Contention FAQ

General Information

Q. When is BEA2010’s annual convention held?

BEA will hold its 55^th Annual Convention this year in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 15 – 17, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The NABEF / BEA / RTDNA Career Day will take place on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton along with other special events.

Q. What do I need to do before the convention?

Please visit the NABShow Housing page on the NABShow2010 website for detailed information on making your hotel reservation.

When considering your registration options, check out the BEA2010 Convention page on the BEA website. Take advantage of the substantial discounts and register early!

Convention program participants (Moderators, respondents, panelist, presenters, etc…) need to register by March 1, 2010 to guarantee inclusion in the printed convention program.

Q. Can my spouse accompany me at the convention?

Yes! Registered spouses are welcome to all BEA2010 sessions, events, meals & receptions. Spouses cannot be involved in the industry, and must be accompanied by full conference registration.

Q. Where can I find more information regarding a specific panel, paper Competition, poster session, district meeting, interest division meeting, or festival ceremony?

The convention program is available online and can be viewed on the BEA2010 Convention webpage. Sessions, panels, competitions, meetings and ceremonies can be searched by title, presenter name, keyword, or by BEA interest division. You may view the abstracts for sessions and papers.

Q. How can I get a copy of the 2010 Annual Convention program?

All registered attendees may pick-up a program along with other materials onsite at the BEA registration area located in the Las Vegas Convention Center, North Diamond Lobby starting Wednesday, April 15, 2010.

Convention Registration

Q. Do I have to be a BEA member to attend the convention?

No, you do not have to become a member of BEA to attend the convention however we hope you decide that a BEA individual membership is valuable to you. BEA is the professional association for professors, industry professionals and students who are interested in teaching and research related to electronic media and multimedia enterprises and members of BEA pay considerably less to attend the convention than non-members. Please visit the BEA Membership webpage for information.

Q. How do I register for the convention?

You can go directly to BEA2010 Registration to register online today! If you are planning to pay by individual check you must return a completed registration form with payment via mail to Convention Data Services, Inc., 107 Water House Rd, Bourne, MA 02532.

Q. How do I register for the convention if my university/company pays by check?

You and/or each person in the group will need to print out and complete the pre-registration form and submit a request to your university/company. Checks may be made payable to Broadcast Education Association. Please be sure to mail the check and registration form(s) together directly to Convention Data Services, Inc., 107 Water House Rd, Bourne, MA 02532. If you have questions or need further assistance please contact BEA directly at 202.429.3935 or BEAMemberServices@nab.org.

Q. What if my university/company needs a completed W-9 Form?

Your university/company can contact BEA directly at 202.429.3935 or BEAMemberServices@nab.org in order to receive a completed W-9 form

Q. I want to attend the NABEF/BEA/RTNDA Career Day sessions and job fair. Do I still need to register for the convention?

To enter the sessions and job fair on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 you must register for the BEA2010 Annual Convention. These are benefits that are included in the convention registration.

Q. I am a Student Member. Do I still have to register for the convention?

Yes, BEA’s annual convention continues to provide the most valuable exchange of research, networking and technology around. Student members must register themselves for the convention by registering online or returning a completed registration form via mail or fax. Pre-Registration early bird special is $10.00 as a BEA student member.

Student members and non-members credentials will not be mailed and MUST be picked-up on-site. A valid student ID is required. Students can pick-up their badge on-site at the NABShow 2010 Registration located at the Las Vegas Convention Center, North or South Halls starting Monday, April 12, 2010.

Q. My school/college/institution has a department membership. Do I qualify to register for the convention at a discounted rate?

No, rates for convention are based on individual membership. As per BEA Board policy, only current BEA individual members receive the discounted member rate, not faculty of a BEA institutional member. Institutional department membership is not related to individuals or individual membership. Please visit the BEA Membership for more information.

Q. What is your refund policy?

To receive a refund, cancellation must be received in writing to Broadcast Education Association by March 1, 2010. No refunds will be given after this date. Registrations received after March 8, 2010 is non-refundable. A $60 handling fee will apply. You can send your refund request to BEA, 1771 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. BEA reserves the right to cancel any programs and assume no responsibility for personal expenses.

Presenting/Participating

Q. I am presenting a paper and/or participating in a panel at the convention, do I still have to register to attend the convention?

Yes, all individuals planning to attend the BEA2010 Annual Convention must register.

