MediaWest*Con

MediaWest*Con was a general SF/media convention that was held every Memorial Day Weekend (the final weekend in May) in Lansing, Michigan between 1981-2019. 
MediaWest*Con was sponsored by T'Kuhtian Press, Lori Chapek-Carleton and Gordon Carleton as a celebration of the diversity of SF/Media fandom, run by fans, for fans, and was staffed entirely by volunteers. It had no paid guests or speakers. 
A fan in 1994 described it as one of the pinnacles of her year: "MediaWest, for me, boils down to a meeting of friends-cum-family, a unique union of minds, a whirlwind of pure creativity, good humor and bad puns, chocolate, and a healthy dose of hormones." from Southern Enclave #39 
Regarding the asterisk in the con's title: "MediaWest*Con inherited the asterisk from the K*WestCons in Kalamazoo MI, on which MW*C was, in part, modeled. As for why they used it, you'll have to ask Paula Smith or Sharon Ferraro. We have observed that other media cons have started using asterisks in their names, so we assume the association is an acknowledgement of the success of MediaWest*Con." 
==More Specific Information on Individual Years==
Information on other years, including art show winners, masquerade contest winners, photos, door decoration contest, con reports, program book covers, and programming information as well as info on the vid shows can be found on each convention subpage by year. 
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== History ==
A pre-forerunner was 1974's Kwest*Con. "The Kalamazoo con, starting with KWest*Con way back in 1974, did not start out as strictly Star Trek cons, though Trek gained in emphasis over the years. T'Con was mostly Trek, but 2'Con was a blend, and Mor' Eastlerly was even more so." -- from Lori Chapek-Carleton in 1981, as per her letter to Interstat #42 
The first of the cons that would become MediaWest*Con was held in 1978 and organized by Lori Chapek-Carleton, Gordon Carleton, and Paula Smith who were zine publishers. This first con was called T'Con and held at the Lansing Hilton Inn in 1978. The second T'Con was held in 1979 and called "2'Con." http://members.aol.com/mdiawstCon/mwchist.htm. T'Con was descended from SekWestercon (1976-1977), the first by fans, for fans, Trek con. 
"We did not hold a convention in 1980. The plan at the time was to alternate every other year with other SF/Media conventions held elsewhere, in this case Mos' Eastly in New York. That plan didn't work out." A brief history of MediaWest*Con, accessed March 26, 2011]
 
 
The initial success and popularity of MediaWest*Con led some fans to call for a multi-fandom media Worldcon in terms of scope and scale. One of the reasons behind this call was the ongoing marginalization that media fans felt from literary science fiction and fantasy community and that Worldcon was not a welcoming venue. Others wanted the various media fandom conventions to coordinate their schedules, if not combine their efforts.In issue #13 of Jundland Wastes one fan wrote: 
In 1983, Gordon Carleton put that possibility of a single media based Worldcon to rest: 
Over the years, attendance at MediaWest*Con has steadily declined. It remains however, the largest media fan run convention in the United States. 
Information about the con was first offered online in 1995. This is the earliest surviving archived version of the website, 1997.
Additional historical info about the convention can be found here and here.
==Detailed Information on Specific Years==
See More Specific Information on Individual Years.
==About the Con ==
Con events included an art show and art auction, a vidshow, a variety of panels, and a Masquerade.
The con had a dealers' room where members could buy all sort of things including zines. Space in the dealer's room often sold out quickly, leading to a tradition of fans in the main hotel selling zines and other fannish items out of their rooms. In the evenings after the dealer's room closed, many members made a circuit of all floors of the hotel, looking for rooms with open doors and merchandise to sell. 
MediaWest*Con also hosted the annual FanQs, or "Fan Quality" awards. In addition, there was a 'Door Decoration' Contest. A Video Room was offered where fans could watch episodes of their favorite TV shows along with a Fanzine Reading Room.MediaWest*Con 2002 Fanzine Reading Room information page]. Finally, members could reserve the "Party Suite" to host parties with themes focusing on their favorite TV shows.
