President's Message | October 21, 2019

ACM Community news

The Central States Conference and Philo Awards just wrapped up this past week at WKTV Community Media in Wyoming Michigan.   The star of the event was WKTV itself.
I’ve been to neighboring GRCMC in Grand Rapids but have never taken the time to visit the nearby media center.    It’s hard to physically describe because the interior of the facility looks like a combination of Disneyland, Las Vegas and a media center.   It even has a “Main Street” that features pavers with the names of community sponsors!

Just as impressive as the facility is what goes on there.   General Tom Norton and his team have built a Digital Cinema training program, local news programming, podcasting facilities and a mobile oral history project built into a rehabbed Airstream trailer!

All in all, WKTV is a pretty inspiring example of what can be built in community media.   I’ll be back soon to see what else they are cooking up!

        

      

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Along with the Conference came news that Alysha Albrecht, the chair of ACM Central States, is stepping down to take a new job as a communications specialist with the Township of Van Buren MI.   Congratulations and my thanks go to Alysha who’s done a great job with the Region and in her job at the City of Ann Arbor – I have a feeling this will be “so long” instead of “farewell”!
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And a big thank you to everyone who celebrated Community Media Day yesterday!   Lots of Sunday Open Houses and at least one award celebration took place (The Cammys in Philadelphia).   
Mark your calendars for next year’s celebration on Tuesday, October 20, 2020! 

 Mike Wassenaar
ACM President & CEO