Descriptions as our plans for October 10 develop, also in printable form: 9-30 confirmed Workshops
Management Track (Hunt Club Room)
- The 5 Legal Hot Spots Organizations Need to Monitor in Human Resources • A “must attend” workshop for anyone who manages personnel and those responsible for HR oversight, policy setting and implementation for their organization. This session will cover such topics as; the 5 top reasons employers are being sued, HR safeguards to protect organizations, practices and policies all organizations must have and more. Moderator: Debra Rogers (Executive Director, Falmouth Community Television), Presenter: Lauren Brenner (President, HR Services Division, HCR Group/Telamon Insurance & Financial Network).
- Techniques and Strategies for a Successful Cable License Renewal • Municipalities and their community media centers are required to conduct cable license renewal negotiations with the cable provider on a regular basis, but what are the best ways to prepare for those negotiations? What documentation is needed? What audits need to be conducted? What are the strategies necessary to insure the most successful outcome for community needs and interests to be provided for during the next license period? With Chuck Sherwood (Principal, Community Media Visioning), Sal Russo (Executive Director, Salem Access Television), William H. Solomon, Esq. (Special Cable Counsel and Town Attorney, Stoneham, MA), Marty Feldman (VP, Integrated Solutions Group, The Camera Company, Inc.)
- Evolving from Community Media Center to Broadband Access Center – “By Any Media Necessary” • How will your operation change with more broadband access – what if your access center had 10 Mbps symmetric? 100 Mbps? 1 Gbps? What would you do with dedicated fiber and unlimited broadband access? Panelists will share experiences of CMC’s with a range of broadband access serving cable TV audiences and communities beyond cable, from dial-up to fast Internet, fixed and mobile, over wireline and wireless connections. Workshop participants will get ideas for making the transition in their own communities – including practical advice and creative bootstrapping tricks along the way! With Chuck Sherwood (Principal, Community Media Visioning), Jason Daniels (Executive Director, Easton (MA) Community Access Television, MA), Cor Trowbridge and Roland Boyden (Executive Director and Production Manager respectively, Brattleboro Community Television), Andrew Crawford (Systems Administrator/Tech Director, CCTV Productions, VT).
- Accessing Employee Loyalty – Benefits, Recognition and Common Sense • What do employees really want? Beyond the paycheck, a good benefits package coupled with real recognition can keep employees happy and productive. Health insurance and other options don’t necessarily require piles of money or gobs of time. Can a benefits broker or independent agent help? What about AFLAC? How important are the “little things” like feeling appreciated? It all starts with well-written, easy to understand personnel policies. Two access media professionals share their experiences and the latest research on ideas—some which require no cost or just a little effort—that can make you the manager that people want to work for and with. With Karen Hayden (Executive Director, Methuen Community Television, MA), Nancy Richard (Executive Director and CEO, PACTV, MA)
Small Centers Track (in Trafalgar Room)
- Election Programming for Community Media • Rules, rules and more rules! Get your questions answered regarding the policies and procedures relating to equal time, rules, and guidelines for broadcast channels vs. PEG channels, candidate approval statements and how the rules carry over to social media. Don’t miss this timely session packed with the information you need to successfully navigate this election season. With Jim Horwood (Spiegel & McDiarmid, LLP).
- Whizz-Bang One Camera Production • Get hands-on advice from a professional videographer, Steve D’Onofrio, to make community media productions look and sound more inviting. As the Director of Photography for “This Old House” and board member for North Andover Community Access Media, Steve brings the perfect combination of quality and reality to the forefront in this session.
- Chief, Cook, and Bottle Washer • Are you stuck being the camera operator, editor, and producer? Come to this informative workshop of what a low budget Maine station is doing on producing locally made content for community television. From town meetings to musical concerts, it’s all about streamlining production using templates and a little good ole’ fashion Yankee ingenuity. Remember: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! With JP Fortier (Station Director, Mt. Blue TV, ME).
- DIY Video Archiving with the Internet Archive • As media makers and access centers look past popular internet video distribution channels such as YouTube, Vimeo or Pegmedia what opportunities exist for creating an online digital archive? What prevents the archive partner from becoming the next BlipTV that decides that your content is no longer welcome? How can media makers and media arts organizations create a “Do It Yourself” video archive that has a chance of outlasting commercial video services? This workshop will introduce the Internet Archive and the Community Media Archive as an example archive that’s grown to 35,000 videos contributed from 42 access centers and media makers from 17 states around the country. Learn what you need to know to contribute digital video files to the Community Media Archive and discover some “best practices” for managing data about your videos once your collection is established. If you’re a media maker, you’ll learn how to increase the chances that your video is discovered and selected for broadcast by access centers. If you’re an access center, you’ll learn how archiving affects your both your policies and practices. Archiving is too important to leave to the professionals! You’ll emerge from this session with an “I can do that!” attitude towards archiving your community’s or organization’s cultural history. With John Hauser (Special Projects Manager, Access Humboldt, CA), James Jones (Operations Manager, DoubleACS, Attleboro Access Cable System, Inc., MA).
