Madison, Wisconsin – Wisconsin Community Media is announcing the 2018 Best of the
Midwest Media Fest award winners. Award-winning producers and their shows will be
honored at the Best of the Midwest Media Fest Banquet and Show at the Best Western Premier
Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center on Thursday evening, May 10 as part of Wisconsin
Community Media’s two-day conference.
Go here for the press release with the full list of award-winning programs.
Shows that win are recognized with one of three awards. From the top they are “Excellence,”
“Achievement,” and “Merit.” Of the 174 entrees this year, the judges awarded 43 Excellence
Awards, 59 Achievement Awards, and 50 Merit Awards. Eleven programs were named “Best
in Show” in either the professional or amateur level of eight broad categories.
The fest is also recognizing the rebirth of high school sports coverage in Oshkosh with a
Significant Community Program award for Oshkosh North v. Oshkosh West Boys Basketball.
Efforts by the Friends of Oshkosh Media led to the return of high school sports after a ten-year
hiatus.
This year, the fest is celebrating its twentieth year. “The fest was created to showcase the best of
Wisconsin’s local cable access television programming and to provide feedback to producers on
their craft,” said Mary Cardona, executive director of WCM. In 2013, it became a regional
media fest, accepting programming from a nine-state area and in 2016, it began accepting
community radio shows. “All year-long local amateur producers and community-based
professionals produce shows that contribute to the life of their communities. Once a year we take
the time to recognize their contribution and we are very honored to be able to recognize their
work,” said Cardona.
To enter, a program must have been produced and/or distributed through the facilities of a
community media center and premiered on a cable access television channel, its website, or on
an LPFM radio channel the previous year. The deadline for entering is early January.
Community media serves a vital public information role on the local level, making local
government transparent and promoting involvement in and building support for local schools,
businesses, non-profit organizations, community activities, and the arts.
All tickets are $45 and can be purchased through www.wisconsincommunitymedia.com. The
evening begins at 5 p.m. with the Exhibitors Reception and is followed by the 6:30 pm banquet
and show featuring clips from the top Excellence Award entries, Best in Show Award winners,
and the Significant Community Program.
The list of award-winners is alphabetized by the producer’s state, then city. LPFM
programs are not judged in separate professional and amateur categories.