The con was " family-friendly" and thus leaned heavily toward gen, but adult materials (both het and slash) materials were welcome as long as they were not blatantly in the face of small children. During the main vidshow, "mature" (het adult) vids were shown after 9pm, and slash vids were shown after the mature vids. See Media West, Fan Q's and slash fans (1993) for some tensions regarding slash and gen programming. 
Fans decorated their doors and often sections of the hallway for the door decoration contest, and to attract members to their room sales. Some door decorations included things such as a few posters to a Stargate, a Tardis, or a fireplace from Hogwarts. The hotel also allowed advertising flyers to be posted in elevators and foyers during the convention.
In 2009, membership was capped at 900, in 2011 it was 600http://www.mediawestcon.org/, accessed September 1, 2009. 
Membership attendance at MediaWest*Con had been declining as the convention aged, fan focus shifted from print zines, and there was little outreach to newer, more Internet based fans. 
Convention attendance at MediaWest 31 in 2011 was put at around 600 - still a respectable number for a multi-fandom fan run convention., and in 2016 it was 700. 
In 2014, the convention began offering single day passes,2014 Membership page. something that members had been requesting in the hopes it would increase attendance.
The con's last year was 2019.
==The End of an Era==
On February 4, 2020, Gordon Carleton and Lori Chapek-Carleton posted that, despite their best efforts, the 2020 con (the 40th) would not occur, and that MediaWest*Con would not continue in its original format. They cited "the graying of fandom, dwindling interest in fanzine culture, technology that makes face-to-face meetings seem superfluous, ever increasing travel expense and inconvenience, and SF/Media going mainstream" among the reasons.
In mid-May, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a proposal for the con to be a virtual one. See MediaWest*Con 2020.
==Programming==
MediaWest*Con offered extensive programming: panels were held Friday through Monday. Topics included discussions about TV shows, actors and feature films, both gen, het (mature/adult) and slash themes.MediaWest*Con was the direct descendant of SeKWester*Con, the first Star Trek relaxacon held in 1976. Even then, the convention had one panel discussing slash, out of ten panels total -- about 10% of the programming. The slash percentage of overall programming held steady until at least the late 1990s (see the Slash Programming Debate of 1998). A more recent breakdown of slash vs gen vs het programming is not available. 
Some panels focused on literature while others looked into meta discussions about trends in media fandom. Technical workshops are also offered on writing, vidding and crafting. Finally, a few hours of gaming are also offered. 
From a 2014 progress report: "Programming is determined by member input and participation. Programming is intended for an adult audience.
When suggesting topics, please keep in mind that that the majority of topics should reflect MW*C’s core interest of science fiction and fantasy. News, sports, so-called “reality” shows, game shows, etc. are generally outside our purview unless they have some sf/fantasy or other fannish content. Cardassians yes, Kardashians no."
Excerpts from a sample program book from 2004 can be viewed here: Intro & Programming, Videos & Masquerade, Panels, Hotel & Dealer's Room, Fanzine Dealers & Art Auction, Art Auction & Classifieds, Fanzine & Event Ads, and More Fanzine & Event Ads. A more recent example of the proposed 2008 programming is archived.
The MediaWest*Con program book was later (1988-1997) skewered by two fans in the NOT The MediaWest*Con Program Guides which were scattered anonymously throughout the convention.
==Fanzines==
Many editors planned to have their new zines premiere at the con in May, and fans waited eagerly to see, and buy, the newest offerings. 
===FanQ (Fan Quality) Awards===
The "FanQ" or "Fan Quality Awards" were awards given by convention attendees in recognition of the best work appearing in fanzines. 
More info can be found here. A list of the winners year by year can be found here.
===Fanzine Debut===
MediaWest*Con had always been a place for zineds to introduce new zines. A natural fan-gathering spot, the con's Fan Q Awards also added to the appeal of bringing one's zine out at what some considered media fans' biggest party of the year.
