Numerous Media Conferences Cancelled due to COVID-19

Numerous annual media-industry gatherings won’t happen this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s Summer Conference in La Crosse was the latest cancellation due to the new coronavirus on Friday. The event moves to a different city each year and will instead be held in La Crosse in 2022, since Sheboygan was already chosen for 2021.

“Please know this was not an easy decision, yet the current state of affairs locally, statewide, and nationally make it difficult if not impossible to properly prepare for and plan our 2020 summer event,” WBA President & CEO Michelle Vetterkind said in a letter to members.

Regional events that have been cancelled include:

• The Conclave, a national radio gathering, which was set to take place June 16-17 in Minneapolis
• Midwest Journalism Conference, a gathering of journalists from six states that includes the Sevareid Awards dinner, which was to have taken place April 3-4 in Bloomington, Minn.
• The NAB Show, though not a local event, draws many regional broadcasters and was due to feature the presentation of a Crystal Heritage Award to Waterloo’s “Mix 93.5.” It had been set for April 18-24 in Las Vegas.
• The Upper Midwest Emmy Foundation Student Award ceremony, which was set to take place on April 3 during the Midwest Journalism Conference in Bloomington, has been converted to a video ceremony.
• Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Summer Conference, which was to have taken place June 17-18 in La Crosse