MediaWest*Con

MediaWest*Con is one of the largest and longest running media-based (TV shows/film) fan-run conventions in the United States.[1] It is held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Lansing, Michigan. The convention emerged in the late 1970s, beginning as T'Con in 1978 and 2'Con in 1979 before taking on the name MediaWest*Con in 1981.[2] The convention remains the world's largest gathering of Fanzine writers, artists, and publishers, and for decades was the event where most new science fiction and fantasy Fanzines were released.[3] The annual "Fan Quality Awards" for Fanzine excellence, known as the "Fan Q's", have been given out at MediaWest*Con since 1981.[4] In addition, the convention's art show has been the principal location for the display and sale of published Fanzine art and illustrations.

History

MediaWest*Con was founded by members of T'Kuhtian Press, then a registered student organization at Michigan State University. The earliest convention sponsored by T'Kuhtian Press (jointly with boojums press) was T'Con in 1978,[5] followed by 2'Con in 1979.[6] T'Kuhtian Press was also active in fanzine publishing, principally Star Trek and, later, Star Wars fanzines. Because of this the convention soon attracted the attention of other fanzine publishers and writers. By the time the name was changed to MediaWest*Con in 1981[7] the convention was well known in the fanzine community as the event at which to introduce new fanzine releases. Many fanzine releases have been timed around the convention's annual Memorial Day schedule.

MediaWest*Con was the first media fandom convention focused on the "media geek" culture that emerged following a split between people who liked all forms of science fiction media, and those fans of only literary science fiction.[8] At first MediaWest*Con was a convention principally for fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, and the Indiana Jones franchise, as well as fans of Monty Python's Flying Circus. After a few years the con began attracting other fandoms, such as Doctor Who, Beauty and the Beast, Red Dwarf, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. By the 21st century it boasted the attendance of fans of over fifty different science fiction media fandoms.

Annual activities at MediaWest*Con include awards for fan fiction zines, cosplay, filking, costuming, plays and skits, and crafts. MediaWest*Con is also notable as the first convention to host a dedicated place to show fan vids, and give awards for fan videos.[8]

MediaWest*Con remains a fan run and organized convention and is not affiliated with any national promotion group, or business. The convention has no paid "guest stars" or celebrity appearances, although several celebrities from science fiction shows have appeared over the years at their own expense. The focus of the convention remains fan interaction in a setting promoting fannish interests with a special emphasis on the production and sale of media fanzines.[9]

On February 4, 2020, the convention posted an update on its official blog informing members that MW*C 40 has been canceled due to lack of memberships. All paid memberships were refunded. It is highly unlikely that there will be any future MediaWest*Cons.[10]

Conventions
ConDatesThemeNotable Fact
T'ConMarch 24–26, 1978N/APanel topics included fanzine heroines, creating alien cultures, Darkover, science in fan fiction, sexism in fan fiction, art for publication, the political, economic, & social structure of the Star Wars universe, filk, costuming, reviewing & editing 'zines, going pro, and K/S. Fan Qs were awarded, and a Pigs In Space sketch was performed.
2'ConMay 25–28, 1979N/AWith 2'Con, the convention moved to Memorial Day Weekend and expanded to 4 days (Friday through Monday).

Panel topics included created worlds, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Wars fandom, eroticism, filk, zines, pro novels and pro market, and fringe fandoms. Fan Qs were awarded, and Spocky Horror Picture Show was performed.

