Boise State Public Radio meeting retreat February 18, 2012 Osher Class Room Ron and Linda Yanke Family Research Facility In attendance: Emily Walton, Mary Reiman, Dede Ryan, Janet Morris, Camille Oldenburg, Micha Austin, Janice Fulkerson, Paula Brown Sinclair, Pat Johnson, Derek Holyoak, Bob Youde, Cornelia Sprung, Marshall Brezonic, Dave Fotch, Susan Giannetino, Maria Trebby and Kristin Mathews. Staff: John Hess, Kelly Palmer, Paul Stribling and Sadie Babits. Facilitator: David Spann -----------------------------------------------General Meeting notes: I. Welcome: David Spann welcomed the group to the retreat. John Hess and Susan Giannetino added their thanks to the group for attending. David then led the group through a warm up exercise. II. Purpose: David Spann explained that the purpose of the retreat for that day was to find a way where the CAB could add value to the day to day work of the BSPR staff. III. Agenda: The agenda for the day was as follows: 1. Intros and overviews (reports from staff) 2. Small group discussions (see detailed notes below from each group) 3. Groups come together to present their findings, present goals/targets for 2012 4. Group defines working agreements and leadership. 5. Format for future CAB meetings will be reviewed. 6. Adjournment (Lunch to follow) IV Brief reports from staff were presented in the following areas; fundraising (Palmer), advocacy (Hess) and programming (Stribling and Babits). 1. Programming/News: FY 13 focus- Improve BSPR’s on-air sound. i. Programming: We can have the best programming from NPR, PRI and APM, but if we can’t match that programming with great local programming we have not served our listeners fully. We strive to make our on-air sound more interactive, conversational and friendly. We want to simplify our NextGen automation system, making our station sound more like a radio station should sound. ii. Community Engagement: Establish a Public Insight Network (PIN) for Idaho. A PIN network will utilize the CAB’s existing connector network and help develop a knowledge/data base that relates to individual beats that BSPR journalists cover. 2. Fundraising: The central themes for fundraising and the CAB for FY 2013 are; Excite, Connect and Engage. i. Excite: CAB organizes and conducts tours of our present and future facilities, giving potential donors a “behind the scenes” view of BSPR’s daily work. ii. Connect: CAB members organize and host gatherings to connect potential donors and BSPR staff to discuss important issues affecting our communities, the state and our nation. iii. Engage: These gatherings will provide our development staff the opportunity to identify and meet potential major donors for future cultivation. iv. Grants: Assistance from the CAB was requested to help the development staff write grants for specific BSPR projects. 3. Advocacy: In FY 13, it is anticipated federal funding for public media will be under attack, no matter the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. BSPR’s ability to continue to provide in-depth news, arts and cultural programming to rural parts of Idaho depends on continued federal funding provided to BSPR through our annual Community Service Grants. The grants provide the backbone of service to communities like Stanley and Lower Stanley, Challis and Salmon Idaho. In fact, without federal funding to support BSPR, our service area could possibly
shrink back to serving the Treasure Valley alone. Here are the priorities for Advocacy in FY 13. i. Form an advocacy group to promote public media here in Idaho. ii. Develop a series of opinion editorials, letters to editors and other materials that advocate and promote for public media. iii. Identify and engage elected officials, non-profit leaders and major stakeholders in each region that BSPR broadcasts, enlisting their support to advocate for public media in their community. iv. Develop a compelling case for support of public media here in Idaho. V. Following the staff reports, CAB members self-selected into small groups around each of the issues. The groups engaged in an active discussion regarding strategy and tactics for each of the areas. After about one hour, the larger group came back together to discuss the findings (1,2, and 3 below and detailed flip chart notes from each group are presented at the end of this document) and the larger group discussed some additional topics that flowed from the small group presentations (4,5 below) 1. Programming: (Kristin-CAB Leader, Janet Fulkerson, Camille Oldenburg, Pat Johnson, Maria Trebby, Dede Ryan) 1. Focus attention around the following news beats; i. Politics ii. Education iii. Healthcare iv. Economy v. Environment 2. We have great news sources within the CAB in these news areas and could be collected using the Public Insight Network. 3. The group will conduct interviews with all members of the CAB, (who you are, what do you do, what professional experience do you bring to the table in these areas) to develop a list of local experts to be contacted by the PIN. 4. Partnering with other organizations. The CAB will engage with other organizations that they have associations with to expand the PIN network and deepen the pool of sources for BSPR reporters. 5. CAB members need to send Paul information on story ideas. 6. All CAB information interviews will be completed by the April CAB meeting. 7. Misc. ideas from the group; add a suggestion box for the website; provide proof points for what we are doing. 2. Advocacy- CAB Leader Dave Fotsch CAB Team Members: Marshall, Emily, Derek, Cornelia, Paula, Bob BSPR Staff: John Hess The advocacy board cannot be just an advocate for BSPR but for all public media in the state. The group defined their mission. “Our role is ensuring we have an educated and informed citizenry”. 1. The group will look to see if there are models, such as the “170 million Americans” public media advocacy campaign that we could replicate on the state level. 2. The group looked to partner with Idaho Public Television to use their statewide friends group to see if they might already have a network of advocates in place. Further investigation is needed in this area. 3. The group decided to focus their priorities on: i. Structure. What does this advocacy group look like? (Example: Catholic Charities, Planned Parenthood, Idaho Food Bank). ii. Organization. Is this the group statewide, regional or focused on BSPR’s broadcast region?