In 1995, one fan questioned the trend of the con becoming the penultimate debut for print fanworks.
Many program books and progress reports listed the new zines of the year. 
The total represents volumes rather than issues. For example, some titles may have more than one issue in a given year. 
Year 	Number of Zines Premiering at MediaWest*Con 	
1994 MediaWest*Con	? 	
1995 MediaWest*Con	 	
1996 MediaWest*Con	100 	
1997 MediaWest*Con	83 	
1998 MediaWest*Con	137 	
1999 MediaWest*Con	72 	
2000 MediaWest*Con	120 	
2001 MediaWest*Con	106 	
2002 MediaWest*Con	107 	
2003 MediaWest*Con	124 	
2004 MediaWest*Con	96 	
2005 MediaWest*Con	112 	
2006 MediaWest*Con	91 	
2007 MediaWest*Con	97 (17 were original slash by Requiem Publications) 	
2008 MediaWest*Con	62 	
2009 MediaWest*Con	 	
2010 MediaWest*Con	40 (6 were original slash by Requiem Publications) 	
2011 MediaWest*Con	10 	
2012 MediaWest*Con	57 (9 were SWAT/Unusuals zines by Requiem Publications) 	
2013 MediaWest*Con	32 (14 were SWAT/Unusuals zines by Requiem Publications)	
2014 MediaWest*Con	20 (5 were original slash by Requiem Publications) 	
2015 MediaWest*Con	12 (4 were original slash by Requiem Publications) 	
2016 MediaWest*Con	8 	
2017 MediaWest*Con	 	
2018 MediaWest*Con	3? 	
===Fanzine Reading Room===
From the 1995 progress report #3, a note by Jan Gosnell: 
From the 2015 progress report #1: 
==Dealer's Room==
For many years, MediaWest*Con's biggest draw was its fanzine dealer's room. Hundreds of fanzines would premiere at MediaWest*Con and when the dealer's room doors would open Friday morning, the "feeding frenzy' of buyers snapping up fanzines could be quite fierce. As print fanzines began to wan in popularity the number of premiering fanzines dwindled and the number of fanzine dealers followed suit. Still, even in 2012 over 43 fanzine, fan art, jewelry and other craft dealers attended the convention.
MediaWest*Con is also one of the few fan run conventions that allows "room dealers" or "hall dealers" (fans selling their zines and other memorabilia from their hotel rooms). The room dealers rely heavily on MediaWest*Con's liberal hotel flyer policy as posting the flyers in the hallways and elevators (with a description of the zine along with a room number) is often the only way to attract buyers.
In 2012 as part of a Facebook listing of memories of MediaWest*Con, one fan said: "... I'm also remembering the feeding frenzy for zines.... How people would burst into the dealers' room in a great wave at MW, and they'd be ten deep at the tables, frantically waving money at the sellers." Another fan added: "I remember standing in the main Dealer's Room at the old hotel, when a box filled with the new issue of some popular Star Wars fanzine (Kessel Run) arrived. It was placed on a table as a large crowd of anxious fans stood around, waiting. That box was emptied and all the zines sold and gone within a couple of minutes."MediaWest*Con Reminiscing on Facebook dated June 12, 2012.
 
Image:dealersroom-1.jpg|an undated photo of the dealers room before the goodies arrive, photo by Ann Barber, unknown date (probably early 2000s?)
Image:dealersroom-2.jpg|an undated photo of the dealers room in full-swing, photo by Ann Barber, unknown date (probably early 2000s?)
==Charities==
MediaWest*Con sponsors an annual fund raising drive to "assist a fan in attending a convention of his/her choice, that he/she would otherwise be unable to attend." The SF/Media Fan Fund accepts nominations from the membership for the next year and then the attendees vote on the current recipient. Donors are asked to send $2 with their vote. More information and a list of the winners dating back to 1978 (pre-dating MediaWest*Con) can be found here.
