Minutes
WPFW Regular LSB Meeting
May 10, 2017
Howard University College of Engineering, Architecture, and
Computer Sciences
College 2300 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20059
Robert Simms, Chair
Ellen Williams
Carter Secretary
I. Call to order
At 6:40 pm a quorum was established. Robert Simms called the meeting to order at
6:40 pm.
II. Roll call
13 Members were present at roll call: Robert Simms, Eric Ramey, Maskeelah-Myrtle
Washington, Ellen Williams Carter (non- voting), Donald Williams, Eileen Rosin, Nick Arena (non-voting), Martha
Peterson, Sabooh Hakim, Jim Brown, Julie Hewitt, Benito Diaz, Ron Pinchback, Sandra Butler-Truesdale, Cliff Smith
3
Members Late: Campbell Johnson, Meredith Cordisco, Gloria Turner
7 Excused absence: Nancy Sorden, JW Nightwolf,
Vickie McGill, Christine Cotter, Lona Alias, Louis Wolf, Tony Leon
The GM Jerry Paris was present.
The IPD Katea
Stitt was absent.
Parliamentarian: John Tatum
Timekeeper: Meredith Cordisco
III. Approval of Agenda
Agenda
Approved
IV. Approval of the minutes
The April 12, 2017 regular meeting minutes were not approved. Benito Diaz
wanted information included.
Minutes were not approved.
V. Management Reports
Interim Program Director, Katea
Stitt - submitted a written report:
April Programming Highlights:
• Saturday, April 22; 9am-3pm: National March
for Science and Earth Day
• Saturday, April 22; noon-8pm: DC Cannabis Festival
• Saturday, April 29; 9am-6pm:
Climate Change, Climate Justice: Resisting the Trump Administration’s Climate Agenda
• Saturday, April 29; 7pm:
An Evening with Amy Goodman, Grayland Hagler, and the Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble
Upcoming Special
Programming:
• 40 Years of Singing the Revolution: WPFW Spring Fundraising Drive; May 7-27
• Saturday-Sunday,
May 13-14, The DC Green Festival; we are a media partner
• Saturday, July 8, Sound Scene at the Hirschhorn
sponsored by DC Listening Lounge
• August 8-27, Documenta 14 Radio Program: Every Time A Ear di Soun
Chris
Garlock, the Metro Council-AFL-CIO, will again donate the envelopes, pay for postage, and mail our flash drive gifts out
through their mailroom for WPFW at no charge. In addition, he has secured a $1000 challenge grant form Union Plus.
The General Manager, Jerry Paris stated the following:
• As of today we are $3000. short of the goal. During
this drive we are offering the “ The Voices that Changed the World” thump drive. WPFW programs will be pre-emptied
to air Christine Blogsdale from WBAI during the pledge drive. The Next pledge will be in August.
• The Century
club wants to do a fundraiser for WPFW in May/June.
• The Amy Goodman event went well.
• We are doing a lot of
remote broadcasting.
• There will be program changes.
• We have paid our bills and central
services.
• The transmitter it is doing well.
• Annette Carson is doing our bookkeeping.
• We are short
on News; consequently, we are thinking about using Real News network. We will use their content and not edit it. It is
web based.
Questions:
Jim Brown
How much did Pacifica raise for the audit drive?
WPFW raised $100,000.
Pacifica raised $300,000 station wide during the drive.
How much did we get from last Pacifica drive?
General
Manager
It has not been determined yet.
Campbell Johnson statement:
I know some people that want to do a
fundraiser for WPFW.
VI. PNB Reports
Benito Diaz and Jim Brown Presented the following Motion:
Motion to
Preserve the Pacifica Foundation
Whereas there have been proposals and initiatives in recent months that include
measures to in one way or another dissolve the Pacifica Foundation in whole or in part and,
Whereas there have been
proposals which would result in fragmentation and unit dissolution such as reducing the east coast stations to repeater
stations,
Be it resolved that, the WPFW-LSB urges the Pacifica National Board (PNB) to adopt and publicize the
following positions and decisions:
1) The Pacifica National Board hereby clarifies that it does not support any plans
or active initiatives for the dissolution of the Pacifica Foundation in whole or in part of any one or more of its
units.
2) The Pacifica National Board also rejects any plans to reduce WPFW, WBAI and/or KPFT to repeater
stations.
3) The Pacifica National Board urges our listeners and members to continue to support the Pacifica
Foundation and all of its units as we grow our listenership in these most challenging of times.
They requested that a
copy be sent to the PNB and Bill Crosier, Interim Executive Director, Pacifica Foundation.
The motion passed without
objection.
Benito asked if the Chair, Robert Simms sent the motion to Bill Crosier, Interim Executive Director,
Pacifica Foundation that the LSB approved regarding their support for General Manager, Jerry Paris.
Jim
Brown
Annette Carson said that from this point till the end of May all the accounting has been done.
WPFW needs
the pledge drive to do well. We need $400,000.
