ACM-NE Spring Conference

UPDATED APRIL 11, 2008

Everything you need to know about the 2008 ACM-NE Spring Conference and Trade Show can be found in our official conference brochure…

Conference Registration Brochure

Here is the TENTATIVE conference schedule:

Thursday, May 8th
Registration: 8:00pm to 9:00pm

Friday, May 9th
Registration: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Trade Show: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Continental Breakfast: 9:00am to 10:30am
Opening Plenary: 9:30am to 10:30am “RI PEG…How it’s Different, Why it Works” More information here.
Workshop Session #1: 11:00am to 12:30pm
Keynote Luncheon: 12:30pm to 2:00pm- More information here.
Workshop Session #2: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Snack Break- 3:30pm-4:00pm
Workshop Session #3: 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Dinner on your own

Saturday, May 10th
Registration: 8:00am to 12:00pm
Trade Show: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Continental Breakfast: 9:00am to 10:00am
Workshop Session #4: 10:00am to 11:30am
Lunch On Your Own: 11:30am to 1:00pm
Workshop Session #5: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Closing: 3:00pm to 4:00pm

The conference will feature four seminar tracks with five workshops for each track…The order of the seminars correspond to the schedule above. 

Management

1. Board Development and Role- This workshop focuses on the policy setting and fiduciary responsibilities that board members of a 501(c)(3) are expected to fulfill under state and federal law as well as the process of selecting board members who bring to a PEG Access Center skills that forward the mission of the organization. Moderator: Rika Welsh, Rika Welsh, Community Media Consulting, Cambridge, MA. Presenter: Bill August, Epstein & August, Boston, MA

2. Strategic Work Plan and Staff Evaluation- In order for a Board of Directors to properly provide the staff of an Access Center with a strategic workplan for not just the operation of the center but also for use in the staff evaluations, there is the need for the board and staff to annually develop a strategic workplan. This workshop will discuss that process as well as the process for staff evaluation based upon comprehensive personnel policies. Moderator/Presenter: Chuck Sherwood, Principal, Community Media Visioning, South Dennis, MA

3. Fiscal Matters- Investment Policies and Insurance Coverage–This workshop focuses on the importance of the PEG Access Center developing Investment Policies so that reserves held by the corporation can insure that income is being generated by these reserves. In addition, Access Centers need to insure that all proper type of insurance coverage is in place to protect the corporation from liability, damages, loss and law suits. Moderator: Nancy Richard, Executive Director, PACTV, Plymouth, MA. Presenters: Joe Balboni, Clippership Insurance, Kingston, MA. Michael Wenzke, Associate Account Executive, Travelers Bond & Financial Products.

4. Outreach Strategies and Building Partnerships- This workshop focuses on the process for the development of outreach strategies for building partnerships with community groups, local nonprofit organizations as well as local educational and governmental institution so that PEG Access Centers can not only have them involved in the community media production process but also in assisting the center during the franchising process and lobbying either state legislatures or Congress. Moderator:  Jeff Hansell, Executive Director, Belmont Media Center, Belmont , MA. Presenters: Doris Ballard, Outreach & Development Director, Concord Community TV, Concord, NH. Marcia Drew Hohn, EdD, Director of Public Education, The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc., Malden, MA.

5. Diversification of Revenue Streams- This workshop will focus on the real experience of PEG Access Centers around the country that have been negatively impacted by state franchising as well as the potential of similar National Franchising and thus should put all centers on notice of the importance of developing a strategy for the diversification of their revenue sources beyond franchise and access fees. Moderator/Presenter: Debby Rogers, Executive Director, Falmouth Community TV, Falmouth, MA. Presenter: Terry Duenas, Executive Director, Cape Cod Community Media Center, South Yarmouth, MA.

Media & Telecom Public Policy

1. Congressional, FCC & Court Update- This workshop will update board members and executive directors on the latest regarding all Congressional, FCC and Court actions that impact the future of PEG Access Centers. Moderator: Keith Thibault, Director, Fall River Community Television, Fall River, MA. Presenter: Jim Horwood, Spiegel McDiarmid, Washington, DC

2. Organizing Strategies to Fight for PEG Access/Community Media-This workshop will focus on the importance of developing relationships within your state between PEG centers, nonprofit associations, municipal and county associations along with consumer and civic organizations to deal with media and telecom issues in your state legislation with either positive or negative impact. Moderator: Betty Yu, Director of Community Outreach and Media, Manhattan Neighborhood Network, New York, NY. Presenters: Tony Vigue, Executive Director, South Portland Community TV, South Portland, ME.  Jon Bartholomew, Media Reform Campaign Coordinator, Common Cause, Portland, ME.

3. Lobbying For Your Interests- This workshop will provide the attendees with the understanding of all elements of lobbying whether you want to reach your local or county government or state or federal legislatures all of whom can have a major impact on the future of your Access Center. Moderator: Doris Ballard, Outreach & Development Director, Concord Community TV, Concord, NH. Presenters: Paul LeValle, Executive Director, Arlington Community TV, Arlington, VA. Pua Ford, CT League of Women Voters, CT.

