RTDNA @ CMA: Spring National College Media Convention

As part of our World Tour, RTDNA will join the College Media Association for their Spring National College Media Convention in New York City at the Marriott Marquis this spring. Join us March 4-7 as CMA gathers professionals, advisers and students for in-person training and networking. 

On March 5, RTDNA will host a curated selection of trainings for the registered attendees of the CMA Spring Convention. 

Building Blocks of Leadership

Is your group work flowing smoothly or does it feel like a pile of mismatched pieces? Collaboration and communication are essential skills in college and the workplace, and this interactive session helps you build both through the power of play.

Using building blocks as a hands-on tool and metaphor, you’ll explore how teams form, how trust develops, and what helps groups adapt when plans change. Through building, reflection and discussion, you’ll gain insight into team dynamics, different leadership styles and the often-invisible structures that shape how people work together.

This session goes beyond talk-based activities by using play to surface unspoken assumptions, communication gaps, and power dynamics in a low-stakes, engaging way. Whether you’re working on group projects, internships, or your first professional role, you’ll leave with practical strategies for collaborating more effectively and building stronger, more resilient teams, one brick at a time.

Broadcast is Not a Dirty Word

Worried about landing a job after graduation? National TV networks and local stations are actively hiring talented journalists for a wide range of behind-the-scenes roles in some of the country’s best cities. This panel pulls back the curtain on the many ways to build a career in broadcast news without being on camera.

Hear from professionals working in roles like editing, producing, digital and social, data, visuals and investigations as they share how they got hired, what their jobs really look like and how students with “print” or digital backgrounds can thrive in broadcast newsrooms. You’ll learn what skills matter most, how to make yourself competitive and how great journalism happens off-air every day.

Breaking Big Stories

From landmark Supreme Court rulings to the halls of Congress, from debates over justice and accountability to the daily decisions shaping national policy, eminent journalists share behind-the-scenes insights about covering the stories that define our democracy and affect communities across the nation.

College journalism students are often drawn to the profession by the impact of major stories but have limited access to the behind-the-scenes reality of how those stories are reported. This session bridges that gap by giving students a rare look at how landmark journalism is actually done; from covering Supreme Court rulings and congressional power struggles to reporting on justice, accountability, and national policy.

Hear directly from working journalists who have covered defining moments in our democracy to help bring the craft to life and make abstract career goals tangible. For students still shaping their professional identities, this session connects classroom learning to real-world reporting, demystifies high-stakes journalism, and reinforces why rigorous, ethical reporting matters. It aligns with the conference’s goal of inspiring the next generation of journalists while grounding their ambition in practical insight into how consequential stories are pursued and produced.

Your Time to Shine

The highlight of RTDNA Day is … you on camera and behind the mic.

Experienced broadcast journalism student? Curious "print" reporter? It doesn't matter! Record a live news report with a professional crew. 

Afterward, you’ll meet pro news directors, editors and on-air talent for some real-world coaching. You can also bring your ready-to-go reel for a critique!

There are tons of jobs in broadcast journalism. Don't miss this chance to see if it's a good fit for you or to see how you can improve your skills. This isn’t a session. It’s a hands-on experience.

*Final session times and room assignments TBD

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