Rock On! In June 2013, It's Cleveland...

In recent years, annual conferences have been enhanced through collaborations with public radio broadcasters in host cities.  NPR has always given PRNDI a warm welcome when conferences are conducted in Washington DC.  In 2010, pubcasters in Kentucky provided conference goers with an evening of horse racing at Churchill Downs.  This year, colleagues at KUHF in Houston made numerous contributions, including a reception and an evening of baseball at Minute Maid Park. In 2013, PRNDI embarks on its deepest conference collaboration to date. 

PRNDI and public broadcasters at ideastream® will collaborate on a conference in Cleveland.  ideastream is a non-profit organization that includes WVIZ/PBS, 90.3 WCPN, educational and public service cable channels, broadband interactive video distance learning, the Internet and other interactive media.

PRNDI Board President George Bodarky says our Cleveland conference should be like no other.  Rather than a hotel-based conference, most of the sessions will take place inside ideastream’s facility, known as the “Idea Center®.”   Bodarky says there are significant advantages.  “The Idea Center is completely wired for video and the internet,” said Bodarky.

“And for those who can’t attend in person, as a result, we can take much of this conference on-line. Portions of the conference can be streamed, while others can be recorded for later use, perhaps on PRNDI’s new website. Our sessions could also be used for education purposes, perhaps by journalism students and public radio fans,” said Bodarky.

ideastream also offers classrooms and laboratory facilities, which could allow instructors and participants a hands-on experience during our work sessions,” said Bodarky. 

Secondly, the cost savings should be significant.  “Holding it at a public broadcasting facility we anticipate lower associated costs. At the Idea Center, we can contract with independent caterers for our meals,” said Naomi Starobin, who heads PRNDI’s Conference Committee.  

The collaboration with ideastream goes beyond the mechanics of a conference.  “We want to be full partners,” said Dave Kanzeg, Director of Programming at ideastream.  “We want to work with PRNDI on building a conference that is educational for everyone involved and utilizes our staff and our state-of-the-art facility” said Kanzeg. 

An agenda and other conference details must still be finalized.  “Much of the conference will be at the Idea Center, but, guest rooms and perhaps some events will be across the street at the Wyndham hotel,” said Starobin.  The Wyndham Cleveland at PlayhouseSquare is part of a downtown area that includes the community’s historic theater district and the Idea Center.   

Within walking or hotel shuttle distance are the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Progressive Field (home to the Cleveland Indians), and East 4th Street, which is a restaurant and entertainment center.  It’s also a cab ride away from the magnificent Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall, home of The Cleveland Orchestra.   PRNDI’s 2013 Conference is June 18-22.