BEA2015

“Defining the Documentary” is an ongoing series exploring issues concerning the documentary. This year we will take on the important, and challenging, question of “If we can’t agree what a documentary is, how can we decide if one deserves an award?”  Following a brief introduction, we will break into groups, each with its own moderator, and discuss a number of the issues raised – allowing all attendees to participate in the ongoing conversation to explore the meaning of “documentary.”

Moderator: Evan Johnson, Normandale Community College
Panelists: Thomas Mascaro, Bowling Green State University
Dan Kimbrough, Misericordia University
Michael R. Ogden, Central Washington University
Christopher Shofner, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Ralph Beliveau, University of Oklahoma

Net neutrality has been a core issue of the Internet since its creation. With its rapid expansion, based upon technological innovation, and with changing structures of related industries this “basic right” is being challenged.   Foremost telecommunication companies, having invested billions of dollars into the building of broadband networks, are reminded by their shareholders to show more profit on their investment. Telecommunication companies argue that times have changed and in order to continue improving upon their broadband infrastructure, they propose to create “fast lanes” for commercial content providers, including media companies, and charge them accordingly. Individual users, NGOs and for profit companies which depend on a well functioning Internet fear that they will be discriminated, charged exorbitant fees or eventually forced out or even silenced, shut off, from getting onto the Internet at equitable terms. A fierce debate has been sparked in the US and in Europe. Even President Obama has stated his position on the subject. Moreover, some argue that utility regulation, a possible outcome of this debate, was never envisioned by Congress and that it thus should be taken off the table as an inappropriate tool for the dynamic and open Internet. More than 1.1 million Americans recently submitted comments and opinions to the Federal Communications Commission on Internet openness. Again, the Internet has arrived at a critical junction in its evolution.
Moderator: Manfred K. Wolfram, University of Cincinnati
Panelists: Arnold Picot, Forschungsstelle fuer Information, Organisation und Management, Fakultaet fuer Betriebswirtschaft, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Germany
Bernd Holznagel, Institut fuer Informations-,Telekommunikations und Medienrecht (IMT), Abt.II, WWU Muenster, North Rhine Westphelia, Germany
Rolf T. Wigand, University of Arkansas-Little Rock
Manfred K. Wolfram, University of Cincinnati, MSC/MISU/LMU, Munich, Germany

The digital and social media platforms push the evolution of service learning for media and journalism students to new, creative real-world experiences. This panel shares first hand findings from faculty moving service learning into digital platforms. Panelists explore best practices, curriculum design, project pitfalls and assessment.
Moderator: Bradley L. Weaver, Westminster College, Pennsylvania
Faculty Panelists: Linda Thorsen Bond, Stephen F. Austin State University
Rita Colistra, Reed College of Media/West Virginia University
Andy Schwanbeck, Westminster College
Erik Johnson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 
Undergraduate Panelists: Samuel Asazu. University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Connor Nelson, University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Mark Roleth, University of Wisconsin – River Falls

This panel explores how public media providers are reacting to and also shaping new media policies and ecologies. As public media face defunding by national and local governments, they must also adapt to new, digital technologies. The panel will provide both case studies and policy overviews of how these challenges are pushing public media to reinvent their delivery systems, storytelling techniques, and funding strategies, and even modify their notions of the publics that they serve.
Moderator: Robert K. Avery, University of Utah
Panelists: Alan G. Stavitsky, University of Nevada, Reno
Michael W. Huntsberger, Linfield College
John S. Armstrong, Furman University
Kari Barber, University of Nevada, Reno
Michael V. Marcotte, University of New Mexico
Respondent: Philip A. Thompsen, West Chester University

Flipping the classroom has been a topic of much discussion lately. People who are new to the concept will gain an greater understanding of what it means to flip a classroom and discover some relevant tools to help facilitate this process.
Moderator: Gwin Faulconer-Lippert, Oklahoma City Community College
Panelists: Thomas McDonnell, Metropolitan Community College
Gwin Faulconer-Lippert, Oklahoma City Community College
Cheryl Stevens, Digital Learning Consultant, McGraw-Hill

