When Hate Speech Meets Free Speech
With conversations swirling around the media-sphere about the real-life ramifications of the proliferation of misinformation on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps, it’s interesting to revisit the concepts underpinning public access. Today CMC’s deliver content on a wide variety of social media platforms not just cable access channels. Does that change our role and the philosophy that guides the policies that govern the community media center? This workshop with explore how community media navigates the questions that arise as communities confront hatred and disinformation campaigns, and discuss the limits of free speech.
Keynote Panel Leader: Mike Wassenaar, ACM CEO/President.
Keynote Panelists: Jeff Bayne, Associate, Spiegel & McDiarmid, Washington, DC;
Tracy Rosenberg, Executive. Director, Media Alliance, San Francisco, CA; Richard Turner, E.D.,
Carroll County Media Center, Westminster, MD; Mickey Huff, Director of Project Censored and
President of the Media Freedom Foundation, Rohnert Park, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Tracy-Rosenberg-Hate-Speech-vs-Free-Speech.ppt
Broadening Your Reach: Multi-Platform Content Delivery
PEG Access/Community Media Center operations need to expand the reach of community programming to every possible platform. It’s important that your programming is available to as many audiences and providers as possible. This workshop will discuss what it takes to deliver your signal beyond traditional cable TV to streaming services like Facebook or YouTube and OTT platforms like Roku and Apple TV. Speakers will provide examples of different ways to do it. In addition, hear how some CMCs are starting to get some traction with live online channels, live-streamed shows, and curated VOD showcased by category.
Workshop Leader: Chris Verdugo, Operations Director, CCTV Contra Costa County.
Workshop Speakers: Ray Tiley, VP of Engineering, Cablecast, Minneapolis, MN; Michael Eisenmenger, Executive Director, Community Media Center of Marin, San Rafael, CA; Jesse Lerman, CEO, TelVue, Mt Laurel, NJ; Dan O’Brien, Production Director, Akaku, Maui, HI; Nathan Bosseler, President/CEO, Castus Corporation, Issaquah, WA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Jesse-Lerman-ACM-West-2022-Broadening-Your-Reach.pdf,
The Courts, the FCC, and Congress: Will they Finally Catch Up with the Real World in Communications?
What will 2022 hold for PEG Access and community media? What are the ramifications of 2021 court decisions and congressional and presidential actions (or the lack thereof) on the future of PEG Access? What will be the impact of changes at the FCC?
The Cable Act of 1984 is 38 years old. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is 26 years old. In California, the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 (DIVCA) is 16 years old. Obviously, these federal and state laws are woefully out of date. Are legislative overhauls possible in 2022?
Get the latest updates from the people on the front lines at the federal, state, and local levels that are working hard to protect PEG Access and the rights of our communities.
Workshop Facilitator: Sue Buske, President Alliance for Communications Democracy and President of The Buske Group.
Speakers: Jeff Bayne, Associate, Spiegel & McDiarmid, Washington, DC; Mike Wassenaar, ACM
CEO/President; Gail Karish, Partner, Best Best & Krieger; additional speaker TBA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mike-W-PCTA-ACM-West.pptx, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ACM-West-Policy-c3.pptx, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Jeff-Bayne-ACM-West-Power-Point.pptx
Making Your PEG Access/Community Media Center More Inclusive
How can our media centers and organizations be proactive and improve how we address issues centering on equity, race, and ethnicity? How can we create a welcoming culture that is comfortable for all? Is there a difference between who we are as an organization and the content we broadcast and support? How do we develop policies, programs, and outreach to better reflect underserved populations in our communities? These and many other issues will be discussed by a panel of experienced PEG Access/Community Media Center managers and legal experts.
Workshop Facilitator: J Robertson, Executive Director, Hoike Community Media, Kauai, HI.
Workshop Speakers: Matt Schuster, Executive Director, Public Media Network, Kalamazoo, MI; Francesca Enzler, Education and Media Manager, CreaTV San Jose, CA; Malcolm Halcrombe, Community Media Coordinator, CreaTV, San Jose, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Matt-Schuster-Making-Centers-More-Inclusive.pdf
Expanding Your Training Curriculum and Services to Meet Community Needs
As PEG Access TV operations evolve to a broader community media environment, how should our training curriculum and services evolve? Information will be presented regarding community needs and interests related to training and other services, gathered through on-line surveys and focus group meetings conducted in five different locations across the country. Learn what local nonprofit organizations want and how we can better serve their needs. This workshop will provide great training examples (e.g., Media Literacy training), and examine tutorials, internships, and cohort approaches to training (both in-person and online). It will show how media centers can introduce and provide innovative services to meet community needs.
Workshop Leader: Bryan Harley, Executive Director, CMAC, Fresno, CA.
