A terminal (such as that belonging to or carried by an emergency first responder, for example) participates in a push to talk multicast group in either of two modes or levels. In a first mode or first level of participation, the terminal can join a multicast address for the push to talk multicast group as a passive recipient of transmissions and can thereby listen to the multicast address. In a second mode or second level of participation, the terminal becomes an active participant in the push to talk session. As an active participant in the push to talk session, the terminal can, e.g., receive sender identification (e.g., identification of other participants who may be talking in the push to talk multicast group) and send media bursts to the multicast group.