MediaWest*Con also sponsors a blood drive at the convention. Door prizes are donated by members and handed out to the donors. Donors can also read fanzines while giving blood. The Blood Drive started in 1987.
==Fan Fund==
The "Star Trek Fan Fund" was founded by the editors of The Halkan Council in 1975 to financially enable Star Trek fans to attend a convention they otherwise would not be able to attend. The first winner was chosen under the auspices of The Halkan Council. The second year, it was sponsored by T'Kuhtian Press in connection with T'Con, 1978, with Carol Hydeman as coordinator. Carol Armour was the coordinator the third, fourth and possible other years. In 1980, the fund was sponsored by Poison Pen Press in connection with Mos'Eastly Con. In 1981, it was sponsored by T'Kuhtian Press in connection with MediaWest*Con, 1981 and called "The Media-Oriented Fan Fund."
From then on, the fan fund was a MediaWest*Con event and called "The SF/Media Fan Fund" to encompass the growing media fandom. 
For more info, see: The SF/Media Fan Fund.
==Apocryphal Memberships ==
"Why do you have Apocryphal memberships and allow pets? We found some people were buying full memberships for their stuffed critters, so we started offering Apocryphal memberships for stuffed or live critters and for alternate identities so as not to take up already limited regular memberships. As for pets, we had started bringing our dogs to the con so we didn't have to board them, which cleared the way for others to bring their pets, as long as they get along with the other animals and members (which goes for the humans as well!). Some people miss their pets too much, and some pets don't do well without their people." 
==Skits==
Almost all skits were performed Saturday night after the banquet.
For more info on skits, see More Specific Information on Individual Years.
Also see List of MediaWest*Con Skits.
==Video Room==
The 2005 program book had this notice: "Videotaped programming at MW*C is provided to creatively further the interests of society through the study of techniques used in television, film, and other media. Videotapes are used productively to further interest and self-expression through the visual arts and literature, and we believe this to be a fair usage not intended as any form of copyright infringement."
==Song Video Contest==
MediaWest*Con held an annual Song Video (or songvid) contest for fan video makers. Vids were divided into various categories: Song Interpretation - Single Medium, Song Interpretation - Multi-Media, Humorous, Constructed Reality, Best
Credits, Best Video Box and Best Video Flyer.
Entrants were formerly limited to no more than 15 minutes of video per person or group, and all vids were truly premieres. After submissions fell sharply in the late 00s, the 15 minute rule and requirement that submitting vidders also be attending or supporting members of the con was dropped. Vids still had to be new to Media West, but they could be ones that have been previously shown elsewhere.
In addition adult themed or slash vids were segregated from the main show. "Mature" (het adult) vids were shown after 9pm, and slash vids were shown after the mature vids. While there was no entry fee, vidders must either have volunteered or arranged to find someone to volunteer in the video room in order to show their vids. This made it difficult for the non-attending vidder to submit their videos and may be one of the reasons that video submissions declined as more and more vidding was displayed online.
Other fans cited discomfort with the con's policies for slash vids as a reason not to submit vids. Many fans posting vids online may also not have heard of the con or knew little about it. 
From a fan in 1997: 
In 2009, there were not enough entries for competition and the video show information is not available for 2010. Contest winners from previous years can be found on each individual convention year page. However, information for vid shows prior to 1998 is still being actively sought.
Because the Media West vid show played a significant role in the development of vidding culture (see The Genealogy of Vidding) in 2007 Vividcon devoted their own vidshow to showcase vids that had appeared at Media West over the years. A playlist can be found here. reference link.
In recent years, the rules for vid submissions were informally relaxed as fewer and fewer vidders attend the event and the convention did little outreach to the digital/online vidding community. In person attendance and a supporting membership was no necessary to submit vids. Vids had be new to the con. Submission was via physical format, either VHS or DVD, and gen, mature, and slash vids had to be separated.
The last then-current policies can be found on the official MWC vid contest page. 