MediaWest*Con 1May 22–25, 1981"The Midwest Strikes Back"Panel topics included Battlestar-struck, Dr Who?, feminism, fanfic, Brit SF, psi research, humor in SF, gays in fandom, ST:TMP, TESB, and Star Trek Welcommittee. Fan Qs were awarded, A Romulan's Tale, TESB: The Musical, Gumby Trek, and Supraman: The Slide Show were performed.
MediaWest*Con 2May 28–31, 1982"Raiders of the Midwest"
MediaWest*Con 3May 27–30, 1983"The Return of the Midwest"
MediaWest*Con 4May 25–28, 1984"The Search for the Midwest"
MediaWest*Con 5May 24–27, 1985"V"
MediaWest*Con 6May 23–26, 1986"#6"
MediaWest*Con 7May 22–26, 1987"007"
MediaWest*Con 8May 27–30, 1988"Across the 8th Convention"10th anniversary of T'Con.
MediaWest*Con 9May 26–29, 1989"The Ninth Generation"The Hilton Inn changed management after being sold to Rado-Mat Holdings, Inc., and the facility became the Lansing Holiday Inn Conference Center West prior to MediaWest*Con X.
MediaWest*Con 10May 25–28, 1990"Back to the MediaWest*Con Part X"10th anniversary of MediaWest*Con.
MediaWest*Con 11May 24–27, 1991"'91/11"The Lansing Holiday Inn West failed to honor their contractual obligation to provide "all function space" to MediaWest*Con by double-booking two weddings in the main ballrooms. The convention was forced to hold a banquet and the Masquerade in the humidity of the "Holidome" pool area.
MediaWest*Con 12May 22–25, 1992"Beyond the Holidome"MediaWest*Con moved to its new location at the Lansing Holiday Inn South/Convention Center.
MediaWest*Con 13May 28–31, 1993N/A
MediaWest*Con 14May 27–30, 1994"Fourtoon"
MediaWest*Con 15May 26–29, 1995N/A
MediaWest*Con 16May 24–27, 1996"XVI"
MediaWest*Con 17May 23–26, 1997"17th Contact"
MediaWest*Con 18May 22–25, 1998"A Long Time Ago"20 year anniversary of T'Con
MediaWest*Con 19May 28–31, 1999"MediaWest*Con: 1999; We Come in Peace for all Fankind"
MediaWest*Con 20May 26–29, 2000"Y2K"20th Anniversary of MediaWest*Con.
MediaWest*Con 21May 25–28, 2001"MediaWest*Con: 2001, A Fan Odyssey"
MediaWest*Con 22May 24–27, 2002"Episode 22" (the theme was joined with one of remembrance of the 9/11 tragedy)
MediaWest*Con 23May 23–26, 2003"School of Fancraft & Zinedry"
MediaWest*Con 24May 28–31, 2004"24"
MediaWest*Con 25May 27–30, 2005"Revenge of the 25th"
MediaWest*Con 26May 26–29, 2006"MediaWest*Kong: The 26th Wonder of the World"
MediaWest*Con 27May 25–28, 2007"Pirates of the MediaWest*Con"
MediaWest*Con 28May 23–26, 2008"Go MediaWest*Con Young Fan!"30th anniversary of T'Con.
MediaWest*Con 29May 22–25, 2009"The Fannish Frontier"
MediaWest*Con 30May 28–31, 2010"MediaLOST*Con"30th anniversary of MediaWest*Con. The Holiday Inn South sold and became a Causeway Bay Hotel.
MediaWest*Con 31May 27–30, 2011"31 Flavors of Fandom"
MediaWest*Con 32May 25–28, 2012"Apocalypticon"Causeway Bay Hotel became the Best Western Plus Lansing.
MediaWest*Con 33May 24–27, 2013"For All Time"MW*C Returned to the Holidome, now the Lansing Ramada, due to contract disputes with Best Western Plus Lansing. A tabletop gaming room was introduced.
MediaWest*Con 34May 23–26, 2014"The Walking Fen"
MediaWest*Con 35May 22–25, 2015"Once Upon A Con"MW*C sold single day memberships for the first time.[11]
MediaWest*Con 36May 27–30, 2016"Return to Tomorrow"
MediaWest*Con 37May 26–29, 2017"May The Fen Be With You"The Early Hotel Reservation Request System went "paperless" at MW*C 37 for MW*C 38[12]
MediaWest*Con 38May 25–28, 2018"The Super Incredible Amazing Fantastic Mighty Mutant Wonder League!"MW*C was put in doubt after a decline in memberships caused organizers to announce a postponement of the convention in the morning of March 22, 2018. Later that day it was announced the hotel agreed to renegotiate the contract, allowing the con to continue as planned. 40th anniversary of T'Con
MediaWest*Con 39May 24–27, 2019"Relaunching"MW*C membership continued to decline heavily, resulting in an announcement in February 2019 that the con was drastically reducing programming space in the hotel. This resulted in the closure of the game room that had existed since the move to the Ramada. For the first time in decades the Con was not providing programming space to the Forces of the Empire Star Wars Live Action Roleplaying club, as a result the club informed MediaWest*Con on March 13, 2019 that it would not be operating at the convention for the first time in the club's history. 40th anniversary of 2Con. The Ramada Lansing Hotel & Conference Center changed its name to The Ramada Hotel & Conference Center by Wyndham Lansing.
MediaWest*Con 40 May 22–25, 2020 "Robots Rule" This year's theme is in honor of Isaac Asimov's 100th Birthday. On February 4, 2020, the convention posted an update on its official blog informing members that MW*C 40 has been canceled due to lack of memberships. All paid memberships were refunded. It is highly unlikely that there will be any future MediaWest*Cons.[10]

[13]

References
  1. Enterprising Women: Television Fandom and the Creation of Popular Myth By Camille Bacon-Smith, page 42.
  2. Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet: New Essays edited by Karen Hellekson, Kristina Busse, page 50.
  3. Boldly Writing: A Trekker Fan and Zine History 1967-1987 Archived 2016-09-10 at the Wayback Machine by Joan Marie Verba, page 54.
  4. The Fan Q awards were originally handed out at T'Con, and continued after the convention was renamed MediaWest. Source: Boldly Writing: A Trekker Fan and Zine History 1967-1987 Archived 2016-09-10 at the Wayback Machine by Joan Marie Verba, page 42. See also "A Conversation with Paula Smith" by Walker, Cynthia W. 2011, published in Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 6. doi:10.3983/twc.2011.0243.
  5. T'Con Program Book 1978
  6. 2'Con Program Book 1979
  7. MediaWest*Con 1 Program Book 1981
  8. Walker, Jesse (August–September 2008). "Remixing Television: Francesca Coppa on the vidding underground". Reason Online. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  9. Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture By Henry Jenkins, page 159.
  10. https://mediawestcon.wordpress.com/2020/02/04/end-of-an-era/
  11. MediaWest*Con 34 Program Book 2014
  12. MediaWest*Con 37 Program Book
  13. "MediaWest*Con".
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