Mobile newsgathering and production are no longer a novelty. A study recently published in Electronic News found that a broad range of broadcast journalism positions require mobile skills. Regardless of media platform, journalism employers want new hires to understand how to use mobile devices for newsgathering, production, and audience engagement. Panelists will discuss how to create a class dedicated to mobile journalism skills as well as how to integrate mobile into existing classes.
Moderator: Anthony Adornato, Ithaca College
Panelists: Debora Wenger, University of Mississippi
Adam Bradshaw, KVUU-TV
Allissa Richardson, University of Maryland

The Law & Policy Division's mission is to assist fellow teachers, researchers and practitioners in electronic media Law & Policy. Their goals and objectives are to foster ownership of the process of educating potential electronic media leaders and teachers about law; to prepare electronic media students for leadership roles by providing meaning to the phrase "the public interest, convenience and necessity"; to instill the notion of the "public interest" among potential users and leaders of the electronic media; to help new teachers of L & P by initiating and continuing a dialogue about the process of teaching in this area; to foster discussion about the nature of the Curriculum of Law & Policy; to educate potential users about their responsibilities to use the mass media as mechanisms for social change and improvement; and to initiate research into the fields of Law & Policy.
Chair: David Deeley, University of North Florida
Panelists: Heather Polinsky, Central Michigan University
Kevin Johnson, California State University - Long Beach

This longest continuously-offered convention session in BEA history again this year looks at a wide range of important legal and policy issues. These are issues being addressed by Congress, the Administration, the FCC and other agencies, as well as in the courts, the states and in academia. Representatives of the federal government and industry trade associations, plus leading communications law and technical experts, will provide attendees with insights and answers on key topics relating to electronic communications and media.   
Barry Umansky, BEA’s President and former Deputy General Counsel of the NAB, will moderate the session and pose questions to panelists. Following commentary by the expert panel, session attendees will be able to pose their own questions to the presenters.  A coffee break sponsored by the Digital Policy Institute will immediately follow. 
Moderator: Barry D. Umansky, Ball State University
Panelists: Barbara Kreisman, Chief, Media Services Division, Media Bureau, FCC
Peter Doyle, Chief, Audio Services Division, Media Bureau, FCC
Ann Bobeck, National Association of Broadcasters
Howard M. Liberman, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Kelly Williams, National Association of Broadcasters

This session – populated by academics, legal practitioners and government officials – will provide updates and analyses on issues that, when resolved, will govern and influence American telecommunications systems for the foreseeable future. What’s the status of the FCC “forward and reverse” spectrum auctions? How will FCC and Congressional actions affect the “open Internet.” What steps can federal and state governments, as well as telecommunications carriers, take to expand broadband in both urban and rural areas, and to further a problem-free transition to fully Internet-protocol systems?
Moderator: Robert Yadon, Ball State University
Panelists: Davina S. Sashkin, J.D., Fletcher, Heald & Hidreth
Nicol Turner-Lee, Minority Media Telecommunications Council
Stuart N. Brotman, J.D., Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Center for Technology Innovation within Governance Studies Brookings Institution & Lecturer, Harvard Law School

We often talk about “character-driven” vs. “plot(action)-driven” scripts. But is it possible to balance the two? Do techniques for writing characters vs. action vary from genre to genre, or format to format? Should we encourage students to write action-oriented/big budget scripts, or to start with character-driven pieces that they might be able to produce themselves? Panelists will address these questions, and session attendees will be encouraged to contribute their thoughts as well.
Moderator: Kevin J. Corbett, Central Michigan University
Panelists: Stephanie Rice, University of Central Florida
Trey Stohlman, Central Michigan University

Sould the FCC approve the Comcast/TWC merge? Will spectrum auctions be successful? Can we expect new fights over retransmission? What are the current First Amendment and privacy issues? With issues facing media from many vantage points, this year's Telcom Update will be jam-packed with useful information.
Moderator: Fritz J. Messere, SUNY - Oswego 
Panelists: Kim A. Zarkin, Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Dom Caristi, Ball State University
Laurie Thomas Lee, University of Nebraska @ Lincoln
Paul MacArthur, Utica College