Speakers: Shelley Wolf, Executive Director of Media & Production Services, School District of Philadelphia; Randy Van Dalsen, Vice President, The Buske Group, Sacramento, CA; David Flores, Berkeley Community Media, Berkeley, CA; Kyle Lowe, Operations Manager, CMAC, Fresno, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kyle-Lowe-Expanding-Training.pdf, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/David-Flores-Expanding-the-Training-Curriculum-and-Services-to-Meet-Community-Needs.pptx, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Shelley-Wolfe-Expanding-Your-Training-Curriculum-and-Services-to-Meet-Community-Needs.pptx, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Randy-Van-Dalsen-Expanding-Your-Training-Workshop.pptx
In the Rearview: Reaffirming Access Roots Today by Looking Back
PEG Access has been around for over 50 years. What are its roots and founding principles? Where did they come from? What was the Alternate Media Center? Guerrilla TV? Videofreex?
Many who work in PEG Access or use PEG Access center have no knowledge of the history of the field. How did things get started and how they have changed? Where does ACM fit into the picture?
Take a walk down memory lane with three people who were involved from the very beginning, are still active in PEG Access, and live in the Western region of ACM. This panel will deal with the roots of PEG Access from a wide range of perspectives (e.g., policy/legal, organic growth, philosophy).
Speakers: Jay April, President and CEO, Akaku, Maui, HI; Sue Buske, President The Buske Group
and President Alliance for Communications Democracy; Randy VanDalsen, Vice President, The
Buske Group, Sacramento, CA.
Presentation Materials: docs.google.com/presentation/d/16T7ZN8ZIWPydfArGbBiv1QnMx-WEmM3L/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114673104442803074604&rtpof=true&sd=true
Online Community Engagement: New Tools and Tactics
In the wake of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to find new ways to build communities and engage audiences (especially youth) on the internet. But staying on top of new technology tools and trends can be challenging. TikTok, a video sharing app, has emerged as one of the fastest growing social media networks, reaching 1 billion users in 2021, 60% of whom are 16-24 years old. TikTok is transforming the definition of media, communication, and production in the evolving media-making landscape. In this workshop, you’ll learn how Community Media Centers are using platforms such as TikTok, Discord, Facebook Groups, and others to keep in touch with their community, encourage discussions, build networks, and share information.
Workshop Leader: Emily Parent, Mid-Pen Media Center, Palo Alto, CA.
Speakers: Kat Curtis, Senior Creative Producer, ATTN / TikTok for Good, Los Angeles, CA; Shelley Wolf, Executive Director of Media & Production Services, Philadelphia School District, Philadelphia, PA; Al Williams, Executive Director, Northampton Media, Northampton, MA; Keri Stokstad, Executive Director, Midpen Media, Palo Alto, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Shelley-Wolfe-ACM-West-Conference-Online-Community-Engagement.pptx,
Tapping into ARPA and Other New Federal and State Funding
Over the past 16 months, a number of special funds were established to meet new challenges as a result of COVID and rapidly changing communications needs. Some PEG Access/Community Media Centers are in a position to tap into these funds to fulfill needs like closed captioning and emergency communications. This workshop will providing an overview of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and broadband and other communications funding programs. Learn about several PEGs/CMCs that received funding through these programs and how your community may be able to participate.
Workshop Leader and Speaker: Mike Wassenaar, ACM CEO/President.
Speakers: Kathy Bisbee, Executive Director, Brookline Interactive Group, Brookline, MA; Melissa Toren, Executive Director, KCAT Public Media, Los Gatos, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Melissa-Toren-TAPPING-INTO-ARPA-002.pptx, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Kathy-Bisbee-ARPA-Funding.pdf, acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mike-W-ARPA-4.1.pdf
Closed Captioning Update: Can You Read Me Now?
It’s been a couple years since we’ve been able to meet at a conference like this. In 2020, we heard about advances in closed captioning that were actually affordable for many Community Media Centers. This workshop will focus upon the challenges and successes that several community media centers and local governments have faced as they implemented closed captioning.
Workshop Leader and Speaker: Daniell Krawczyk, Municipal Captioning
Speakers: Wes Murphy, Andover Community TV, Andover, MA; Ross Rowe, Director of
Programming, Elk Grove TV, Elk Grove, IL; Matt Schuster, Executive Director, Public Media Network, Kalamazoo, MI.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Matt-Schuster-Closed-Captioning-for-Access.pdf
Going Beyond Cable Funding: Revenue Development Options, Opportunities, and Success Stories
In today’s world, it is essential that PEG Access/Community Media Centers identify and implement a variety of revenue streams to supplement decreasing cable company funding. This is not an immediate or one-size-fits-all endeavor. What works and what doesn’t work will vary between large and small CMCs, rural, urban, or suburban. This workshop will explore a variety of different categories of non-cable funding and present success stories in each category.
Workshop Leader and Speaker: Sue Buske, President, The Buske Group, Sacramento, CA.
Speakers: Jay April, President and CEO, Akaku, Maui, HI; Chad Johnston, CEO, CreaTV San Jose; Bobby Chastian, Executive Director, Silicon Valley Community Media, Mountain View, CA.
Presentation Materials: acmwest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Going-Beyond-Cable-Funding-Sue.pptx