Community Journalism and Storytelling (in Amphitheatre)
- Introduction to Mobile Storytelling: the Nuts & Bolts of Using a Mobile Device for Shooting Videos • Learn how to master the tools of mobile production through different applications and add-ons for your handheld device! Mobile devices have created a space for people to create content and share it instantly with others. Some users may even consider themselves citizen journalists. The importance of having instant access to information and sharing this with others is a way to connect and build community. Through the use of mobile storytelling, journalists, activists and media makers can now expand beyond their story with the ability to show their neighbors–locally and globally – the action as it happens. You can get live shots without attracting attention, and you can get inside settings that are cramped or crowded. This workshop will show you how to pre-produce, produce and edit your movie, all using your smartphone. Participants will break out into small groups during this session. All participants are encouraged to download iMovie for your phone ($5) before the session. With Jonathan Barbato (Production Coordinator, Arlington Community Media, MA).
- If You Build It, They Will Come: How to Kickstart a Community Newsroom • Are you looking to launch your own newsroom at your community media center? Maybe you have already done so but are interested in learning how others are doing reporting, production and distribution? This workshop will give a glimpse of several different community-based news efforts and will end with a discussion about different models and how to jump-start a hyperlocal news effort at your center. Moderator: Jane Regan (News Director, Somerville Neighborhood News, MA), with Tarsha Stacke (Board of Directors, Somerville Community Access Television, MA), Ian Bauer (Project Coordinator, Paradise City Press, Northampton, MA), Ashley Kang and Reginald A. Seigler (Board of Directors, The Stand, Syracuse, NY), Tony Campos (Central Vermont Television).
- Expanded Views in Storytelling • This is 2014. Community media centers are emerging out of the model of public, educational, and government access television organizations, and we are challenged with a world in which voices express and create and advocate across multiple platforms simultaneously. Centers needs to adapt their offerings and resources to reflect this new reality. Experience perspectives from the world of trans-media, gaming, and analog interactivity that hope to inspire and educate about new horizons in the medium of storytelling. Moderator: Bill Simmon (Director of Media services, Vermont Community Access Media) with Nina Ridhibhinyo (Education Group Programs Manager at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center & Lakecraft Project Leader, VT), Drew Frazier (Content Manager, RETN, VT).
- Making an Impact through Youth Media & Storytelling • In this workshop, members from Press Pass TV, www.presspasstv.org, a Boston-based youth media organization, will discuss their evolved skills in interviewing, videography, and journalism. Using PPTV as a case study, you will learn more about youth media production and the specifics of storytelling and its ability to engage the audience! Through the use of different media examples and discussion, we will cover elements such as story structure, interviewing, developing a voice, visual storytelling elements, effective sequencing, text & graphics and more! With Cara Lisa Berg Powers (Co-Director, Press Pass TV, Boston, MA).
The Track Not Taken (untrackable workshops, in Ballroom Salon D)
- Organizing for Policy Wins • At the end of this hands-on workshop, participants will be familiarized with tools they can use to effect legislative change on the local level and above. ACM’s Mike Wassenaar and Free Press’ Joe Torres will talk about effective lobbying strategies and rules of the road, and will help people refine their communication techniques. The workshop is meant to help community media groups prepare for policy battles to come. With Mike Wassanaar (Public Policy Advocate and President, Alliance for Community Media), Joe Torres (Senior External Affairs Director, Free Press).
- Intellectual Property, Copyright and Fair Use in Media and Art • Technology has made it increasingly challenging to navigate the world of intellectual property, particularly in media and the arts. What kind of rights do I need to secure? What is Fair Use and can anyone tell me whether it applies? How do I navigate the legal issues inside of platforms like YouTube? Where do I obtain rights if I need them? What kind of liabilities do I have? Can I show cover music, should I fight take-down notices, and how much trouble could I be in? With Paul C. Rapp, Esq. (Adjunct Professor of Copyright and Art & Entertainment Law, Albany Law School).
- Communicating from the Heart in Community Media: Increasing Compassion, Empathy & Efficiency at Work & Play ♥ At the heart of community media is a goal of empowering our communities to share their creative self-expression through media, technology and storytelling. While we teach many skills that utilize logical, linear thinking, planning around productions and through our expertise on technical tools, the creative imagery, capacity for empathy, and emotive aspects of our work are equally as important. This hands-on session will provide tools from the practice of Non-Violent Communication (NVC) and will increase your compassion and empathy, (for yourself and others), reduce burnout, support mindful enjoyment of work and play, and create more efficient and less stressful professional collaborations. With Kathy Bisbee (Executive Director, Community Media Access Partners, Gilroy, CA). About NVC: Learning and practicing NVC supports the building of awareness and skills that minimize defensiveness, blame and judgment between people. NVC also builds trust by increasing capacities for honesty and empathy/understanding, all of which contribute to improved work relationships, more cohesive teamwork, and providing greater efficiency in collaborative project management.
- Intersections of Doing: Community Media, Maker Spaces, Arts Collectives • Community media centers, maker spaces, and arts collectives have tremendous fundamental philosophical overlap. They are public spaces that empower and enable the creative, functional and critical expressions of the community and individuals within it. Creative community spaces have been emerging rapidly across the country. Public access television stations are facing tremendous survival challenges. Volunteerism and charity among youth is enormous. Technological resources are more advanced and accessible than ever before. Our ideas of geography are being questioned and changed by a networked world. Join members of community media, maker, and arts organizations in discussing who we are, what models we use and the opportunities we have to support one another in shared resources, vision, and practices. With Al Williams (Executive Director, Northampton Community Television, MA), Jim Lescault (Executive Director, Amherst Media, MA), Mike Swatko (Board, MakeItLabs, Nashua), Dave Dvorchak (Communications Director, AS220, Providence, RI)