4.
2.
3.
4.
iii. Ideas- What opportunities for partnership are there with groups that depend on a healthy viable public media? Tactics: i. Use of social media, Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. ii. Develop the CAB Ambassador concept, deploy at all public events. iii. Deepen relationships with corporate sponsors who support public media. (Example: Idaho Shakespeare with Key Bank). iv. Develop an annual award for groups, individuals or organizations that support and advocate for public media in Idaho. Fun rising or fundraising? Frank, Don (could not attend), Micah, Mary and Kelly Palmer 1. Develop a fundraising tool kit: i. Provide resources, we have great communicators on the CAB. The staff needs good marketing/promotional materials relating to the projects that we are working on. 2. Address raising money for the Broadcast Center, convert listeners to members. i. Provide group field trips, don’t just listen to public radio, but really see where it happens. ii. Connect the idea of what a new broadcasting center would mean to the community. 3. Goals: i. Have each CAB member form and conduct at least three tours with members of the community each year. ii. Put materials together for a BSPR road show. Speak to all Chambers of Commerce in each town in our broadcast region. iii. Leverage CAB relationships. Who do you know? Each CAB member will gather at least three individuals who have the motivation and means to provide a fund raising gift to BSPR. These names will be turned over to Kelly for cultivation. These names should be gathering together by 4/1/12. iv. Organize a gathering of all Broadcast Society members, to be held in 2012/13. CAB would be willing to organize and staff this event. Form Marketing/Communication committee 1. BSPR has to have a creditable presence in the community 2. What is the definition of Marketing? Where does Marketing sit in the BSPR organization? 3. Marketing/Communication adhoc committee members: Marshall, Frank, Dede, Camille, Janet and Cornelia. 4. An agenda for the work that the Marketing/Communication committee will undertake will be ready for the April meeting. i. Look at metrics for the station: Audience, Fundraising, membership and present marketing plan. Supporter, people to contact: i. Ed Robertson, (Idaho Wine Commission) ii. Past CAB members; Kevin Storms, Brian Cronin, Lynn Hoffman, David Hale, Wendy Jaquette, Mike Weiss, Paul Cunningham, Jim Lyons. iii. Others; Lori Jungling, Paul Scalander, Arlyn Crouch, Laird Noh, Chris Morse, Alan Head, Ryan Woodings, Brad Wiskerchen iv. All CAB members who have not done so need to sign a non-disclosure agreement in relation to review of personal donor information associated with BSPR.
5. Next Steps: 1. Groups get together to discuss next steps 2. Agenda for next meeting is set with reports on each subcommittee’s actions. 3. Small groups are formed and start working on actions. Adjournment for lunch at 12:45 p.m. --------------------------------------------Notes from the different teams (Programming, advocacy, and development) are presented below. ______________________ Programming: Group Members with high level areas of expertise identified: Kristin – health care, education Pat – Education, Politics, Health Care Janet – Hewlett-Packard, North Idaho (Geographic coverage) and Environmental Camille- Planning, Health care Maria – Education, International Dede – Arts/Culture Janice – Health care, community organization, administration/operations Michael Zuzel (he wasn’t in attendance, yet I think he would be OK if I (Janice) added him to this group) CAB Leader for Programming: Kristin Notes: · There are five (5) primary story ‘beats’or areas of focus for stories: 1. Education 2. Politics 3. HealthCare 4. Economy 5. Environmental · Sub beats – International and Arts/Culture Identified Goals where staff requests CAB Support: 1) Public Insight Network (PIN) 2) Create News resources; help build knowledge base by using the CABs ‘connector’ network. Brainstorming Ideas 1) One to many – (Janet's idea) she is one person,connected to many others. She can receive information regarding PIN and send it out to her many connections encouraging them to take action, sign up for PIN. She can receive a message or question from Paul/Sadie regarding an environmental topic and send the question or request out to her network of environmental resources. (these are just examples). 2) More in-person engagement, events and other chances to engage people (listeners and potential listeners) in areas that fall in to the main ‘beats.’ 3) More partnering with other organizations that have an affinity for the station, topics, etc. (more things like Story, Story Night; Youth Ranch car donation, etc) 4) News and story suggestions – collect and send topics and ideas to Paul/Sadie (with an understanding that they have to keep journalistic integrity in the forefront). 5) Encourage ways that ideas can be fed to the station. A link on the websites with encouragement to submit stories, feedback, ideas. #1 CAB Action: · CAB Interviews. The Programming group with interview all CAB members to develop a solid