Questions:
Campbell Johnson
Has the 2014 audit been
completed?
Jim Brown
The 2014 audit has been completed.
VII. Community Comment
Brad Grant (Howard
University)
He is interested in providing an environmental program on the WPFW airwaves.
Tony Norman
When
counting Quorum you don’t count treasurer and secretary.
Chair response: It was noted that we only considered
voting members of the LSB.
Regina Williams (University of the District of Columbia)
She asked, “How do you
present a program idea to WPFW Staff”?
Donna Grimes (Program Committee Chair)
What happens to the information
emailed to the station about different shows?
VIII. Finance Report by Treasurer - submitted a written
report
Pacifica Recovery Plan Update
• Conference Call with IED and CFO in April. Station will need to meet
budget and cash flow requirements.
Cash Flow Update by Management
• The Business Manager is supported with
additional accounting staff.
• Cash Flow was sufficient to reach May Membership Drive.
• There will be a
Reduction of operating expenses update.
• A 2016-17 Budget update will be prepared.
National Finance Committee
Update
• The SCA recommendation was rescinded.
• The Business Manager will receive support.
IX. Outreach
and Development Committee – a written report was submitted.
Spring Fling
• The Spring Fling tickets will be
$40. (no increase at the door). The Cost for a ticket during the Spring pledge drive is $75
• The 40th Year Gala
is tentatively to be held at La Fontaine Bleue located at 7963 Annapolis Road in Lanham, Md. On September 15th from 8pm
to 12pm. It will be catered by La Fontaine Bleue, (the “All American” menu was chosen). The deposit amount needed
is $3,656.25. The ticket cost will be $125.
5K Walk/Run:
• The 5K Walk/Run is scheduled for September
16th.
X. MASC Committee
No report was given.
XI. Relocation
General Manager stated:
Westminster Church
is interested in renting WPFW space in their new church building to be completed in 2018. He stated that the present
landlord has stated that the 1990 K. Street N.W. building lease may extend to 2020.
Shabooh Hikim stated:
A
friend of his is building a building that we could rent. The prospective property is located at 2nd Florida
Ave.
XII. Programming Committee – submitted a written report
The LSB Programming Committee unanimously approved
the attached proposal on May 5, 2017. In summary, the PC recommends that weekday programming (Monday through Friday)
during morning and evening drive time and evening hours (7:00 - 10:00 am, 4:00 - 7:00 pm and 7:00 to 11:00 pm) be
dedicated entirely to public affairs.
This change does not pertain to the weekend or late night schedule.
Furthermore, it is not intended to eliminate any music programs. Rather, the objective is to enable the public to
listen to valuable public affairs programs in real time when our members are most able to do so, i.e., not during normal
work hours.
We understand that this shift will require adjustments and collaboration, but the need is great,
especially at this time. As the attachment delineates, we believe this schedule change is in the best interest of the
Station and the community. Thus, we urge the LSB to endorse this recommendation.
The next PC meeting will be on
Thursday May 25 at 7pm at the Lamond Riggs Library, located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE.
Proposal – submitted
by Cliff Smith for Programming Committee of LSB, WPFW-FM – April 30, 2017
Whereas: The Pacifica Mission Statement
is the defining document for all Pacifica ratio stations;
Whereas: The Statement says that the Pacifica Foundation
exists exclusively for the purpose of education, and for what type of education?
The Statement lays out that
Pacifica’s educational responsibilities are to be directed at ending the conflicts that exist between nations,
peoples, races, creeds, and colors: in sum, an education directed towards justice -- exclusively so;
Whereas: Just as
education throughout human existence has been done through lectures, discussions, forums, speeches in universities,
schools, and all other forums that teach, so too must Pacifica’s radio stations educate us by such means: first and
foremost;
Whereas: At WPFW our primary means at meeting our educational mandate is through public affairs
programming; consequently, this programming should be placed in those hours during which our listeners can most
conveniently pay attention to those programs, i.e. public affairs programming;
Whereas: The great, great majority of
all potential listeners conduct their work and/or study during weekday daylight hours allowing, if at all, only
fractured and interrupted listening to any radio shows; and furthermore, that this same huge audience sleeps from late
evening until dawn; this means that the hours during which this immense DMV audience are most likely to pay their
uninterrupted attention to our educational programs (public affairs)are those hours driving to and from work (morning
and evening drive times) and, most importantly, recognized by all radio and TV broadcasters, evening prime time. The
time when most people are at home after along day and are most open to TV and radio;
Whereas: WPFW runs some public
affairs programming during the two drive times, we do ? whatsoever during evening prime time;
Whereas: Our WPFW music
DJs so often give us words of wisdom (and wisdom it so often is) along with news and information. These sparks of
justice (and such sparks within their music as well) do not really fulfill Pacifica’s mandate. Education requires
concentrated information on particular subjects at predictable times. DJs, despite their virtues, do not provide
that.
