The 2026 Annual Conference Workshops and Presentations

DAY 1 of 2
Thursday, April 30, 2026

8:00 - NOON Registration

9:00 - 11:00 AM Morning Workshops

9:00 - 10:15 AM

Designing for All: Navigating the New ADA & FCC Digital Standards

Is your station ready for the April 2026/2027 ADA Title II deadlines? Join us for a session that combines visionary UI/UX principles with a hard-hitting compliance roadmap. We will explore "Designing for Humans," a practical approach that simplifies complex accessibility rules into actionable empathy. From there, we’ll tackle the technical "must-dos" for 2026, including captioning compliance, policy documentation, and website audits. Whether you are a technical director or a content creator, you will gain the tools to identify common digital barriers and the checklist needed to ensure your organization’s "front door" remains open to everyone.

10:30 - 11:45 AM

Story First: Building a Compelling Local Narrative

Whether you are producing a feature for the evening news, a long-form documentary, or a community profile, the foundation remains the same: the story must come first. This session is designed to bridge the gap between seasoned veterans and the next generation of creators. We’ll break down the architecture of a great story, from crafting interview questions that elicit emotional honesty to writing narration that sounds like a person—not a press release. Moving beyond "government speak," we will explore how to find the human heart in local events. Participants will put theory into practice by outlining a 2-minute narrative, leaving with a toolkit to turn dry facts into compelling community stories.

Cross-Departmental Media Collaboration

Many municipal media teams operate reactively. Responding to requests rather than helping shape citywide communication. Yet some of the most impactful projects happen when departments collaborate intentionally. This session explores how strategic storytelling can strengthen internal relationships, improve coordination, and build public trust.

Drawing from real examples, including recruitment spotlights, public safety PSAs, downtown business features, onboarding videos, and educational service explainers. This presentation demonstrates how media can support hiring, transparency, economic development, and community engagement. The session will also highlight the value of recurring planning meetings with departments to proactively develop ideas rather than simply waiting for assignments. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building sustainable collaboration and positioning media as a trusted, forward-thinking partner across their organization.

11:00 AM - 6:30 pm Exhibit Show Open

Noon - 1:15 PM Opening Lunch and Keynote Presentation

Welcome

Scott Mealiff, President, WCM Board of Directors
Ben Vinar, Chair, Midwest Region of the Alliance for Community Media

Keynote Presentation: TBA

TBA

1:30 - 5:00 PM Afternoon Workshops

1:30 - 2:30 PM

Video Production Internships: A Two-Way Street for Success

The most successful internship experiences are the result of quality two-way, continued communication between businesses, schools/universities, the Internship Coordinator, and, most importantly, the student. This presentation will offer procedural advice to PEG channel operators collaborating with schools regarding the necessary curriculum material, providing best-case marketing advice on how to make students aware of the opportunities available, and defining best courses of action during the student’s internship experience for all involved.

Media Fest

Screenings of Best of the Midwest Winners!

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM - Time to network and visit the exhibitors.

3:00 - 4:00 PM

PEG Channel Programming Roundtable: What are Municipalities and Schools Creating Today?

The purpose of the roundtable format is simply to allow attendants to share what content they produce. With this discussion, the various participants can become informed and inspired with ideas from others and also consider sharing content with the WCM FileShare system.

Production Truck Software: A Dynamic Field Production Remote Pack for the Go

Production Truck software is the alternative that UWW-TV utilizes when they want to cover a live event using fewer cameras and a more efficient operating system when considering time and a limited crew option. The value of the Production Truck software is that picture quality and amenities like graphics and video within a live event do not suffer with a more basic remote operating system.