Q. What is BEA’s convention participant registration policy?

All designated presenters, panelist, chairs, respondents must register for the conference by March 1, 2010 to guarantee inclusion in the printed convention program. For multiple-authored papers, a minimum of one author, must register by March 1, 2010 or the paper may be removed.

Q. I am presenting my first paper. Do you have any advice?

The BEA leadership and home office have placed increasing importance on strengthening the quality of conference presentations and enhancing participant engagement. Prepare a presentation that follows all of the rules of good speech making. Be sure you have planned on an introduction and conclusion. Organize the body of your talk and provide internal organizing mechanisms so people can easily follow along. Do not speak beyond the allotted time and do not read your paper or outline – speak extemporaneously. Summarize your study or report, but do so briefly. In this instance, less is clearly more!

Q. Should I bring multiple copies of my paper?

Presenters will often bring extra copies of their paper to give to those who request them at the presentation. If you do not bring extra copies, or run out of copies, it is acceptable to send someone a copy via mail or through e-mail.

Q. How can I best secure copies of others’ paper?

If you are attending a panel and would like a copy of a paper, ask the presenter directly.

Q. I am doing a Scholar to Scholar presentation. How can I make my presentation most effective?

Scholar to Scholar presentations create a unique opportunity for questions and exchanges not available in more formal sessions. Presenters should take advantage of the opportunity to have an exchange with those who choose to come to the session. For the first time, the Scholar to Scholar session will take place on one side of the exhibit hall. We will have dedicated time for the Scholar to Scholars presenters to be available but the research will be accessible to attends for most of the convention. Presenters will have a 4’ by 6’ bulletin board to post their research.

At the Convention

Q. What Should I wear?

In addition to your professional materials, you might want to know that the dress at the convention is business casual for presenters. If you are not presenting, you can be more casual. Wear comfortable shoes! Depending on your evening plans, you might want to pack jeans or a more formal outfit. Don’t forget your name badge! Also, be sure to check the weather forecast in Las Vegas online before you leave.

Q. Should I attend the district / division meetings that are listed in the program?

Absolutely! District meetings are optional, but it’s where community is built. Attending business meetings offer many advantages. One advantage is the input you will have in disciplinary issues and directions. You will have the opportunity to elect leaders and discuss new direction in your research area. District meetings offer both leadership and networking opportunities. If you would like to become active in BEA, volunteering to serve your district can help you in the direction. You will be able to meet other scholars and teachers who share your research interests and gain opportunities to worth with them. Finally, these meetings offer you the chance to meet people on a social level.

Please go to the interest division meetings! BEA is composed of seventeen interest divisions and each has a business meeting. You will have input about the direction of the interest division, vote for group leadership and hear about new directions. If you would like to become active in BEA, volunteering to serve your interest division can help you in that direction. You will develop opportunities to work with them. These meetings offer you the chance to network and expand your community.

Q. How should I organize my time at the convention?

· With over 200 scheduled sessions and meetings (and that’s just for BEA2010), you have many choices. Your first priority is to know when you are scheduled to present. You should find out this scheduled time as soon as possible, as your trip planning may be scheduled around your presentation.

· Review the events of all convention. These are spotlighted or convention-wide programs that will appeal to a large cross-section of convention attendees. These are great networking and educational opportunities.

· Choose the presentations you would like to attend. These choices can be based on topic of interest to you, friends or faculty who are presenting, or even presenters you would like to meet (a presentation provides a great opportunity to begin a conversation with them. Many presenters will also have papers you might like to receive.

· Choose the district / division meetings you would like to attend. Meetings are open for any BEA member to attend. If you are interested in these meeting, you can become an active participant in these meetings, which is perfect way to experience BEA membership, as well as a valuable opportunity to meet people and create professional relationships.

· Remember that Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Career Day events and sessions are in the Las Vegas Hilton. Plan accordingly if you would like to attend.

· Don’t forget to save some time for fun! BEA offers several social events as part of the overall convention experience. An “Education” reception is scheduled on Wednesday, April 14^th. And a “Welcome” reception is featured on Thursday, April 15^th that takes place in the exhibit hall and will be followed by BEA’s annual awards ceremony and the Festival of Media Arts on Friday, April 16th. Over 250 people typically attend the receptions, making it a good place to meet with friends and make new ones.

· Have fun outside the convention as well! Set aside some time to explore the conference location. Many attractions, regional cuisine (you might want to schedule some time to eat), historical tours, shopping, and other events will compete for your time.