Media Requests

We welcome inquiries from members of the media and are committed to providing timely, accurate information about city programs, services, and events. Our Communications team serves as the primary point of contact for all media requests, interviews, and filming permissions.

To help us respond efficiently, please submit your request using the form below. Include as much detail as possible—topic, deadline, preferred contact method, and any specific questions or needs. We’ll review your request and connect you with the appropriate spokesperson or department.

Stay Informed

Local media professionals are encouraged to stay up to date with city news, events, and updates by subscribing to our official communications.

Resident Portal

Visit the Resident Portal to customize how you receive alerts and notifications:

*Note for Email Subscribers* If you choose to receive alerts by email:

  • Check the bottom of each message for important attachments with additional details.
  • Click “View in browser” to translate the message into another language.

Our Approach to Sharing Information

The City of Battle Creek is committed to transparency and timely communication with our community and media partners. To ensure consistency and protect both public safety and individual privacy, we follow these general guidelines when sharing information:

What you’ll hear from us first (No FOIA needed)

We issue press releases and public statements for: 

  • Major incidents that impact public safety or city operations (e.g., fires, road closures, infrastructure issues).
  • Community programs, events, and initiatives.
  • Significant updates from city departments.
  • Personnel changes at the director level or above, or when a personnel matter is directly related to a line-of-duty incident that affects the community.

Responding to media inquiries 

We will respond to media questions that: 

  • Seek clarification or additional details about information we have already released.
  • Involve general city operations, policies, or public-facing programs.
  • Do not compromise individual privacy, internal personnel matters, or ongoing investigations.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests 

Some information may only be available through a FOIA request.