Wisconsin Community Media Program Fund collaborates with groups to produce a program on flooding resiliency

Cass Street in Green Bay floods from the East River.

WCM is very proud to announce that the WCM Program Fund helped get an important video about climate change resiliency off the ground that will be distributed widely to municipalities, conservation groups, and the public.

The collaboration began when WCM Executive Director Mary Cardona met Dea Larsen Converse, Communications Director of the Wisconsin State Office of Climatology and the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) at a League of Wisconsin Municipalities annual conference.  The two got to talking about the climate change resiliency project funded by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. A year or so later, when the state-wide assessment report was completed, Larsen Converse turned to Cardona to find a videographer through the WCM Program Fund to bring the report’s findings to life.   

Cardona contacted Rachel Womack, an Independent Producer member of WCM and the owner of Today and Forever Videos, to find out if she would be interested in producing the program and she was!  Womack completed the 19-minute piece with the collaboration of several organizations involved in the project including the Nature Conservancy, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, NEWater, and the Natural Resources Foundation.   Womack gained permission from local broadcasters covering flooding events to use their footage and Cardona asked Kris Berge, Coordinator, Wausau Area Access Media to provide the closed captioning for the piece.  The University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute is hosting the YouTube video on its site and WCM is making a broadcast-quality version available to its 52 member media centers through the WCM File Share system. 

The program highlights the work that the East River Collaborative in the Green Bay area has done to bring communities in the East River watershed together to discuss flooding issues and set priorities for action.  While the video focuses on the East River watershed and how flooding has impacted the region, the nature-based solutions described can work elsewhere.  

The increasing frequency and severity of weather events has made the need for resilience planning urgent for many communities in Northeast Wisconsin that are in the East River Watershed. In all, thirteen municipalities are located within the watershed and there is increasing suburban and urban development in this area as it nears the Bay of Green Bay. In recent years, flooding along the East River has damaged residents’ homes, businesses, public infrastructure and crops, and strained local emergency response resources.  

The WCM Program Fund mission is to bring together non-profit organizations, videographers, media centers, and funders to create and distribute important programming to local and regional audiences. If you have an idea for a program, please get in touch through the WCM Executive Director at exec@wisconsincommunitymedia.com.  

Local and state officials join media centers and the Governor in celebrating Community Media Day 2023

“The sharing of ideas and information is critical to the vitality of communities across Wisconsin, yet access to quality local coverage has been declining in the media environment.” 

So begins the proclamation signed by Governor Tony Evers declaring October 20 Community Media Day in Wisconsin.  The Governor celebrated the work of PEG (public, education, and government) media centers whose mission is to serve local communication needs.   He said “strong media centers build strong communities by encouraging government transparency, fostering civic engagement, elevating local voices, promoting area businesses, and training students in being strong local media representatives.”   

Mary Cardona, executive director of Wisconsin Community Media, was excited to see the Governor’s endorsement of the work done by PEG media professionals and community producers.  “Our work is more important than ever.  Our media centers encourage ‘coming together’ -- something that is in very short supply in the current media environment.”

Two mayors and the Oregon Village President, Phil Van Kampen, also signed proclamations celebrating community media. 

Mayor Shane Blaser, City of Wisconsin Rapids, said in his proclamation, “Community media organizations provide a means for diverse communities to tell their stories, hear each other’s stories, and create new stories together.”  

Van Kampen said, “The Village of Oregon shares in the Governor’s celebration of the hard work and importance of community media centers, supporting local media, and citizen involvement in community happenings…the Village of Oregon recognizes the importance and value OCA Media provides to the vitality and fabric of the Oregon community.

West Bend’s Mayor Joel Ongert expressed appreciation for the West Bend Community Television team that has produced nearly 500 hours of local content so far this year.  His proclamation said in part, “Community Media Day provides an opportunity for our citizens to acknowledge the significant role that community media plays in fostering local dialogue, civic engagement, and social cohesion, and to encourage its growth and sustainability.”

Rep. Melissa Ratcliff (District 46) appeared in a PSA for the Sun Prairie Media Center.  Representative Ratcliffe said, “My work is most rewarding when I hear from my constituents about what they think about the important issues that affect them at the local level.  Media centers like the Sun Prairie Media Center exist to ensure local communities are informed about important issues that affect local people every day…Sun Prairie Media Center is an essential part of our community.” 

Andy Radig, the Communications Coordinator for Oshkosh Media, talked with John Fitzpatrick, Assistant City Manager, in a special segment for the City Manager’s Report show.  “All the opportunities that are available to the community as well as providing transparency into government and community activities — it’s really a great resource and I’m very proud to have a small part in it.  It’s gratifying to see that the Governor is providing this proclamation.”

Many media centers shared celebratory posts on social media. 

Perhaps Janesville JATV Media Services spoke for all community media center staff members on this special day when it said in a Facebook post, “JATV Media Services will always be committed to fostering a sense of community & connection with unwavering dedication. Thank you for your continued support.”

Wyngaard receives award from UW -Eau Claire - Barron County

Campus Director Abbey Fischer presents the Outstanding Service Award to James Wyngaard of Rice Lake Community Media

Each year, the UW-Eau Claire — Barron County staff select a community member to recognize and show appreciation to for their Outstanding Service to the campus.

Before the start of the first of the fall series of “Thursdays at the U” lecture series on Thursday afternoon, Campus Director Abbey Fischer surprised someone in the audience and presented the award.

"James Wyngaard of Rice Lake Community Media had multiple nominations and was the hands-down favorite for the 2022–23 academic year," Fischer said. "We so value his many hours of service to our Thursdays at the U program, Communiversity Band, Red Cedar Choir, Indigenous Peoples Celebrations, commencement and many other events. James is always willing to lend a hand to our campus — and the Rice Lake community."

“It was a VERY big surprise,” said Wyngaard. “I was completely stunned! Never saw it coming and apparently my part timers knew about it before I did.  I am so grateful for it!”

UWEC-BC event coverage is a staple of the video programming Rice Lake Community Media presents on its many streaming and cable television platforms.

reprinted from The Chronotype with additional comments from James