Schedule – Friday, April 10, 2026
8 am – 4 pm Minnesota Court | On-Site Registration
8 am – 5 pm Minnesota Court | Career and College Fair
Recruit and network with media professionals and journalism students from across the six-state region.
Hosted in partnership with the Upper Midwest Emmy Awards Chapter.
9 am – 10:15 am Minnesota Ballroom East | 
Main Session: The First Amendment and the Second Trump Administration
The U.S. Constitution protects freedom of assembly, of expression and of the press, but those rights are not absolute, and these days they are interpreted very differently at the highest levels of government. That translates to the street level, too, where protesters, observers and the journalists covering them encounter masked federal agents who are armed and often angry. First Amendment lawyer Isabella Salomão Nascimento and WCCO-TV photojournalist Tom Aviles bring expertise, experience and examples to this discussion of an issue that involves all journalists — and the communities they serve.
Moderator: Scott Libin, Univ. of Minn.
Presenters: Isabella Salomão Nascimento, Ballard Spahr; Tom Aviles, WCCO-TV
Sponsored by Minnesota Broadcasters Association
10:15 – 10:30 am Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
10:30 am – 11:15 am Minnesota Ballroom East | 
Main Session: Safety for Journalists
Working on the streets can be hazardous for journalists. We’ll talk with experts in the field about how to stay safe while doing the important work of newsgathering.
Moderator: Scott Libin, Univ. of Minn.
Panelists: Jana Shortal, KARE-TV; Adam Duxter, WCCO-TV; Joe Caffrey, KSTP-TV
Sponsored by Hubbard School of Braodcasting – University of MN
11:15 – 12 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
12 pm – 1:15 pm Minnesota Ballroom West | SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon
Sponsored by SPJ and Kiplinger
1:15 – 1:30 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
1:30 – 2:30 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 1A State II/III |
Vertical Video
Vertical videos have quickly taken over our social media feeds. In this session, we’ll talk about how to shoot and edit videos using platforms like Instagram Edits, Canva and CapCut. Samie Solina is a Tegna Vertical Video Champion and MSJ at KARE 11. She will walk you through the tools you need to make your next vertical video a seamless process that bolsters your storytelling and meets your audience where they are.
Presenter: Samie Solina, KARE-TV
Sponsored by TBA - Breakout 1B Governors IV | News Deserts
We will examine the growing challenge of news deserts across the Midwest. Drawing on their research and professional experience, the presenters discuss the factors contributing to local news decline, its effects on civic life and emerging models offering hope for rebuilding community-centered journalism. Attendees will gain insight into current trends, regional case studies and practical strategies for strengthening local news ecosystems.
Presenters: Jessica Fargen Walsh, Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln; Will Buss, Wartburg College
Sponsored by University of Nebraska Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communication
2:30 – 2:45 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
2:45 – 3:45 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 2A State II/III |
Sports Media Networking 101
This session will provide you with the networking skills you need to get into – and ahead – in sports media. Led by a former sportswriter for the Minnesota StarTribune and other major market newspapers, you’ll learn how to build relationships to improve your chances of landing that great contact or that next job. - Presenter: Tony Moton, Iowa State Univ.
Sponsored by TBA
- Breakout 2B Governors IV |
Entrepreneurial Journalism
Find out how some of today’s journalists are carving out independent careers outside of the traditional news channels. Attendees will gain insights into building a personal brand, cultivating audience trust and sustaining operations in an evolving media landscape.
Moderator: Aaron Quanbeck, Minn. State Univ.-Moorhead
Panelists: Hutch Johnson, independent meteorologist; Dana James, founder of Black Iowa News
Sponsored by University of South Dakota
3:45 – 4 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
4 – 5 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 3A State II/III | Podcasting
We will talk about the expanding role of podcasting in regional storytelling. The session will explore how podcasts are reshaping audience engagement and highlight successful approaches to long-form audio journalism. Attendees will learn about producing, distributing and promoting compelling audio content and gain practical insights into concept development and reporting techniques.