Whereas: Daytime public affairs programming does not bring in the pledges we would hope for. But this lack of
support is not due to the content of the shows, but rather to the hours during which they are aired: hours when most
potential listeners are occupied by work or study;
Whereas: It should be noted that when Pacifica has network-wide
fundraising shows, they almost always raise substantial sums; yet almost all of that all-day programming is educational
– usually from Pacifica’s incredible archives. People do listen!
Whereas: Given the extraordinarily intense
times we live in and its dangers and the people’s immense pushback, Pacifica’s public affairs programming is needed
now more than ever. Otherwise, social media may leave WPFW in the dust.
Whereas: I am convinced that putting public
affairs programming front and center as Pacifica’s mandate requires will result in greatly increased finances. Given
the times we live in, people will be desperate for the information we can provide and will thank us through greatly
increased contributions. And, frankly given Pacifica’s mandate, we will live or die on our public affairs
programming and seventy years of success show that our listeners do want what Pacifica offers.
Whereas: Given that
WPFW is located in the middle of what many consider the most important city on earth, we at WPFW have an even greater
responsibility then at other Pacifica stations to bring our unique programming to the fore.
Whereas: We are a
minority-controlled Pacifica station – the only one – with a status that both WPFW and Pacifica should be proud of.
WPFW absolutely should remain under minority control – but using that minority outlook to not only express those
centuries-old minority “concerns” but to use that outlook as a lens to more realistically view America and the
world. This proposed rearrangement of hours will not and should not threaten our very special minority
status.
Whereas: Objections have been raised regarding putting public affairs programming on evening prime time (7 to
10 p.m.) concerning the availability of engineers and union rules. Given the fact that thousands of U.S. stations are
able to have public affairs programming during evening prime time hours including other Pacifica stations, I am sure
that if all of them have been able to overcome these problems, we can do it here too. And besides, we have no choice:
to be in line with Pacifica’s mandate, we have to put public programming into radio’s prime times. We can do it –
and must!
Whereas: I perceive among many in the D.C. area – and particularly among many African Americans – that
D.C. is seen as just another U.S. city, not that different from so many others. In fact, given D.C.’s lack of national
legislative representation, we are actually politically a lesser city (and a lesser city by population as well – not
anywhere near population-heavy cities like Philadelphia, New York, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles etc.). And for African
Americans, I suspect the same racist minefields that exist elsewhere in the U.S. exist here as well: the poverty, the
police, the racist national ruling establishment etc., etc. And I think some of this attitude carries over into WPFW –
that we are a minority-run beleaguered little station – to some degree reflecting a beleaguered minority in a
not-too-large city.
But despite these realities we at WPFW need to rise up out of this self-perception. Given our
location in this city, in this country, on this planet we at WPFW always have the potential to change things in this
city, in this country and in this world. I know we can rise up and meet this responsibility. Particularly because of the
wisdom our status as a minority-controlled station gives us – we have a more realistic view of America and the world
than any other radio station in the DMV can give us (with the exception of WOL). And frankly, it is only – primarily
– through public affairs programming that we can have the crucial impact that we are destined to provide.
Whereas:
It has been said that our public affairs programming is little different from what is presented on WTOP, WAMU, C-SPAN,
etc. Yes, WPFW covers much of the same material but from a completely different perspective from those
corporate-controlled stations. Pacifica is not corporate-controlled and its mission statement mandates that our goals
are to reduce problems among nations, creeds, races and colors. What other radio network has this as its goal? Only
Pacifica! And we should rejoice in this!
Whereas: WPFW is “Jazz and Justice.” And certainly, by WPFW radio hours,
jazz is primary. But this goes against Pacifica’s statement in which “justice” is not only primary but, frankly,
solely. In this proposal we are not asking for more than a light reduction in jazz and music hours, but what we are
asking for is that justice and public affairs programming – as required by Pacifica’s mandate to occupy all primary
listening hours. To this end, we are simply asking for a rearrangement of hours. We can no longer treat “justice” as
a WPFW afterthought – and maintain public affairs programing in the virtual “unlistened to ghetto” of daytime
weekday hours.
Whereas: WPFW and Pacifica provide a singular American light helping to guide our hugely emerging
grass roots movement to save America and the planet. We are today’s equivalent of Frederick Douglass’s North Star,
of I.F. Stone’s Weekly, of the Black Panther newspapers. All those are gone. We still exist. It’s up to us for all
these above reasons (“Whereases”).
THEREFORE, I move that the following prime time weekday hours as shown below
be dedicated entirely to public affairs programming and that this change in format be implemented as soon as possible
but certainly within six months.
Primetime weekday hours are:
7 a.m. to 10 a.m. (morning drive time)
4 p.m.
to 7 p.m. (evening drive time)
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (evening prime time).
The LSB postponed a motion on the
proposal.
XIII. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: There was no objection.
Robb Simms adjourned the regular
meeting at 9:00 pm
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm
Minutes submitted by: Ellen Williams Carter