BEA invites media related panel and program proposals from academics, students and professionals for presentation during BEA2021. 

The Broadcast Education Association (BEA) is the premiere international academic media organization driving insights, excellence in media production and career advancement for educators, students and professionals.  BEA’s annual convention produces over 250 sessions on media pedagogy, collaborative networking events, hands-on technology workshops, research and creative scholarship and the Festival of Media Arts.  It is co-located with NAB Show each April in Las Vegas.  As we open our submission site, we acknowledge the uncertainty facing us.  We would like to meet in person, but if it’s the wisest course of action, we’ll hold our 2021 convention virtually. We will announce our decision as early as possible and hope to confirm our format in September. 

Programming Opportunities (All sessions are one-hour in length) 

• Panel/Research Presentation Sessions: These are the standard interest division sponsored convention format sessions with a moderator, 3-4 presenters and, if desired, a respondent. 
• Workshops:  Workshops should involve specialized training and professional development.  
• Technical Demonstrations: Equipment or software manufacturer/vendors are invited to bring in the latest communication technology to demonstrate. Faculty who have worked with the technology are encouraged to talk about their experiences with the equipment/software in the classroom or lab. 
• Showcases: These sessions highlight student work in which faculty have been involved. Showcases are to be more “show” than “tell.”  
• Other ideas?  Contact us if you have other alternative innovative ideas for program sessions, such as off-site tours or technical training at Help@beaweb.org and we would be happy to talk about them. 

Proposals & Programming 

BEA’s Interest Divisions significantly shape the convention program.  Interest Division leaders review, evaluate and rank the proposals and forward the recommendations to the 2021 Convention Program Chair, Rebecca Ann Lind.  Rebecca can be contacted at rebecca@uic.edu.  

Every effort will be made to give each division several invited panel sessions, a competitive paper session and a division meeting.  Program slots are competitive so if information is not provided in a complete and timely manner, those program slots may be assigned to other session proposals. Priority will be given to panels sponsored by more than one division. 

The BEA2021 Convention Spotlight is….. Facing the Future 
This year’s convention spotlight begins a three-year exploration of a theme, including Facing the Future (2021), Embracing the Future (2022), and Retracing the Future (2023). These spotlight topics can engage recursively with each other, invoking the past, present, and future. Facing the Future in BEA 2021 acknowledges the ever-increasing pace of change in the media industry. It also acknowledges the societal upheavals brought about by the combination of the coronavirus pandemic and increased awareness of social injustice. Before we turn our (hopefully optimistic) gaze next year to Embracing the Future, we must first assess where we are now, how we got here, and where our threats and opportunities lie. We must begin by Facing the Future. 

Facing the Future serves as a spotlight for the convention, but program proposals are not limited to this area of research and presentation.  All sessions must adhere to the goals and objectives of the interest division(s) to which they are submitted (descriptions are listed on the submission site).   

LOGIN or CREATE an Account to Submit Panels & Program Submissions Online 

BEA Members can access the BEA2021 All Academic site with their BEA membership login and password.   If you know your BEA login information login to your All Academic account.  If you forgot your BEA membership password, click here to reset.  If you ARE NOT a BEA member, create an All Academic account by clicking here. 

 Submission Process 

• Submit a proposal: Click on the link for “Submit or a Paper or Program Proposal.” 
• Select a Division: Read the division descriptions and select the primary division to which you will submit your program.  Programs can have up to one (1) interest division co-sponsor. 
• Title/Abstract/Program Information: Follow the guidelines to submit the title & abstract and additional program information. 
• Review your information & submit: Don’t forget to review your information. If accepted, this is how it will appear in the program.  Please use proper title case for session names and spell check (PLEASE)!!! 

• Editing Abilities: You can edit and or re-submit the description and panelists until the system closes at 3:00 a.m. on October 9th. 

Click here to get started.  

Seeking Panels or Panelists Boards 

BEA members have a variety of research and professional interests and expertise – and don’t always have the contacts needed to fill a panel or know who to talk to offer themselves as a panelist.  We encourage members to reach out and make new contacts for each convention by using the “Panelist Seeking Panels” and “Panels Seeking Panelists” boards in Facebook.  Please join the “BEA2021 Seeking Panels & Panelists Board” and post your panel idea to entice panelists or offer your area of expertise to a panel organizer. 

BEA’s Panel Participation Policy 

In an effort to increase the diversity of content and representation at our convention, BEA asks that you limit the number of appearances you make during the convention.  

1. An individual may have only ONE appearance as a panelist during the convention. 
2. A person may have ADDITIONAL appearances as a panel moderator or respondent. 
3. A person may have UNLIMITED appearances as a presenter of competitive papers, Research-in-Progress, creative productions or other competitive sessions. 
4. A person may have an ADDITIONAL appearance as a host of a “Topic Talk.”

To maximize opportunities for diverse participation, session organizers should seek: 

• Participants representing a mix of genders, ethnicity, institutional affiliations, and nationalities 
• Participants new to BEA and the convention as well as professionals in the industry. 

Division Chairs are to evaluate the eligibility of the participants in those proposals submitted to that division. The Program Chair shall determine participant eligibility across divisions once the proposals are submitted. 

Co-Sponsored Panels 

Co-sponsored proposals are encouraged. Co-sponsorship occurs when more than one division recommends a specific panel for inclusion in the program. No more than two (2) Interest Divisions will be listed for co-sponsorship on a particular session.  Panel producers must indicate each division being proposed as a co-sponsor on the “Review your submission information” page.  Go to the bottom of the page and click on the green link that says “Add a co-Sponsor.”   

Convention Attendance 

Panel/program participants MUST register for the convention.  If you are a session organizer and/or moderator, please encourage panelists to register.  BEA’s registration site opens in early December.  If you have questions regarding the submission process, please email the appropriate Interest Division chair. 

Session Audio/Visual Capabilities 

Take note that session rooms have internet availability, projectors, screens and laptops but will NOT have DVD and/or VHS players. If you plan to play a DVD, please bring your laptop.   Please let us know by January 31 if you have any special AV requests.   

COMPLETED Program Proposal Submissions must be submitted online through BEA’s submission site by 11:59 pm October 9, 2020.