The Biola Media Conference (formerly Christians & Media) was born out of a desire to expose the film students at Biola University to working media professionals. In 1995, Dr. Rick Bee and Dr. Tom Nash invited members of the Biola Studio Task Force to come speak on Biola’s campus, giving students the opportunity to learn and interact with top industry professionals. The result was a quality program that encouraged and benefited each participant – with requests made that it be broadened to the wider community.

Within 5 years, the annual conference had grown to nearly 350 attendees, and was gaining momentum as a significant professional resource for Christians in the entertainment field.

In 2004, the conference was renamed the “Biola Media Conference” under the direction of the new Mass Communication Chair, Craig Detweiler and conference Director, Peggy Rupple. As it grew in scope and influence, hosting over 750 in attendance at the 2007 event, the Biola Media Conference gained recognition as the largest national conference for Christian entertainment professionals working in mainstream media. To facilitate this growth, the conference was moved to CBS Studio Center in 2008 with Kathleen Cooke joining the team as Co-Director.

Biola University’s newly named Cinema and Media Arts Department, under the new direction of Chair, Jack Hafer, will once again host the Biola Media Conference at CBS in 2009.

Conference Vision

The Biola Media Conference has a rich history of advancing the integration of faith and the arts. The goal for the Biola Media Conference continues to be an impassioned desire to gather the collective wisdom from people of faith who have been working successfully in Hollywood and impart that wisdom to the next generation.

• The Biola Media Conference offers anyone working within the media, whether mainstream or ministry, a front row seat to learn from and interact with leading industry professionals working at the top of their field.
  
  
• The BMC focuses on the real-life, practical issues of producing films and creating television, and other media.
  
  
• Our conference themes are prayerfully crafted around the forward movement of our industry—and how we can best be prepared, professionally and spiritually for that direction.
  
  
• We proudly honor the outstanding achievements of pioneers in our industry with the Bob Briner Impact Award.
  
  
• As a result of the networking opportunities provided at our conferences, we purpose to be a conduit where projects are birthed and partnerships are forged.

Each year, strategies are identified and ideas crystallize as like-minded industry professionals share their expertise and forecast their vision for future opportunities to engage and impact culture at the Biola Media Conference.