Presenters: Kaci Richter, Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln; Bill Kelly, Nebraska Public Media
Sponsored by Nebraska Broadcasters Association - Breakout 3B Governors IV |
Covering the Vulnerable
How do we tell important, impactful stories about people in crisis while treating them with dignity and respect? This session explores the balance between documenting history, the public’s need to know and journalists’ responsibility to minimize harm to vulnerable sources. We’ll talk about what it really takes to balance First Amendment protections with ethical journalism practices when covering crime, breaking news and natural disasters, and other difficult situations. You’ll also learn about building trust with vulnerable sources, including crime victims and their families; understand different perspectives—from law enforcement, victim advocates, and journalists; and learn best practices on sharing the stories of people who’ve been through the unthinkable.
Moderator: Jess Laszewski, WSAW/WZAW-TV
Panelists: Leigh Mills, WMTV; Nela Kalpic, Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin
Sponsored by Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
5 – 6 pm Minnesota Court | Open time for networking
6 pm Minnesota Court | Upper Midwest Emmy® Student Awards Reception and Career Fair
7 pm Minnesota Ballroom | Upper Midwest Emmy® Foundation Student Production Awards Ceremony
This event requires separate registration – visit midwestemmys.org to register.
Schedule – Saturday, April 11, 2026
7:30 – 8:45 am State I | MBJA Educators Breakfast
8 am – 4 pm Minnesota Court | On-Site Registration
8 am – 5 pm Minnesota Court | Career and College Fair
Recruit and network with media professionals and journalism students from across the six-state region.
Hosted in partnership with the Upper Midwest Emmy Awards Chapter.
9 am – 10:15 am Minnesota Ballroom East | 
Main Session: Investigative Reporting
Let’s get digging! Our featured Saturday session dives into the craft that turns accountability journalism into must-watch storytelling. We’ll break down the art of the interview, show how to background like a boss, and share power-writing techniques that aim straight for the heart without sacrificing rigor or accountability. You’ll hear practical, field-tested strategies for investigating nonprofits and jails – two institutions that exist in nearly every community and often operate with limited scrutiny. Come ready for concrete tips, real examples, and tools you can take back to your newsroom the very next day.
Presenters: AJ Lagoe, KARE-TV; Kelly Dietz, KARE-TV
Sponsored by TBA
10:15 – 10:30 am Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
10:30 am – 11:15 am Minnesota Ballroom East | Main Session: Investigative Reporting
Bring your questions as we talk more about producing great investigative journalism.
Sponsored by SD NewsWatch
11:15 am – 12 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
12 – 1:15 pm Minnesota Ballroom West | 
RTDNA Luncheon and MBJA Business Meeting
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- Lunch
- MBJA Business Meeting and Elections
- Remarks from RTDNA President and CEO Tara Puckey
- Remarks from RTDNA Treasurer Vince Duffy
1:15 – 1:30 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
1:30 – 2:30 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 4A Governors III | Finding Your Next Job
This session explores practical strategies for landing your next role in broadcast television. Attendees will hear directly from industry leaders about current hiring trends, career paths and skills that stand out in today’s market. The discussion includes a live Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions, gain insider insight, and get actionable advice for their next career move.
Moderator: TBA
Panelists: TBA
Sponsored by TBA - Breakout 4B Governors IV |
Building Trust in Journalism
In this session, we’ll take a deep dive into how we can all serve our communities, build trust with our audiences and fight for journalism.
Moderator: Rob Golub, founder of SuccessfulJournalism.com
Panelists: TBA
Sponsored by South Dakota State University - Breakout 4C State II/III |
Unleash Your Inner Broadcaster
Get ready to work in this session. Broadcast voice expert George Bodarky will walk you through techniques to improve your voice when you’re in the recording booth or out in the field. This isn’t just theory, it’s practice, and you’ll have your chance to speak in front of the group and see how even minor adjustments can make a major difference in your delivery.
