The Department of Communication Studies hosted the sixth annual Fast Forward electronic media workshop on Oct. 1, bringing working professionals with career insights to college students from across the region.

Fast Forward featured 14 media experts. Mark Steines, Emmy award-winning journalist and host of the syndicated television news magazine Entertainment Tonight, delivered the keynote address.  The other media experts were:

• Nicole Agee, Anchor/Reporter, KCRG
• Pat Blank, KUNI Senior News Producer
• Eric Braley, Co-owner, Around the Corner Productions
• Teresa Hein, Frank N. Magid Associates Senior Specialist
• Keith Hindman, Chief Operations Officer/Co-owner, Metro Studios
• Polly Carver-Kimm, Public Information Officer, Iowa Department of Public Health
• Julie Kraft, Frank N. Magid Associates Senior Consultant
• Michael Rueber, Around the Corner Production Co-Owner
• Dan Rouse, Creative Services Manager, OnMedia-Precision TV Advertising
• Paul Salisbury , Commercial Videographer/Editor
• Tim Seelinger, Senior Editor, Mayo Clinic
• Catlin Varcoe , Creative Service Producer, ABC 6 News/KAAL
• John Weidenheft, Producer/Director, KSMQ Public Television

Workshop titles included:

• Avid - FCP - Premiere… What's your Preference?
• Branding, Writing, and Design for the Web
• Commercials and Promotional Production
• How to Get the Media to Notice your Press Release and What to Do Once You've Gotten their Attention
• It Takes More than Good Looks to Succeed in TV News
• Social Media and Television
• Sports Play-By Play
• Stand-Out Resumes: An Insider's View

About 100 broadcast students from universities and colleges in the region attended the day-log workshop.

Fast Forward is sponsored by the Iowa Broadcasters Association, the Quarton-McElroy/IBA Endowment Fund of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, and the UNI Department of Communication Studies.