 
 
===Song Video Contest: Some Rules===
 
From the 2008 program book: 
==Masquerade==
This is a judged competition.
For more information on the Masquerade, see More Specific Information on Individual Years.
==Art Show and Art Auction==
The art show winners were determined by a popular vote.
For more about specific art shows, see More Specific Information on Individual Years.
Tops of some art show bid sheets (bids on the bottom cut off):
 
Image:bidsheetcomradeinarms.jpg|for "Comrades in Arms," a La Femme Nikita art by Frank V. Liltz
Image:eroicabidsheetmediawest.jpg|"Roses and Thorns," an Eroica art by Nei Mo Han
Image:eroicabidsheetmediawest-1.jpg|"Roses and Thorns," an Eroica art by Nei Mo Han
Image:halflingbidsheet.jpg|"Halfling", "rock fantasy" art by Nancy Kolar
==Door Decoration Contest==
For more about the door decoration contest, see More Specific Information on Individual Years.
MediaWest*Con offers a Door Decoration contest where fans decorate their hotel room doors with media themes and then are judged for originality and creativity. This is a unique contest as the majority of hotels do not allow guests to tape anything to the walls and doors. However, like the extensive flyers which are posted at the hotel entrance at near the elevators at each floor, door decoration has become an integral part of the convention experience. 
While door decoration awards officially began in 1990, 1988 was the first year a handful of doors were decorated. A TARDIS door, with part of the Fourth Doctor's scarf peeking out from under the threshold was one of that handful. In 1989, that fan's door said: "A perennial MediaWest*Con attendee recalls: 
The door decoration is a judged competition.
During the first years, only the door could be decorated. Over the years those decorations became more and more extensive, often utilizing the surrounding walls and ceilings. In later years, embellishments were again constricted to only the door. A progress report in [need date] reminded fans of this new rule and added the positive spin of how these rules were a return to the activity's roots.
 
The MediaWest*Con convention website does not offer detailed information on the Door Decoration Contest. To learn the rules, fans must pay to become members and wait for the intermittent progress reports. This makes it difficult for fans who are new to the convention to plan and participate in the contest. Still, the contest remains a draw to both new and old members.
From the 2012 progress report: "Registration will be required. Forms will be available at con registration. Judging will take place between 5pm Saturday and noon Sunday. Overall judging will be based on the following criteria: Artistic Impression (pretty), Cleverness, Humor, Originality, Technical/Complexity, and Workmanship (neatness counts). Awards will be certificates of recognition. Starting in 2012, the winner of “Best In Show” door will receive up to 2 free memberships to next years’ convention."
Below is a representative sample of a door photos from each year that are currently available. Additional door decoration photos are on each convention subpage by year.
File:MW2013 Door by Sara Diaz.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2013 Winner."I Believe" (Sherlock Holmes) winner of 'Best Single Fandom.'
File:Door459.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2012, Winner 'Best Humour.' "Stay calm and text Sherlock." (Sherlock Holmes)
File:MWC31-36door.jpg|Media West 2011, Doctor Who memorial door - in memory of the Doctor Who actors who died since last year
Image:2010 door by canellfan.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2010 - Starsky & Hutch Forever, cannellfan
File:MWC2009fannishlicenseplates.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2009 Door. Honorable Mention: Fannish Vanity Plates. Image courtesy canellfan
Image:Mediawest_2008_Door_Decoration_by_cannellfan.jpg| MediaWest*Con 2008 Harry Potter
Image:Mediawest_2007_Door_Decoration_Christina's_Heroes_by_cannellfan.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2007 - Heroes Door
File:Mwc2006brokeback.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2006, one of two Brokeback Mountain themed doors that year.