understanding of the vast expertise the CAB represents. · The Interviews will be done by the April Board meeting · A questionnaire will be developed by the CAB Programming Committee to use as a guide that will collect information such as professional experience, personal experience, other organizations the CAB member is involved with (formal and informal), areas of potential collaboration, experience and/or credentials in the 5 ‘beat’ areas · The questionnaire will be reviewed by Paul/Sadie after development · It may be expanded as part of the process. · The Programming Committee with interview fellow committee members (a sort of practice) and then move on to the rest of the CAB #1a CAB Action: · Promote the PIN program within circles of influence; at events, with connections and networks · Will need Sadie to provide the cards, email link · Will coordinate with Advocacy and the community events where a ‘table’ or forum is offered for BSPR to have a physical presence. _________________________________ Advocacy CAB Team Members: Marshall, Emily, Derek, Cornelia, Paula, Bob BSPR Staff: John Hess CAB LEADER: Dave Fotsch BACKUP: Susan Giannettino Primary action: Develop an Advocacy Plan with strategic objectives guiding operational tactics Can work on the specifics of the messages but overarching focus for our advocacy is what BPR stands for and that is creating educated and informed citizens. Thus, our advocacy is much bigger than advocacy specific to BSPR or public radio, broadcasting or media. Our advocacy is for the right of people to have access to information; information without a commercial bias. Need to reach up from local to national level. Mobilization… requires structure and organization Example: Catholic charities, in that everyone understands objectives, expectations, knows their roles, clear means of disturbing and assigning tasks There is a sense of urgency for getting on with this advocacy planning effort First step in developing our plan: explore and learn from other efforts Minnesota public radio may have a good model for advocacy 170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting --dovetail local advocacy with national effort --is there a local template, state focused tiered to national effort? Idaho Public Television --what is their advocacy strategy, --do they have a “friends” organization, --can we share mailing lists, etc. --explore the pros and cons of collaboration The advocacy plan will develop strategies for reaching people at various points on the continuum. Who are we trying to reach? One end might include supporters who just need info and encouragement to become passionate advocates. At the other extreme might be people who could be detractors but are willing to provide at least tacit support because of BSPR’s role in development of an informed public. Also, who are the CAB members best able to connect with these various interests? The advocacy plan needs to consider the messages that resonant for people at the various points on the
continuum. What are the key advocacy messages? Could initially target low hanging fruit (potential supporters) but also need to consider messages and strategies for connecting to the wider variety of interests. Help with messaging (writers: Emily, Paula, Dave) What are the tactics we would use (brainstorm list)? Community forums (City Club, Fettuccine Forum, Rotary groups) CAB Ambassadors at various events Talking points (tool kit) that all CAB members (and volunteers) could use Sharing stories of CAB and supporters Award for public media supporter/advocate Deeper relationship with corporate sponsors Challenges: reaching younger consumers of media; BSPR/NPR not fully known to these potential supporters (not a known resource) but it can provide information for everyone Reaching Students: Social media (Facebook, twitter) Flyers on campuses Finding relevance _____________________________ Development (Fundraising support) Members: Frank, Don (could not attend), Micah, Mary BSPR lead: Kelly Committee lead is Micah Austin Outcomes The committee agreed upon the following four deliverables in support of fundraising efforts: Develop toolkit of consistent messaging and print/electronic collateral (writing; graphics; boiler plate). Review current tool kit and provide recommendations in time for April CAB meeting – Frank. 1. Systematic outreach with CAB-led tours of facilities/Broadcast Center ---“field trips”. Lead three tours by 12/31/12 – Mary. 2. Make informational presentations outside of Treasure Valley to support membership recruitment. (Speakers Bureau); Rotary and Chamber of Commerce. Present to three chambers and two rotary groups in 2012 – Micah. 3. Leverage existing CAB relationships for introductions (three names per person) and University connections. – Obtain names by April 1, 2012 – Mary. Note: The committee leadand each deliverable leadis not expected to do all aspects of the deliverable/s on their own. The leads are to be viewed as both contributing to achieving the deliverables as well as facilitating their completion by leveraging the support and action of other CAB members. Other: Kelly Palmer will: • Distribute confidentiality policy to all CAB members in advance of April CAB meeting. • Have confidentiality forms for members to sign at April meeting. • Bring a list of the station’s Broadcast Society Members to the April CAB meeting. • Email Frank her existing tool kit. - done • Obtain a copy of the presentation that John gives to outside organizations; review; share with Frank; Finalize and give to Micah. – by the end of the week of March 5th (in Sun Valley the week of the 27th).
• Coordinate with Adrienne Zachary on creating an internal “tour system” to support CAB members who bring folks to visit. – by the end of the week of March 12th.