MediaScribe Makes Accessibility Real for MACTA Conference

When the Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunication Administrators (MACTA) presented its 42nd Annual MACTA Conference & Trade Show in late July, MediaScribe showed municipal IT and AV leaders how real-time transcription and translation can enhance community engagement, reduce barriers, and simplify event workflows.

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MACTA is a statewide professional organization as well as a state chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA). Dedicated to modernizing community television funding and protecting community media, its membership includes PEG organizations, schools, member cities, and industry supporters.

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Keeping Media Workflows Simple

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CCX Media in Brooklyn Park, which serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, hosted the 2025 conference. For CCX Media’s technical team, introducing MediaScribe into their existing AV workflow was nearly seamless. MediaScribe combines cloud-based automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology with a compact, on-site hardware interface for cost-effective speech-to-text transcriptions for real-time open captions, closed captions, mobile captions, and translations.

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According to Tyler Voigt, CCX technical operations manager, connecting MediaScribe into the signal path required little more than an SDI feed and Ethernet connectivity. Other than a faulty cable on their end, setup proved quick and painless. Once running, MediaScribe’s accuracy and speed impressed him, particularly in handling both clear speech and lower-volume audio from adjacent spaces. “I was impressed with how well it was captioning and how fast it was,” he said.

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Ease of use is critical for municipalities, where AV staff often juggle multiple responsibilities at live events. James Anderson, technical services manager at CCX Media, highlighted how MediaScribe’s fast setup made it one of the least complicated tasks during a hectic conference prep. For municipal IT and AV directors managing diverse systems, a solution that plugs in smoothly without draining staff time is invaluable.

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Expanding Possibilities for City Media

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While captions weren’t specifically requested in advance, conference organizers quickly recognized the value of having MediaScribe available for all attendees. Eric Strouse, station manager at CTN in Coon Rapids and president of MACTA, noted that captions benefit everyone, not only attendees with hearing challenges. In a busy, noisy conference environment, the ability to glance at accurate captions helped audiences stay engaged.

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Strouse also connected MediaScribe to the broader conversation about ADA compliance. Cities are updating websites and media workflows to meet upcoming standards, and video accessibility is now a central focus. By showcasing MediaScribe at the opening session on accessibility, organizers highlighted how real-time captions and translations can be a practical, affordable tool for municipal media teams looking to improve the audience experience and stay ahead of compliance deadlines.

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One of the most compelling demonstrations came when Anderson used MediaScribe’s mobile access feature. Scanning a QR code, he quickly pulled up real-time transcriptions on his phone and even tested the translation feature in Icelandic. This highlighted how MediaScribe can extend accessibility beyond in-room displays to personal devices and cable channels, giving municipalities flexibility to meet residents wherever they’re watching.

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Looking Ahead to Accessibility

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For cities planning chamber upgrades or rethinking public engagement strategies, MediaScribe offers a forward-looking solution. Anderson shared that he has already mentioned it in discussions about council chamber renovations, where traditional audio loop systems can be costly and disruptive. With MediaScribe, municipalities can add an inclusive, on-prem communication layer without construction-heavy installations.

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MediaScribe’s presence sparked conversations about what accessible government communications can look like moving forward. By making transcription and translation fast, accurate, and easy to integrate, MediaScribe demonstrated how technology can help community media centers serve residents better at council meetings, community events, or live broadcasts.

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As Strouse noted, captioning is becoming part of everyday life. For municipalities, adopting these practices now ensures they meet both compliance requirements and community expectations. MediaScribe’s MACTA debut showed that accessible communication is not just achievable—it’s practical and scalable for local government media initiatives.

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