File:510-StargateAtlantis.jpg| MediaWest*Con2005 Stargate Atlantis door
Image:2004tardis.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2004 - Tardis - Dr Who Door 
Image:Door2003nonsci.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2003 - U.N. C.onditionalL.y BlondE (MUNCLE)
File:Mwc2002Fireplac.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2002 - Best In Show: The Burrow - The Weasley Family Fireplace (Harry Potter)
File:MWC21door1.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2001 - Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons door
Image:2000_DeForest_Kelly_Memorial_door6.jpg|MediaWest*Con 2000- door memorial for DeForest Kelley (Dr McCoy), Star Trek actor 
Image:Mediawest_99door2.jpg|MediaWest*Con 1999 - Zine Wars Door (Star Wars)
File:Mw17 11.jpg|MediaWest*Con 1997 Dalek Door Decoration (Doctor Who)
==Membership==
At its height in the mid-late 1980s, the convention numbered over 500, with a long waiting list.
In the 1985 Progress Report, David Manship analyzed the gender makeup of the membership: 
==Communication Challenges: Rumors and Gossip, Controlling the Message, Telephones, the Internet, and Free Speech==
===1990s===
From the 1991 progress report #1: 
From the 1994 program book: 
From the 1995 progress report #2: 
Also from the 1995 progress report #2: 
A fan's comment in the February 1996 issue of Strange Bedfellows (APA): 
===2010s===
After MediaWest*Con 2012 ended, fans began sharing their suggestions for improving next year's convention on an unofficial MediaWest*Con Facebook fan pageThe Facebook fan page was created in 2011, the year before MediaWest*Con 2012 by Aron Sandler and has since been deleted. However, a similar discussion thread still remains publicly accessible on the official MediaWest*Con Facebook page. . Two of the main topics: ways to attract new members (and to entice previous members into returning) as well as ways to improve the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure system. The convention organizers set up their own MediaWest*Con 2013 Facebook Event page a few days later on June 1, 2012 (MediaWest*Con 2013 ).The 2013 Event page has since been deleted. Conversations on these Facebook pages may have been the first opportunities that convention attendees had to publicly discuss ways of improving the convention in a group setting. 
Over the course of these conversations, the lines between "official" and "unofficial" spaces and persons were often blurred. For example, on May 29, 2012, volunteer Aron created a specific MediaWest*Con feedback thread using the convention's official Facebook account : "This is the place to sound off with feedback from this year! Please keep things civil and let's try to avoiding beating any dead horses" promising to relay the suggestions "to Lori and Gordon!" 
Commenters provided a range of suggestions, including: offering day passes, getting rid of the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure system (which many fans referred to as the "room lottery"), and multiple pleas to update the website. One attendee Sarah B wrote: "The tiled gray wallpaper, animated portal GIF and bright blue links scream "1998" and make MediaWest look like a fusty loser convention nobody would want to go to." Kimberly LA pointed out that "most people find music on sites annoying..... the "cheap Atari" sounding music gives visitors the impression that the people putting on the con don't know what they're doing or don't care about the convenience/comfort of potential customers." 
Not all feedback was negative, even from the critics. Sarah B also wrote: "Overall I had a great time at MW - I always do. It's wonderful to see friends, talk about movies and TV shows, etc." and "Thank you! And thanks for maintaining this great site!" Aron responded by summarizing: "So far we've discussed Day passes, flyers, website, advertising, lottery, trash/recycle boxes ....Let's find some other horses to beat until they are dead please. :-)" This did not sit well with attendee Dianne 'Greenwoman' "The same topics keep coming up over and over again when suggestions are invited because people clearly think they are worthy and important ideas and concerns. Why are they only "dead horses" to those who are supposedly asking for suggestions on how to improve the con? 
