WKNC leads sessions at CBI Seattle

WKNC General Manager Jules Conlon and Promotions Director Annelise Thorn received NC State Undergraduate Research Travel Grants to lead sessions at the College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Electronic Media Convention Oct. 25-27 in Seattle. More than 500 students, advisers/managers and professionals attended the three-day event.

Conlon and Luis Rodriguez, public affairs director for WUSC FM & HD1 at University of South Carolina, presented the session “Fundraising – When Student Fees Aren’t Enough.” Conlon detailed various ways WKNC earns more than half its annual operating budget, including hosting a benefit concert for the station, selling merchandise and underwriting. Conlon also led a station manager’s roundtable with Dave Black, general manager at WSUM at University of Wisconsin-Madison and WSUM Music Director Tyler Dallman.

For the session, “Zines! A Brief History and Workshop,” Thorn worked with Kat Cone, co-publicity director for KALX FM at University of California Berkeley, Promotions Directors Jenelle Faynor and Cassidy Miller from KUSF at Universtiy of San Francisco and KUSF General Manager Miranda Morris. Thorn’s experience with zines comes from her volunteer work at Girls Rock NC.

Joining Conlon and Thorn at the convention were Podcast Manager Claire Fasel, Sponsorship Director Gab Scaff, Student Media Associate Director Jamie Lynn Gilbert and IT Manager Doug Flowers. Gilbert led the session “Social Media Analytics Made Simple” with Lisa Marshall, station manager for WMCO at Muskingum University. Gilbert partnered with Flowers and Terrill Thompson, a technology accessibility specialist at University of Washington, for the presentation “Are You Accessible?: Web Accessibility Tips for Audio, Video and The Web.” Gilbert also facilitated the convention’s “swag swap” in which participants bring swag – stickers, pens, T-shirts, koozies, bottle openers, etc. – to swap with their peer media outlets.

As part of the educational mission of Student Media, WKNC publishes the students’ summaries so others can learn from the conference.