there?
The ESC Press Centre will include the following rooms and facilities: ESC Press Conference Room, Press Working Area, Press Catering, 2 Press Interview Rooms and both the ESC Press Office and Local Press Office (local language liaison and assistance).
Will anyone else but press have access?
The ESC Press Centre is accessible only to registered press and speakers involved in the ESC press activities. Industry representatives and Public Relations agents are not eligible for entry. (Industry Press Activities are held separately in the Industry Press Rooms).
When is the Opening Press Conference ?
The Opening Press Conference will be from 09:00 to 10:00 on Saturday 30 August, in the ESC Press Conference room, 2nd Floor, in the congress center.
What are the press conferences going to talk about?
The press conferences selected by the ESC Public Relations and Press Committee for this years congress are:
1. Opening Press Conference (with the President and Congress Programme Ctte chair)
2. Hot Line Sessions I, II & III
3. New horizons in imaging
4. New strategies in prevention
5. ESC 2008 new released guidelines
6. Cardiac screenings before Olympics
7. Update on cardiac interventions
8. Novelties in myocardial infarction
9. Coronary stents: safety and long-term results
10. The latest trials: new drugs , new endpoints
Where is the local press conference held and when?
The local press conference in German language will be at the Hotel Bayrischer Hof, on Friday 29 August at 10h00.
Location: Promenadeplatz 2-6, 80333 Munich.
Phone +49 89 21 20-0 / Fax +49 89 21 20-906
What if I am addressing a German audience? Can I contact someone in particular?
Professor Eckart Fleck is our local press chair this year. He will be available from the ESC Press Area upon request, to answer any questions you may have – auf Deutsch.
We also have a local press office, with German speaking staff, who will be able to find other spokespersons.
What is this year’s congress theme?
The theme of this year's congress: cardiovascular imaging
Cardiovascular imaging has become a key component in clinical cardiology.
Over the past decades, we have witnessed a revolution in terms of imaging equipment and software packages: cardiovascular imaging is nowadays fully integrated in patient care. Cardiovascular imaging therefore has been selected as the theme for the ESC Congress 2008. A comprehensive update, together with the most recent developments in imaging will be provided, with a focus not only on technical innovations, but also on implementation in clinical practice. This information will be presented in an attractive program including state of the art lectures, symposia, and didactic read and meet with the expert sessions.
What are the different types of sessions and where do I find the latest sessions information?
The Scientific Programme has been prepared by the Congress Programme Committee in close collaboration with the ESC Working groups, Associations and ESC Councils.
More than 380 scientific sessions in the main areas of clinical interest will be presented either in the Pre-arranged Programme, in the Abstract Based Programme or in one of the Special Features sessions.
The pre-arranged programme sessions are available for viewing in the ADVANCE PROGRAMME 2008 (PDF, 811Kb) which you can download or from the SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME ONLINE which can also help you create your personal itinerary thanks to the personal planner function.
Are there any new types of sessions I should know about?
Launched only last year, the successful State-of-the-Art and Featured Research Sessions: Don't miss these Sessions on Wednesday morning focusing on an important topic. They include: A State of the Art lecture by the key opinion leaders and the 4 highest graded abstracts related to the topic.
Meet the Trialists which aims at giving delegates a chance to talk in person to the principal investigator behind the study.
Where will the press releases be posted during ESC Congress 2008?
All press releases will be available on a specific ESC Press Office section as soon as their embargo is lifted. Please respect embargoes at all times.
Where can I find the press releases on-site?
At the beginning of each official ESC Press Conference at the entrance of the ESC Press conference room.
What are the embargos ?
An embargo is the time / date that members of the press can publish information on a study. Embargos are very important and must be respected.
- For Hot Line sessions, the embargos are daily at 11:00 – therefore the embargo is on the same day as the presentation/press conference.
- For the rest of the press conferences, the embargo is the start time of the press conference.
- For the abstract/oral press releases, the embargo is 08:00 on the day of the presentation.
Every press release has its embargo listed on the top. No exceptions are made.
Where can I find other reliable sources of coverage?
- ESC Congress News, the official congress newspaper, distributed in 24 distribution units throughout the congress centre, including press. Available as from 07:00 each day of the congress (Saturday to Wednesday). Key articles will be posted on the ESC Web Site daily and sent out via My ESC News daily. Subscribe so you can do a daily check of the hottest stories as set by the ESC itself.
- ESC Congress Reports, live reports covered on-site by cardiology experts turned reporters
- The scientific programme online, updated with up-to-the-minute information including speakers changes, lecture room changes, etc
- Your congress bag
- ESC Press Office staff & hostesses – just ask one of us!
How will I be able to secure an interview slot?
All you need to do is to request an interview from the ESC Press Office staff, who will put you with carefully selected spokespersons from a variety of countries, who will be experts in the presented field.
An interview room is made available to all registered journalists (to be booked at one of our press help desks).