The conversation continued over at the official MediaWest*Con 2013 Facebook Event page where organizer Gordon engaged directly with the attendees: 
In response to complaints about the website design (ex: flashing text), Gordon replied: 
A few attendees tried to smooth the waters. Debra H. wrote: 
Other attendees suggested that the debate be taken back to private email so as to not turn off new members. Jilly H wrote: 
Whether official or unofficial, prior to that date, MediaWest*Con had historically preferred
to communicate through announcements or private emails. The official MediaWest*Con mailing list on Yahoo Groups was for announcements only. The same is the case for the MediaWest*Con Blog where comments were - and still are, as of June 2018 -- moderated and not automatically available for public viewing. Much of the discussion that took place after MediaWest*Con 2012 is now gone and the official MediaWest* Con 2013 Facebook Event page has been deleted along with all of the comments, although an earlier example Event Page for MediaWest* Con 2012 remains available for viewing and the thread created by volunteer Aron using the convention's Facebook account also remains. 
On June 14, 2018, "Help Keep MW*C Blog Troll Free!" was posted to the MediaWest*Con blog: -keep-mwc-blog-troll-free/ Help Keep MW*C Blog Troll Free! : 
==Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure==
MediaWest*Con has used a Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure for many years. Many fans refer to it as a "room lottery system" "Our decision is based on the unprecedented institution of a room lottery system which has left a number of our readers, contributors and editors without rooms in the convention hotel, thereby diminishing our enjoyment of the convention as well as adding undue expense to our convention budget." -- letter sent by Randy Landers to the adzine GAZ dated April 1995. "I didn't win the Holiday Inn lottery, so I stayed at the HoJo's across the street." -- from a Blake's 7 fan in Rallying Call #18 (1996) "I'm sure that by now you know that there was a lottery for rooms in the hotel for next year." -- from a Star Wars fan in Southern Enclave #39 "Personally, we have no problem with the lottery." -- Once publicly accessible comment posted: Barbara Staton's "I have a few questions for Lori and Gordon" dated June 11, 2012 (now locked). "Some fans felt that because most rooms were shared, there was sufficient hotel rooms and that the room lottery was no longer needed." --Deb Walsh's "Let's discuss ways to improve MediaWest Facebook thread dated June 6-7, 2012. "....people were fed up with the room lottery. Some years you knew if you had a room in the host hotel only a few months after the previous cons, but other years you had to wait until only three or four months before the next con, and one memorable year notifications didn't go out until a month before. I talked to at least three people who quit going because of the lottery. Me? Finances and dealing with the airlines did me in, exhaustion with the room lottery, and sadness over the con's lack of energy. (June 2018). in their discussions of the con.
=== How It Works===
Because in the past, the main hotel generally did not have enough space for all of the attendees, an Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure was put in place in 1995, after some fans complained that the hotel rooms were being booked at the convention for the following year. This meant that new attendees who could not plan a year in advance or who did not sign up at the convention in person could not get rooms in the main hotel. 
The system processes room reservations using randomly assigned numbers. Originally, these numbers were assigned to current attendees via ticket stubs as part of their program package. Once they registered and paid for the next year, they filled out a hotel reservation request form and mailed it to the convention organizers. The convention would submit the reservation requests to the hotel in order of ticket stub number. A confirmation letter would be sent to the attendee who then had to make payment directly to the hotel.
In the 1994 Program Book, the convention organizers describe the system:
 
This multi-step and multi-person process often created delays in communication and, in the era before widespread email use, it meant that hotel registrations occasionally went astray. Changes to arrival and departure dates, type of hotel beds, room types, special accommodations etc exponentially increased the complexity of the communication system. In 2013, when the hotel hosting the convention was changed mid-year, it meant that fans had to resubmit their hotel reservation requests. And, to make the process even more painful, hotel liaison Carol Lynn pointed out in 2012 that the reservation system at the hotel hosting the convention at that time was so antiquated that every reservation she emailed to them had to be re-typed into their system by hotel staff. Comments posted in to Deb Walsh's "OK We're 90 confirmed" dated June 11, 2012 (now deleted).
