JAG’s Annual Conference 2025: Sessions & Roundtables

Posted: March 24, 2025 by Doug Seidel

by Rich Desimone, Conference Coordinator

The JAG Conference Committee has finalizing eight sessions for the Production/Management Symposium on the second day of the conference. Four of these will be panel presentations by industry professional and four will be roundtables that include both JAG members and vendors.

Preview of the Sessions

New Jersey’s Film Industry: A Renaissance in the Garden State. Panelists

Charles Riccardi, Operations & Creative Director, NJ Motion Picture & Television Commission
(Waiting for additional panelists to confirm)

Storytelling. Guest Speaker: George Roy

George Roy is a sports documentary director, producer, and editor. He directed and edited many films for Showtime, Fox, CBS, NBC, A&E, ESPN and WWE. His 22 films for HBO include Mantle, When it was a Game, Curse of the Bambino, Broad Street Bullies, Babe Ruth, Fists of Freedom, Hitler’s Pawn, and City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal. He won six Emmys and three Peabody Awards. He was a founding partner of Black Canyon Productions and Flagstaff Films. In 2019 Roy founded Jersey Line Films based in Glen Rock, New Jersey

Grants for PEG and Community Stations. Panelists:

George Ruotolo, Chairman/CEO, Ruotolo Associates
Amanda Hicks–Associate, DIBHicks, LLC
Dianna Pell GPC, Dianna Pell Associates
Reed Carlson, Associate, Ruotolo Associates

How to Conduct a Great Interview: Interviewing Skills and Tips. Panelists:

Laura Jones, Television Journalists, Award-winning television host
Barry Farber, American entrepreneur, sales consultant, author, and talk show host
Don Smith, Former On-air Traffic Anchor, Producer/Host, YouTube Channel The Tri State Traffic Show

Preview of the Roundtables

Using College Interns and How to Find Them. Participants:

Abigail Wilson, Production Manager, C-NET, PA
George Fairfield, Station Manager, Piscataway TV

A Legislative Discussion on What Is Currently Happening Nationally at the FCC, and in New Jersey. Participants:

Mike Wassenaar, President & CEO, Alliance for Community Media
Gerry Lederer, Partner, Best, Best & Krieger LLP

Beyond Cable: New Ways to Communicate w/Your Citizens. Participants:

Jesse Lerman President/CEO, TelVue Corporation
Joe Fernandes, Assistant Supervisor, Woodbridge TV
Brandon Uhlig, Station Manager, Metuchen Media
Bob Duthaler, Managing Partner, DNS Media Group

New Programming Ideas and Best Practices. Participants:

Ed Cologna, Station Manager, Newark TV
John Morley, Independent Producer
Aime Alonzo, Station Manager, Old Bridge Television

Exhibit Hall: The current list of participating vendors includes TelVue Corporation, Planet Network, LiveU, Varto Technologies, Vizrt-TriCaster, G&G Technologies, Cologna Productions, Swit Electronics, JVC Cameras, Tightrope, PTZ Optics, Datavideo, Best, Best & Krieger, NJ Motion Picture and TV Commission. For details and updates on these and all the other events visit: https://jagconference.com

Registration open

Discounts are available to all members and their staff.
There are options available from full-conference registration to build-your-own registration package by selecting specific days and meals.
Thanks to the generous support of our conference partners, we offer a FREE Technology Forum that includes all activities except for meals. Meal tickets purchases can be added when registering.
Contact Bob Duthaler, JAG President, at bduthaler@jagonline.org for discount codes.
Use this link to register: https://jagconference.com/shop/

Conference schedule

Updates will also be sent to the membership on a regular basis as they are confirmed.
When they are finalized, conference details will be posted here: https://jagconference.com/

Scholarships available for members

Members without financial support from their towns should contact Bob Duthaler, JAG President, at bduthaler@jagonline.org .
Options are available to help you and/or a second person (your staff, volunteers, interns, liaisons, and town officials) to attend.

Call for vendors

Booths and sponsorships are available. Booth discounts are available for JAG Organizational Members.
Contact Bob Duthaler, JAG President, at bduthaler@jagonline.org for discount codes.
Link for vendor registration: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/njnyu2t

Hotel Reservations

JAG has a special room rate for conference attendees. This rate is good three days prior to the conference and three days after the conference ends.
Group Name: Jersey Access Group
Group Block Code: JGR. Direct Dial In #: (866) 279-4813 (Please reference the 3 letter code)
Hotel Direct Line: (732) 287-3500

Live Link: https://tinyurl.com/4u7t3ams