Wisconsin Community Media members and member stations receive $20 off. Contact your community media center for the discount code or find it on the WCM member home page.

The Best of the Midwest Media Fest recognizes the outstanding video and radio programs produced by professionals and amateurs who use low-power FM radio stations or PEG media centers (non-commercial Public, Education and/or Government cable TV channel holders) to produce and/or distribute their programming.

Every program entered is judged. Programs are scored on 9 criteria and given constructive feedback from four judges. Approximately 75% of the programs entered receive an award. The Fest seeks to help producers improve their craft, celebrate well-crafted programs, and promote the work PEG media centers and community producers do on the local level.

All winners receive certificates. Plaques or statuettes can be purchased.

The Best of the Midwest Media Fest Banquet and Show sponsored by Wisconsin Community Media (WCM) brings PEG access and LPFM radio producers together in May during a two-day local media conference sponsored by WCM and the Midwest Region of the Alliance for Community Media. All WCM members receive member pricing for festival entries. We celebrate the Fest with a reception and banquet sponsored by our video production equipment exhibitors followed by the Show, which features clips from award-winning programs and brief acceptance speeches from our top winners.

Consider attending the conference! Go to https://wisconsincommunitymedia.com/annual-conference.

Awards & Prizes

Excellence Award. The equivalent of a “Gold Medal.” This award is bestowed on entries that demonstrate a highly creative, well-crafted and very effective approach to the subject matter.

Achievement Award. The equivalent of a “Silver Medal.” Programs achieving this level are well-crafted and effective in conveying their message.

Merit Award. The equivalent of a “Bronze Medal.” Programs achieving a Merit Award demonstrate a proficiency in their craft and a solid presentation of the subject matter.

Best in Show: A program may also receive a Best in Show Award if it earns the top score in a Subject Category (see Subject Categories) and it scores high enough to qualify for a Merit, Achievement, or Excellence Award.

Significant Community Program Award: This is an honor bestowed on programs upon nomination from the manager of a media center and approval by the Conference Committee.

Rules & Terms

To qualify:

1. The producer must reside in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska or Kansas.

2. Video programming must have had its world premiere in one of these states on a PEG (public, education, or government) cable access channel or on another outlet managed by a PEG media center including a website, OTT site, or social media app in calendar year 2023.

3. LPFM radio programs must have debuted on an LPFM radio station or a podcast sponsored by an LPFM radio station operating in one of the Midwestern states listed above. The LPFM radio station does NOT need to be associated with a PEG access center.

4. An entry does not qualify if it is a re-edit of a program that had its world premiere in a previous year.

5. At least 60% of the running time must be locally produced so that judges may critique the camerawork, audio, and directing of a program.

6. Entries must be entered in the "professional" category if the program is mostly created by and mostly reflects the technical expertise of individuals who currently earn or have in the past earned more than $15,000 per year in the video or (in the case of a radio entry) radio field.

You can download a PDF of this information by going to https://wisconsincommunitymedia.com/media-fest.