2026 Entry Period Is Open — Send in Your Submissions Today!

The 2026 Best of the Midwest Media Fest is now accepting submissions!

Are you a filmmaker, videographer, community media center or content creator based in the Midwest? Do you have a short film, documentary, commercial, music video, or other creative video project that you're proud of?

Submit your work to the 2026 Best of the Midwest Media Fest and have your work screened by community media and industry professionals.

Early Bird Deadline: January 16th Final Deadline: February 8th

The Basics

• WCM members need a promo code to get the member discount. The promo code can be found in the WCM Forum.

• Programs need to be distributed by a PEG media center, but they do not have to be produced with a PEG center’s facilities.

• All programs must have debuted through an outlet (Cable, Facebook, Apple TV, Roku, etc. ) used by a PEG (public, education, government) cable access center.

• Program producers must reside in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska or Kansas.

• You can be an amateur producer or a professional producer. You can enter as an amateur if you have never earned more than $20,000 per year from video or radio production.

• You or your media center does not need to be a member of WCM or ACM to enter the Fest.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Purpose of the Fest

To recognize the outstanding video and radio programs that are produced by Midwestern professionals and amateurs who use PEG media centers or low-power FM stations to produce and/or distribute their programming. The Fest also seeks to encourage excellence in community programming by providing constructive feedback on each program entered.

Judging

Judges are needed! Please contact the WCM Executive Director at exec@wisconsincommunitymedia.com if you want to judge this year. All judge slots plus a few extras, need to be filled by the first week of January, 2026. We need amateur community producers, PEG media professionals, LPFM radio amateurs, radio professionals, and media professionals (of any kind) working outside the PEG field to make up our judging panels.

Eligibility

To qualify, producers must reside in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska or Kansas and video programming must have premiered in one of these states on a PEG (public, education, or government) cable access channel or on another outlet managed by a PEG media center including a website, OTT site, or social media app in calendar year 2025. LPFM radio programs must have debuted on an LPFM radio station or a podcast sponsored by an LPFM radio station operating in one of the Midwestern states listed above. The LPFM radio station does NOT need to be associated with a PEG access center.

Entry Levels

Amateur: The program is mostly created by and mostly reflects the technical expertise of individuals who have never earned more than $20,000 per year from video production. Amateurs may elect to be judged as professionals.

Professional: The program is mostly created by and mostly reflects the technical expertise of individuals who currently earn or have in the past earned more than $20,000 per year in the video or (in the case of a radio entry) radio field.

Fest Show April 30 & May 1!

The Media Fest Show featuring the top winning entries will be held in conjunction with our two-day conference co-sponsored by the Midwest Region of the Alliance for Community Media and Wisconsin Community Media. The schedule of blocks will be released in the spring. More information on the award ceremony will also be released closer to the date.

Recognition Levels

To explain the recognition levels, we borrow from the Olympics.

Excellence Award. The equivalent of a “Gold Medal.” This award is bestowed on entries that demonstrate a highly creative, well-crafted and very effective approach to the subject matter. Typically the top 15% - 20% of entries.

Achievement Award. The equivalent of a “Silver Medal.” Programs achieving this level are well-crafted and effective in conveying their message. Last year, 52 programs reached this level of recognition.

Merit Award. The equivalent of a “Bronze Medal.” Programs achieving a Merit Award demonstrate a proficiency in their craft and a solid presentation of the subject matter.

Not all producers receive one of these awards, but typically three-quarters of our entries do.

Best in Show: A program may also receive a Best in Show Award if it earns the top score in a Subject Category (see Subject Categories below) and it scores high enough to qualify for a Merit, Achievement, or Excellence Award.

Significant Community Program Award: This is an honor bestowed on programs upon nomination from the manager of a media center and approval by the Conference Committee. See more below.

Notification of Award/No Award

Award notifications will be emailed to producers at the email address provided on the Entry Form. Emails will be sent to all producers who entered the fest, including those who did not win an award. Please look for an email from the Fest the last week of March.

Entry Categories, Significant Community Programs and Subject Categories

Entry Categories

All Entry Categories are open to both radio and video programs.

Civic Engagement & Government Operations

Community Storytelling

Local Arts & Culture

Life Skills & Lifestyles

Live

Meeting & Public Forum Highlights

Public Affairs & Advocacy

Public Service Announcements & Community Alerts

Sports Coverage

Student Media

Significant Community Program Honors

These programs do not go through the judging process but pay the same entry fee.  WCM’s intent is to generate broad recognition for important programs produced through community access centers or LPFM stations.  Media Center managers should nominate a show for a Significant Community Program Award if it has generated a significant community impact. The Conference Committee approves the selection after reviewing the letter in support of the nomination and watching the program.

Either amateur or professionally-produced shows may be recommended.  Contact your community media center manager if you would like your center to consider submitting your program for this award.

Scoring and Feedback from Judges

Judges score every entry on nine criteria. Judges also provide producers with comments on their program. The fest prides itself on providing producers with solid feedback so that entering the fest becomes a growth experience for all producers. After all judges have scored the program, the highest and lowest scores are discarded and the remaining scores are averaged to create the final score on which awards are based.

Producers receive both the judge numeric feedback and written comments about their entries from each judge. This information is also provided to the media center. The feedback will be emailed after the completion of the Fest.

Judging Criteria

The criteria judges score on is Overall Quality, Audience Engagement, Originality/Creativity, Camerawork/Delivery, Audio, Graphics, Lighting, Editing, and Subject Matter.

Plaques, Statuettes, and Certificates

Producers may choose to purchase plaques, statuettes, or receive a free certificate for their award-winning shows.  Online order forms will be available on the WCM website.  These awards will be presented at the Media Fest Banquet and Show.  If a producer is not able to attend the show and no one is available to pick up their items for them, WCM can package and mail plaques and statuettes for shipping costs. 

Use of Your Program by WCM/Sharing Your Program

By entering the Fest, you agree to allow WCM to use stills and footage from your video to promote PEG and the Fest on the WCM website, social media channels and WCM’s YouTube Channel.  Whenever possible, WCM will use your URL.

Questions?

Contact the WCM Executive Director at exec@wisconsincommunitymedia.com or at 262-277-6239.