I agree with you Justin. You don't move rooms you get the right equipment ie wider lens or you pan along the length of the panel and then just focus on the person speaking. larger room actually makes more sense for this....to be able to get the length of the table into the shot from further back and then use zoom capabilities .....not the other way round.
"It may be that they want to restrict access to the speakers to stop anyone making a protest or trying to put banners etc in front of a camera."
Most of us are interested in what they have to say and so, that strikes me as unlikely but easily remedied by the presence of security at the frount of the room.
I do not know the patient advocate, but he seems to have a reasonable profile and to make a big deal out of his inability to attend, as a result of his own failing ( ie late registration ) seems unlikely to me.
He makes very valid points with respect to patients being placed in an overflow room and having to rely on screens and a failure on the part of conference organizers to make reasonable accomodations. That sounds a bit like discrimination on the basis of a disability. Maybe someone should drop them a line to this effect.?
I think it is fairly obvious as to what is taking place here......" State of Knowledge" on CFS is not a priority. If it had been, it would have been planned. This had none effectively, as evidenced by an inability to settle and promote the conference agenda only 4?days out from the event.
In doing so, anyone could appreciate that attendance in such a situation was going to be fairly minimal....so maybe that is the real reason for the small room.
And of course a small audience means less exposure to any important information delivered there.....which kind of makes me wonder....is there a speaker presenting on content that has something very important and or sensitive to say?
Looking at the line up.....with talks on neurological issues etc, it is also possible that my last sentiment relates to a number of speakers.