Television Academy Foundation Opens Registration for 'Media Educators Conference'

 The Television Academy Foundation has announced that registration is open for its annual Media Educators Conference, targeting college and university media arts educators nationwide, to be held Oct. 9-11 at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California. In addition, applications are now being accepted for its Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowships, which provide support for college educators around the country interested in attending the conference, with an emphasis on those from minority-serving institutions.

With Jamila Hunter, president of Macro Television, chairing the Foundation’s Education Committe, the annual Media Educators Conference aims to bridge the gap between academia and the television industry, ensuring that educators are well equipped to teach the next generation of media professionals. The immersive, three-day event is priced at $350 per person; to register visit TelevisionAcademy.com/media-educators/register. Registration closes on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Faculty attendees will receive a one-year complimentary academic membership to the Television Academy.

 The Foundation’s Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowships were established in 2021 by the Harry & Judy Friedman Family Foundation with additional support from Sony Pictures Entertainment in honor of late television icon and Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. To apply for a fellowship, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/media-educators/trebek. The DEADLINE to apply is Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.

The conference will kick off with opening remarks from Anne Vasquez, executive director of the Foundation, and will feature informative media-industry panels on a variety of topics including:

• The State of the Industry with experts, leaders, reporters and executives discussing the current conditions, trends, challenges and future of the media industry.
• AI and the Future of Entertainment with Renard Jenkins, president and CEO of I2A2 Technologies, Labs and Studio; Anatola Araba, founder, creative director at Reimagine Story Lab; and Shelby Ward, co-founder/COO of Curious Refuge.
• Demystifying the Unions and Guilds with screenwriter and social justice advocate Lynn Renee Maxcy (The Handmaid's Tale; The Complex; MARS 2080); director Morenike Joela Evans (Grey’s Anatomy; Act Your Age); A&E Networks producer Genevieve Wong (The Proof Is Out There); and Victor Reyes, IATSE Local 44 business representative, political coordinator, and director of member education and training.
• Must See TV: An Interactive Model for Media Education with Jenni Matz, director, The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, and Josh Smith, assistant professor and communications director, Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture, Virginia Commonwealth University, presenting their unique “turnkey” curriculum offering.
• Climate Storytelling With the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) with Meredith Milton, creative director, Rewrite the Future, NRDC, and Daniel Hinerfeld, director, content partnerships, NRDC.
• Masterclass in Directing with director Rachel Raimist (The Spiderwick Chronicles; Roswell, New Mexico).
• “The Power of TV: Democracy in Focus” with writer/executive producer Mark Goffman (The Irrational; The Umbrella Academy; The West Wing) and producer, writer, director Amanda McBaine from the Apple TV+ documentary series Girls State.

 “This conference underscores our commitment to supporting educators who play a pivotal role in shaping the future of media,” said Tina Perry, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. “It provides media-arts educators with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to enhance their teaching and better prepare their students for careers in the television and digital-media industries.”

Sony Pictures Entertainment is the presenting sponsor for the 2024 Media Educators Conference with additional support from Warner Bros. Discovery.

About the Television Academy Foundation

Established in 1959 as the charitable arm of the Television Academy, the Television Academy Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of television while educating and inspiring those who will shape its future. Through renowned educational and outreach programs, such as The Interviews: An Oral History of Television Project, College Television Awards and Summit, Student Internship Program, and the Media Educators Conference, the Foundation seeks to widen the circle of voices our industry represents and to create more opportunity for television to reflect all of society. For more information on the Foundation, please visit TelevisionAcademy.com/Foundation.