From the 2013 Progress Report 1:
As of 2014, the registration forms can be submitted online and requests are processed in timestamp order. If you do not get a reservation at your primary choice of hotel, you are given one of your other ranked hotel choices and are automatically added to a waiting list in case rooms become available at your primary choice. The waiting list is also processed in order of timestamp from the system. If a room becomes available, you will be contacted before any changes are made. MW*C 2013 Progress Report 1
By 2017, the convention stopped accepting paper reservation requests. All hotel reservation requests must be made electronically via the MW*C website. The basic structure remains the same, attendees are required to filter their reservations through the convention rather than working directly with the hotels:
===Fan Reception=== 
In the years that followed the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure, some attendees seem satisfied with the system. As one fan explained in a 2012 Facebook thread:
 
However, not all fans support the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure. Some fans have complained that late notification of their room reservations makes it impossible for them to plan ahead as they do not want to buy airfare without a guaranteed room in the convention hotel. Comments posted in to Deb Walsh's "OK We're 90 confirmed" dated June 11, 2012 (now deleted). Fans with disabilities or physical limitations The convention will pass on requests for "Physical Hardship" but stresses that such requests cannot be guaranteed. [MW*C 2018 Hotel Reservations Website http://www.mediawestcon.org/online-hotel-reservations.htm]; archived link or without automobiles have pointed out that some of the nearby overflow hotels require crossing a 4 lane highway. The convention responded to this criticism by writing that: There are four other hotels .....within walking distance* .... *Yes, we realize “walking distance” is a relative term....” Source: MW*C 2016 Progress report 1.Even as early as 1995, fans were critical of the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure system. 
In 1995 Mary D. Bloemker held an informal survey on rec.arts.sf.fandom about the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure:
The convention organizers responded to Mary's online post in their 3rd progress report.
From MW*C 15 PR3 (May 1995):
Also in 1995, Randy Landers, a large fanzine publisher, announced he would not attend MediaWest*Con due to the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure:
 
The convention organizers again responded in their Progress Report.
From MW*C 15 PR3 (May 1995):
As convention attendance is now much lower than in the 1980s and 1990s, some fans have begun to wonder if the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure is still needed. They point out that the hotel has 300 rooms which are contractually guaranteed to MediaWest*Con attendees. In 2012, the convention organizers estimated attendance around 500. Some fans felt that because most rooms were shared, there was sufficient hotel rooms and that the room lottery was no longer needed. Others pointed to the presence of non-convention hotel guests and empty rooms at the start of the convention as further proof that there were now an adequate number of rooms. The convention organizers disagreed with these conclusions. Deb Walsh's "Let's discuss ways to improve MediaWest' Facebook thread dated June 6-7, 2012. 
You can read more of this discussion on the Mediawest 1995 page: "Who Knows What E-Mail Lurks In The Hearts Of Fen?"
During the June 2012 Facebook discussion, one of the top requests made by fans was eliminating the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure system. The convention organizers finally announced that:
===Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure: Looking Back===
Many MW*C program books contain a history of the reasons for the Early Hotel Reservation Request Procedure.
==Convention Reports==
===Joan Verba's Memories of the First Media West in 1981===
From Boldly Writing: 
=== General Memories===
In October 2012 a fan wrote of her memories of MediaWest*Con:
In June 2012, a Facebook thread was begun asking fans to share their memories. A few memories are excerpted below, and the full thread can be read here.Initially open to the public, now requires a Facebook account).
In 2011, one fan mused about MediaWest*Con in the 1980s:
===Con Reports: Specific Years===
 
For many more con reports by fans, see the convention subpages for each year.
==Some General Memories: Fan Comments==
==Meta/Further Reading==
* Media West, Fan Q's and slash fans by Flamingo (January 10, 1998)
* Can you teach an old convention new tricks? Advice for new fans considering attending a well-established convention by sockii, June 2, 2014
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Gen Fandom
Category:Multimedia Conventions
Category:Science Fiction Conventions
Category:1981 Conventions
Category:1980s Conventions
Category:1990s Conventions
Category:2000s Conventions
Category:2010s Conventions
Category:2017 Featured ArticlesCategory:Conventions in United States