PRIMA BOARD MEETING
OCTOBER 21, 2020
2:30 PM Eastern Time
Attending:
Paul Maassen , President
Regina Dean – Treasurer
Steve Schramm – Vice President
Neenah Ellis – Secretary
Myrna Johnson – unable to attend
Dan Skinner
Nico Leone – comes in at 3:01
Richard Miles – unable to attend
Agenda:
– Upcoming virtual speakers
– NPR Board Composition
Follow up on last month’s meeting – a list of speakers for virtual meetings. NPR could provide Keith Woods, Tom Hjelm and others to talk about Grove – Paul is working out scheduling. Steve Schramm suggests Joyce Mac of Greater Public.
NE recommends looking at Public Media for All – https://www.publicmediaforall.com/about
And consider inviting them?
Should we be holding these meetings – on behalf of these org? What are our perameters for these events. ?
Regina says: What about Jacquie Gales Webb from CPB ? Changing the CSG was under study, has it been resolved?
NPR Board composition: Paul has been talking to PRIMA stations about the nominating system for NPR board members. There’s a nominating committee now. There seems to be an trend of underrepresentation of smaller station on the board and there is some concern about that.
He asks if there is an issue here, is there a problem and does it need to be addressed.
There are mechanisms for nominations from the membership. Does it make sense for PRIMA to become active in the nomination process.
Nico Leone (on the NPR Board) – we are not out of compliance with the by-laws. But there is discussion underway about different types of representation. There are six or even factors of representation that we are balancing. There is a new chair-elect who has experience at different station sizes and types, he will bring some new thinking. Lafontaine Oliver will take up the role at the November meeting.
Paul asks for opinions. Regina says what is small has changed. It’s a topic for us to consider. It’s difficult to decide what to do about it. We probably should be having those discussions. What is the reality of the situation and what does it mean to us?
Steve Schramm – a telling sign of whether or not people care for the station relationship – is whether or not they vote. I have suggested that there be actions taken against stations who are not engaged with the station community. There needs to be some reckoning. It’s a mixing bowl of issues. Station revenue size is not enough of a criteria.
Dan – I share Steve’s frustrations. It drives me crazy too that we can’t get a quorum. It’s gotten easier to attend virtually not harder and people still don’t show up.
NE: what does the data show? Is there a problem? I
Paul: It seems like we need to determine whether or not there is a problem
Nico. There is one seat open now on the board. Now there are two stations that are small. Eastern Kentucky and Quad Cities. There is a chunk of stations in the middle market size, 20-40 range. Some stations have a footprint in rural area.
Is there a role for PRIMA – if we think there is a problem, reach out to Lafontaine and go through the governance committee process of the board. I think he would be receptive to that conversation.
Paul: The basic question: Is there a serious underrepresentation of viewpoints to the detriment of stations?
We’ll take a look at it and compare notes at the next meeting.
Treasurers Report – not spending any money now. Nothing coming in. We voted to suspend dues. We should notify the membership that we have suspended the membership. We have not sent out invoices. We have about 40k in the bank.
No other new business.
Submitted by Neenah Ellis, board secretary