All international members
District 8 Representative: Deborah Wilson David, University of Lincoln

Since 2011, the Arab Spring revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya have led to pivotal shifts, twists and turns and cyclical narratives in the evolution of their media landscapes. The story of how media in these countries adapted from dictatorship to democracy, and how Western news outlets covered the region will be the focus of this panel. Social media, news innovation, public sector media reform, framing analyses and future challenges will be discussed.
Moderator: Douglas A. Boyd, University of Kentucky
Panelists: Dina Ibrahim, San Francisco State University; 25TV: News Innovation in Post-Revolution Egypt
Rasha Abdulla, American University in Cairo; Egyptian State Media: Could It Pay Its 'Public' Dues?
Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo; Media Transition in North Africa After the Arab Spring
Naila Hamdy, The American University in Cairo, Egypt; Representation of Egypt: A framing analysis of the coverage of the June 30 mass protests and beyond in US & UK elite newspapers.

The changes in broadcast news are requiring journalism programs to adapt to new skills – from social media and mobile journalism to producing more content for an increasingly faster news cycle. Programs are asking what should we be teaching and how should we teach it. Those decisions begin with a discussion of the curriculum. This panel features faculty members from several universities that are in the middle of curriculum revision who will share their “best tips.”
Moderator: Gary Hanson, Kent State University
Panelists: Mary T. Rogus, Ohio University
Lydia Timmins, University of Delaware

Thor Wasbotten, Kent State University

This panel will discuss the growing sports broadcasting opportunities across the upper Midwest and beyond. Many are experiencing a surge in sports through cable television with a local sports television flare. This panel will address some of these opportunities in more detail along with what applicants need to do to be ready for this opportunity when it arrives.
Moderator: Kenneth A. Fischer, University of Oklahoma
Panelists: Neil Roberts, Minot State University
Don Moore, Ohio University Southern
Melanie Lombardi, Frostburg State University
Joe Moore, University of Central Missouri
Troy O. Comeau, Pittsburg State University

Horton & Wohl (1956) called for research into how parasocial interactions “are integrated into the matrix of usual social activity” (p. 228). In light of social media, this panel answers that very call and will explore the characteristics of parasocial existence that demand additional research. The panel will examine how social media and increased 2-way communication between audiences and celebrities, politicians, and fictional characters alter our current understandings of PSRs as we seek new operationalizations of existing parasocial research concepts.
Moderator: T. Phillip Madison, Stephen F. Austin State University
Panelists: Robin Haislett, Texas Tech University
Lakshmi N. Tirumala, University of Cincinnati
Casey Hart, Stephen F. Austin State University
Chris McCollough, Columbus State University

Previous generations of consumers were considered to be passive receivers of messages crafted by professionals of media organizations. A protectionist paradigm was intended to provide safe-guards for the audiences. In the digital evolution, consumers are interactively engaged with the producers of media content, acting upon the messages as they are received. These revolutionary times are global. This session looks at the role consumers in various cultures are taking as they are engaged in the process of interacting with messages created by professional content providers.
Moderator: William G. Covington, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Panelists: Jabbar A. Al-Obaidi, Bridgewater State University
Ronald K. Raymond, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Stacey O. Irwin, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
William G. Covington, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

You have a letter that acknowledges you worked on an independent film in several capacities, but you don’t have a primary author credit. You were asked to produce brand specific content for a company’s social media outlets, but the public sees the brand name, not yours. Will these scenarios pass muster during the promotion and tenure process? This panel will discuss the obstacles of documenting distributed authorship in creative media so that it satisfies promotion and tenure criteria. Issues related to branded content creation, electronic billboard production, film making, digital media production, and static and motion graphic design will be discussed.
Moderator: Bradford L. Yates, University of West Georgia
Panelists: Vanessa T. Ament-Gjenvick, Ball State University
Deon Kay, University of West Georgia
Fritz J. Messere, SUNY - Oswego
Chris Renaud, University of West Georgia
Respondent: William Christ, Trinity University