The first annual Flow conference will be held at the University of Texas, Austin on October 26-29, 2006. The impetus behind the conference in many ways echoes that of the Flow journal itself: to provide a forum for people interested in the study of television and new media to participate in conversations about issues of contemporary and immediate relevance. Below are a series of frequently asked questions about the conference.

What is the Flow conference?

The Flow conference will resemble traditional academic conferences in name only: there will be no panels, no papers, and no plenary meetings. The goal of the conference is to promote discussion amongst television and media scholars, members of the media industries, media activists, fans, and policy-makers over crucial issues related to television and media. The conference will consist of a series roundtables, each organized around a question on television and media culture.

Why did you decide to structure the conference in this way?

The Flow conference is premised on a few observations:

• There are too few television and media conferences.
• Traditional conferences provide too little time for discussion.
• Wider conversation and the circulation of ideas can promote collegiality, a less polarized discipline, and the promise of engaging multiple publics, both academic and non-academic, with our ideas.
• Critical media studies will be more effective if it grapples openly with the immediacy and breadth of its object of study.

When and where is the conference?

The conference will be held at the University of Texas, Austin on October 26-29, 2006.

How did you decide on roundtable topics?

The conference organizing committee invited previous Flow columnists to propose questions for the roundtables.

Columnists who have contributed roundtable topics include: Christopher Anderson, Tim Anderson, Patricia Aufderheide, Aniko Bodroghkozy, Will Brooker, Faye Ginsburg, Jonathan Gray, Mary Beth Haralovich, John Hartley, James Hay, Heather Hendershot, Douglas Kellner, L. S. Kim, Derek Kompare, Shanti Kumar, Henry Jenkins, Dan Leopard, Dan Marcus, Vicki Mayer, Allison McCracken, Tara McPherson, Walter Metz, Toby Miller, Jason Mittell, Megan Mullen, Horace Newcomb, Laurie Ouellette, Sharon Ross, Thomas Schatz, Joe Straubhaar, Sharon Strover, and Frederick Wasser.

How can I join a roundtable?

The conference calls for papers (CFP) is available at the Flow conference website; there, you will be able to find detailed instructions on how to submit a proposal.

What would my responsibilities as a roundtable participant entail?

One month before the conference, participants will submit a 500-800 word response to the roundtable's organizing question. These responses will be posted to the Flow website. Participants will be expected to read the responses of other members of the roundtable and to be prepared to engage in discussion with them and with the audience at the conference.

Each roundtable will begin with a discussion amongst the roundtable panelists. This discussion then will be opened up to a wider conversation to include everyone in attendance.

Can I attend a roundtable if I am not an official member of it?

Yes! All conference guests are welcome to attend all roundtables and are actively encouraged to participate in the discussion.

Will you provide stipends to defray the costs of the conference to participants?

We are working on raising money to help participants attend the conference. The conference organizing committee's priorities in allocating money are to graduate students and other participants who have particular need for financial assistance. However, we can find free accommodations for all participants who would like to stay with Austin-based graduate students and faculty.

Who should I contact to find out more about the conference?

You can contact Avi Santo (avisanto@mail.utexas.edu), Allison Perlman (aperlman@mail.utexas.edu) or Michael Kackman (mkackman@mail.utexas.edu).