4. Ask the Lawyers- This workshop is an opportunity for you to ask any question regarding legal issues that might impact your Access Center from incorporation to operating rules and procedures to baring a producer for improper behavior or employment issues. The sky and time is the limit! Moderator: Keith Thibault, Director, Fall River Community Television, Fall River, MA. Presenters: Bill August, Epstein and August, Boston, MA. Jim Horwood, Spiegel McDiarmid, Washington, DC.

5. Franchise/Licensing Strategies for PEG- This workshop will focus on how to best position your municipality and PEG Access Center for the cable franchise granting and renewal process so that maximum benefits for community communications resources are received from the cable provider. Moderator: Chuck Sherwood, Principal, Community Media Visioning, South Dennis, MA. Presenter: William H. Solomon, Town Attorney, Stoneham, MA & Special Cable Counsel to Municipalities

New Media

1. New Media Services for People with Disabilities- This workshop focuses on ways for PEG Access Centers to insure that both PEG channels and websites are serving people with disabilities. Moderator: Keri Stokstad, Executive Director, Port Media, Newburyport, MA. Presenter: Larry Goldberg, Director, Media Access Group, WGBH, Boston, MA.

2. Server Based Playback- With the migration from analog to digital production, Access Centers are now moving from taped based to server based programming playback on channels as well as being able to steam and download programming through websites, this workshop takes a look at the technology to provide these services. Moderator: Rich Desimone, Manager, Metuchen TV, Metuchen New Jersey. Presenters: Jesse Lerman, EVP Engineering, Telvue, Mount LaurelNew Jersey. Jesse Lerman, EVP Engineering, Telvue, Mount Laurel, NJ. Rush Beesley, President, Rushworks, Highland Village, Texas. Claude Turcotte, President, Maestrovision, Vaudreuil, Quebec.  Andrew Starks, President, Tightrope Media Systems, St. Paul, MN.  Dave Leighton, President, Leightronix, Holt, MI.

3. New Ways to Distribute PEG Programming- Traditionally PEG programming has been delivered on channels on the local cablesystem but now that the Internet and broadband service is so available, this workshop will looks at all of the new ways centers and their producers can distribute video programming including DVDs, podcasts, file sharing, etc.
Moderator: Steve Israelsky, VP Broadcast Sales, Tightrope Media Systems, St. Paul, MN.  Presenter: Jennifer Wager, Community Outreach & Media Specialist, Manhattan Neighborhood Network, New York, NY.

4. Migrating your Website to CMS- 4. Migrating your Website to CMS—This workshop focuses on the whys and hows of making your Access Centers website fully interactive by using Content Management Software so that it can easily host class and program schedules, news updates, blogs, discussion threads as well as video, audio and pix clips. Moderator: Bob Dunbar, , Port Media, Newburyport, MA. Presenter: Jason Daniels, Executive Director, Medfield Community Cable Access, Medfield, MA.

5. Remote Program Origination Using WiFi/WiMax—Traditionally PEG Access Center originate programming from fixed locations such as their studio or from remote locations using either upstream capability on the subscriber network or a separate I-Net. This workshop takes a look at how either WiFi or WiMax hotspots or clouds can be used to deliver mobile remote programming to their Centers for cablecast or webcast. Moderator: Karen Heyden, Executive Director, Methuen Community TV, Methuen, MA. Presenter: Terry Duenas, Executive Director, Cape Cod Community Media Center, South Yarmouth, MA.

Training the Trainers

1. Teaching No Edit Shooting- This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with the techniques for shooting a final production in camera with no editing for both single and multi-camera shoots. This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with the techniques for shooting a final production in camera with no editing for both single and multi-camera shoots. Moderator/Presenter: Peter Pijoan, Access Coordinator, Wolfeboro Community TV, Wentworth School District, NH.

2. Teaching Intermediate/Advanced Final Cut Pro- This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with the skills to teach Intermediate and Advanced Final Cut Pro to your members. Moderator/Presenter: Robert Haigh, Community Media Consulting Services.

3. Teaching Video Blogging- This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with the skills to teach Videoblogging to your members so these can be posted to producer blogs on a Center’s CMS based website. Moderator/Presenter: Ivettza Sanchez, Community Outreach & Media Specialist, Manhattan Neighborhood Network, New York, NY

4. Strategies in Training- This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with a more through understanding of the tips and strategies of how to teach creative content creation skills to your member producers. Moderator/Presenter: Judi Kelemen, NewTV, Newton, MA.

5. Working with Youth- This workshop will provide your center’s training staff with tips and strategies on working with and teaching after school Youth Media programs and Summer Media Camp for Youth. Presenter: Ron Cox, Executive Director, MATV, Malden, MA. Presenter: Matt Landry, Youth Media Production Coordinator, Cambridge Educational Access, Cambridge, MA.

These workshops are subject to change. Check back often!