Presenter: George Bodarky
Sponsored by South Dakota Broadcasters Association
2:30 – 2:45 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
2:45 – 3:45 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 5A Governors III | Building Your Personal Brand
How we reach our audience goes far beyond TV screens and radio waves. Today, people expect journalists to have an active social media presence. But how do we utilize these apps while also maintaining the professionalism and expertise we expect on air? Samie Solina is a Tegna Vertical Video Champion and MSJ at KARE 11. She will show how you and your newsroom can use social media to tell the stories that matter most and build trust while also meeting your audience where they are.
Presenter: Samie Solina, KARE-TV
Sponsored by TBA - Breakout 5B Governors IV |
What Would You Do? Lessons from the Newsroom
Let’s get ethical! Do you publish victim’s names? Use addresses in stories? Show suspects before they have been charged? Join the conversation on what you would do in real-life ethical situations.
Moderators: Joe Radske, WFTV; Aaron Quanbeck, Minn. State Univ.-Moorhead
Sponsored by Knight Foundation - Breakout 5C State II/III | Unleash Your Inner Broadcaster
Broadcast voice expert George Bodarky returns for another hour of this popular session, where you can get personal instruction on how to improve your delivery on the microphone.
Presenter: George Bodarky
Sponsored by TBA
3:45 – 4 pm Minnesota Court | Break to visit Career and College Fair booths
4 – 5 pm Breakout Sessions
- Breakout 6A State II/III | Finding the Stories that Stand Out
The best stories are still unwritten and uncovered. This session is a candid conversation about how journalists actually hunt down original story ideas and turn them into compelling enterprise pieces and lead stories that break through the noise. We’ll dig into real methods successful reporters use—mining data, building relationships with sources, spotting trends others miss, and developing angles that feel fresh. You’ll leave this session with key takeaways: where to find original story ideas (and how to spot the ones worth pursuing); real examples of enterprise stories and what made them work; and how to develop & pitch an idea into a lead story.
Moderator: Dave Thompson, Prairie Public
Panelists: TBA
Sponsored by TBA
- Breakout 6B Governors III | Critiques a la carte
Bring your reel, your resume and your questions. We’ll have a lineup of journalism professionals who can help you elevate your work and get you to the next level.
The feedback is a “ticket to connections with news leadrs from states across the region and it’s a great way to hear mulitple perspectives about your work.” – Nate Coen, Minn. State Univ.-Moorhead
“Getting rapid-fire critiques from professionals pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me improve my storytelling skills. It kept me engaged and showed me how small changes can make a big difference.” – Jacob Anderson, Minn. State Univ.-Moorhead
Sponsored by TBA - Breakout 6C Governors IV | RTDNA Leadership: Building a Better Team
Is your team clicking together like a perfectly built structure or clunking along like mismatched pieces? Strong collaboration and communication are the foundation of any high-performing team, and in this interactive session, you’ll discover how to strengthen both through the power of play. Using building blocks as both metaphor and hands-on tool, we’ll explore what it takes to build trust, align around shared goals and adapt to change. You’ll gain fresh insights into team dynamics, leadership styles and the invisible structures that support effective teamwork. Come ready to build, reflect and leave with practical strategies for assembling a more connected, resilient team: one brick at a time.
Presenter: Tara Puckey, RTDNA
Sponsored by RTDNA
5 – 6 pm Minnesota Court | Open time for networking
6 pm Minnesota Court | Reception with cash bar
7 pm Minnesota Ballroom | Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Eric Sevareid Awards Banquet – Join us for the annual Eric Sevareid Awards ceremony, which honors the best in radio and television, and meet this year’s recipient of the Mitchell V. Charnley Award for outstanding contributions to broadcast journalism.
Sponsored by Gray Television.
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- Dinner
- MBJF Diversity Scholarship
- Jack Shelley Scholarship
- Mitchell V. Charnley Award
- Eric Sevareid Awards ceremony
- New MBJA president inducted