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Meeting Minutes

Winter 2010 - New Orleans, LA

PRIMA WINTER BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, February 5, 2010
Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans

I. Call to Order & Determination of Quorum
President Kuzmych called the meeting to order at 10:59 a.m., February 5th. Treasurer Vallillo and President Kuzmych determined a quorum was present.

II. Additions and Approval of the Agenda
No additions were made; a motion was made and seconded to accept the agenda; motion passed unanimously.

III. Secretary’s Report
Secretary Schwartz distributed the minutes of the fall meeting. No additions or corrections were raised. A motion was made and seconded to adopt the minutes; motion passed unanimously.

IV. Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Vallillo distributed both the Fall and Winter reports. The PRIMA checking account balance as of 2/4/10 was $28,169.56.  Vallillo reported that the fall conference in Chicago was within $463.80 of breaking even and financially a success.

V. President’s Report
President Kuzmych thanked Paul Maassen of WWNO our host station and PRIMA Vice President Dan Skinner for their excellent work planning and holding the Winter Conference.

Christina then discussed the effort to re-open negotiations with Sound Exchange regarding digital streaming rights and requirements for music under the DMCA. She believes that Tom Thomas, Mike Riksen, Sound Exchange representatives, and other players will reconvene on the near future.

Christina reported that NPR President Schiller met with the PRRO group (public radio regional presidents) and discussed methods by which information and best practices could be shared.

President Kuzmych asked Dan Skinner and Jon Schwartz to report briefly on the Eastern Public Media and the Western States Public Radio meetings, respectively. They contrasted EPM’s more traditional agenda of presentations with PRIMA and WSPR’s newer format emphasizing group discussion of the most prominent issues and strategies mixed with fewer one-speaker presentations.

Christina concluded mentioning that the Knight Foundation may be a source of funds for training, and that she would be attending the February 17-18 NPR Board meeting. She will send out a summary of the meeting to PRIMATES.

VI. National Organization Reports
(NPR made a separate presentation earlier) CPB:  Patty Cahill, CPB Board Member and PRIMATE described how she was selected and the subsequent confirmation process. Ms Cahill is the designated radio station representative on the CPB Board. She then discussed the CPB Board direction for supporting broadband and broadcast. She urged members to contact her directly if they have questions and comments: at patty@kcur.org .

VII. New Business
A PRIMA board resolution was submitted and read by Secretary Schwartz urging NPR Board member participation and attendance at PRIMA meetings and the other Regionals. The resolution was moved and seconded. After discussion, the resolution was passed unanimously. (See Resolution Below)

VIII. Old Business
Patty Cahill suggested Kansas City as the site for the Fall 2010 PRIMA meeting and volunteered KCUR as the host station. Response from members was positive.

A motion to adjourn was made, seconded and passed unanimously at 11:50 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Jon Schwartz
Secretary, Public Radio in Mid-America
February 10, 2010

PRIMA RESOLUTION

WHEREAS: PRIMA recognizes the enthusiastic and regular attendance of NPR management staff at conferences and the richness of information these individuals bring to the regional managers; and

WHEREAS: Public broadcasting is undergoing rapid changes in numerous critical areas of public service, content, technology, and governance and these industry changes generate a heightened need for substantive in-person communication between NPR and member stations; and

WHEREAS: NPR is fundamentally a membership organization and is the America’s last and sole nationally significant journalism source combining broadcast and other distribution controlled by broadcasters; and

WHEREAS: PRIMA and other regional conferences are the vehicle by which AREPS managers can meet in person to jointly address industry and station issues together with national representatives; and

WHEREAS: Effective communication is absolutely vital to ensure that mutual interests, productive ideas, pitfalls, and other relevant matters are recognized, developed and understood in partnership; and

WHEREAS: Occasional one way electronic/e-mails can be no substitute for the critical deliberations about these matters of mutual long term direction of NPR as well as annual strategy, goals, progress, alternatives, and understanding;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

That in the interests of the long term health, well-being and effectiveness of our public service via the fundamental local/national partnership that has been the hallmark of the NPR enterprise since its inception, the NPR Board of Directors:

• Restore its practice of Board leadership participation at PRIMA and other member station regional conferences;

•  Serve its commitment to geographical and market diversity by ensuring that elected AREPS from each region attend the member station regional conferences in their respective regions;

• Articulate, refine, and communicate the NPR Board’s current policies and strategic direction in person at PRIMA and other member station regional associations for the good of the whole.