Local nonprofit Downtown Bentonville Incorporated (DBI) is poised to bring the story behind its hyperlocal storytelling platform, DWTN Media, to a much wider audience.  DBI has been invited to present Become Your Own Hyperlocal Media Outlet at the International Downtown Association’s 68th Annual Conference, themed Reinventing: The Communities of Tomorrow, in Vancouver, British Columbia, September 21-23, 2022.  

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The International Downtown Association (IDA) is the premier organization for urban place professionals shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. The 2022 conference will re-examine what it means to be a vibrant, inclusive community while delving into opportunities for transit, tech hubs, tourism, retail corridors, entertainment districts, sustainability, and public safety initiatives. 

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Downtown Bentonville Incorporated will present a session focusing on its unique approach to community communications.  Its storytelling platform, DWTN Media, produces original, high-quality video content distributed via a weekly television show every Saturday at 5:00 pm on KNWA-TV, at Skylight Cinema in Bentonville before movie showtimes, and on all social media platforms. 

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DBI Executive Director Andrew Heath and DBI Communications Director / DWTN Media Executive Producer Dana Schalgenhaft will lead the panel alongside representatives from Midtown Alliance (Atlanta, Georgia), a business improvement district that operates a news gathering platform. Both organizations will provide insight to attendees on creating authentic hyperlocal content and stretching beyond traditional media to gain trust and better communicate with residents.  

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“It’s an honor to represent Bentonville and share the storytelling project that our nonprofit launched two years ago. We are excited to join representatives from Atlanta to showcase a unique approach to communications to conference attendees from all over the United States and Canada,” says DBI Executive Director Andrew Heath. 

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Downtown Bentonville Incorporated / DWTN Media is additionally campaigning for votes for a proposed hyperlocal storytelling discussion panel in the SXSW 2023 Panel Picker. Selected panels will present at the 2023 SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas, from March 10-19, 2023.  The proposed panel discussion can be found here, and voting will continue through August 21, 2022.  

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“We believe Bentonville can become the most welcoming city in the Heartland. DWTN Media is an ideal platform to help tear down barriers and provide all residents with a better sense of understanding and belonging in our region,” Heath says. “Bentonville is a rich community; rich in history, rich in culture, rich in diversity and inclusion.”  

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