There was no full conference being hosted by the ACM-NE in 2025. The schedule is here. Below are links to a couple of the presentations, then more information about presenters and other presentations.
Sustainability for Community Media:
What’s at Stake, What’s Possible & How to Get There (11am – 12:05pm)
Watch this on Town Meeting TV–many thanks to that CMC! Moderator: Mike Wassenaar (ACM president). Breaking down the legislative process as it pertains to community media centers. Presenters:
Lauren-Glenn Davitian is Public Policy Director for CCTV Center for Media + Democracy and works closely with Vermont’s 24 community media centers, known as Vermont Access Network, to secure legislative funding and update cable and telecommunications regulations to serve the public interest. Lauren-Glenn served as CCTV Executive Director between 1984 and 2022. She received the George Stoney Award for Humanistic Communications in 2007.
Michael R. Bradley is a partner of the Municipal Telecommunications law firm Bradley Werner, LLC. Throughout his entire 30+ year career representing local governments, he has had the privilege of representing many municipal clients continuously. Earlier this year, Mike negotiated the first broadband franchise in the State of Minnesota. Mike has advised, drafted, and testified on communications legislation in multiple jurisdictions, including the Minnesota Equal Access to Broadband Act in 2024-25. Mike and his firm have represented municipal interests in FCC rulemaking and adjudicatory proceedings such as digital discrimination, broadband, cable franchising, rate regulation, and cable pricing disclosures. Mike is a past Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Communications Law Section. He is admitted to practice before multiple state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Last year IMLA published his article, “This is the Way: Equal Access to Broadband Through Municipal Franchising,” in Municipal Lawyer.
How Can AI Enhance Or Inhibit The Creative Process? (3:30 – 4:35pm)
Watch this panel’s recording on YouTube. With Tim Egan, Liz DiFiore, and Beth York.
With technology as a driver, the microchip in the media business gave us digital cameras, remote controls and better video storage, It gave us Avid, iMovie and Premier. It gave us compression, streaming & expanded pipe. But now the microchip has given us AI, will it take our jobs, homogenize our skill sets and limit creativity. Or will it allow for the expansion of ideas via new technologies and formats. We shall see. This panel will discuss both sides.
Opening Roundtable (10:10 – 10:50am)
This roundtable will be an opportunity to talk openly about the environment we’re all navigating right now. When sensitive requests for information arise in our facilities, what tools and practices do we have to handle them? How do we organize ourselves to protect both our members and our staff? We’ll share our experiences, compare approaches, and work together to prepare for the possibilities ahead. Moderator: Glenn Williams
Unlocking New Revenue Opportunities for
PEG Stations: Grants and Development
(2:15 – 3:20pm)
This workshop will guide PEG stations through effective revenue diversification strategies, from securing grants and planning fundraisers to building smaller-scale partnerships and community-driven programs. Participants will leave with practical tools to strengthen financial sustainability and expand their station’s impact. Presenters:
Bella Levavi is the Station Manager of Greenfield Community Television, where she draws on her background as an artist and her experience managing events at a small music venue to strengthen the station’s presence and relevance within the local community.
Juanita Lara is the Director of Development at BronxNet, the public access television station for the Bronx. For more than three decades, BronxNet has provided educational programming and broadcast services to the Bronx Community. Juanita is a writer and performance artist, and has worked in Theater as a producer, director and performer. She is also an artist educator and has taken her knowledge and experience in development and fundraising to train and support arts organizations and artists in grant writing and project development. Most recently she led a grant writing and artist statement workshop series in collaboration with Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance and West Harlem Arts Alliance. Currently, Juanita is writing a series of short stories for a live reading series in the Spring 2026, that will also be recorded and aired on BronxNet. Stay tuned!
