WBCR-LP 97.7FM, Great Barrington Community Radio

Programming Committee Minutes

October 2, 2007 Minutes: Programming Committee Meeting
Taken by: DGA

Voting Members Present: Ananda Timpane, Nick Ring, Deborah Golden Alecson,

Guests: Judy Rosley, Christopher Sblendorio

Three voting members were present and quorum was not established.  What follows is that which was agreed upon and not strictly approved.

House-keeping

- Minutes: agreed.  To be put on list serve for approval.
- Agenda changed order - agreed.
- Funny Clips ֖ didnt happen
- MegaSeg/Audio Hijack Changes: Day Captains may still need to put in new programmers Җ Ananda will check
- Policy Reminder: Ananda will format for programmers and include legal IDs, name of organization, violations of policy and point system, etc.  It is AnandaҒs hope to have links for programmers to read policy according to particular concerns, i.e. self-promotion.  Ananda will try to put this together before next programmers C. meeting. 
- Reorganize program listing to fit categories of web site: Deobrah will work on this.

Programs/Programmers

- Studio trashed:  Discussed with uncertainty because Todd was not present.  No resolution so far on this issue.  Ben still needs to check alarm record from that night.  PC proposes 5 point violation for programmer: 3= not securing studio and 2 = not showing up for morning show.
- New Directions: two of us concurred that given the programmerҒs immediate and authentic response to the possible violation, that he not be given points. Ananda abstained as his day captain. To be approved by the committee as a whole when it reconvenes as a quorum. 
- Commander Pants:  Question of fee of $25 for lost keys.  Ananda felt it was a facilitys committee issue and Deborah agreed. 

Listener Comment Line

Discussion about the value and use of this.  AnandaҒs question is about the gathering of phone messages (who, what, where) and how best to use some supportive messages for WBCR and the particular programs.  Nick said that the board members who are not day captains listen to messages. Listener Comment Line is a programming committee responsibility and separate from regular calls to the station.  The issue is that there is a promo running about the listener-comment lineӔ and its applicability is not yet established.  Until this is resolved, Ananda and Deborah support not playing promos for the Line.  Nick does not agree.  Judy offers to take on the responsibility to listen to comments made on the line and direct them accordingly.  Nick reminded us that the entire phone system will be revamped with our new space. 

Blast email protocol

Discussion about the large number of emails being sent.  Ananda talked about how emails are posted and that day-captains can absorb some of this.  Discussion continued about how better to LABEL emails so that filtering can take place for the recipient. 

Discussion about list serve switching to daily digest.  Judy mentioned that all these emails bring new programmers on board and in the loop.  Point well taken.

Consensus:  Dan White is doing a great job of putting programmers on list-serve.  YES!

Nick proposed that the committee look at a prototypeӔ email from Scott dating back to 6/7/05 for guidance. 

Last point this is an issue that the membership committee can address regarding communication within the organization.

Programmer Press Release/Announcement Blog

Ananda will contact Christy (web master) regarding the 2nd blog for programmers to post information about their shows (upcoming guests, etc.).  It was said that this may cut down on excessive emails.

Policy Comprehension Quiz

Nick֒s work in progress.  New programmers need to be notified that they will not need to take the quiz this time around.  Discussion ensued to give the quiz a new and more appealing name like Fun Policy Comprehension Quiz.Ӕ

Debrief Fall Schedule Process

Ananda wanted to know our reflections on how this fall schedule process went compared to past scheduling processes.  Deborah had no past experience to compare and she noted Anandas huge efforts in all ways to improve the process.  Nick wants to see improvements in areas: training, schedule, and involving programmers in the process. Ananda mentioned returning to using a variation of ScottҒs time grid on the application for new programs.  She also continues to be concerned with how better to separate evaluation from the task of scheduling and in doing so better align the rubric with the stations mission statement was brought up.  More often than not we were able to accommodate programmerҒs requests and changes.  We need to further think about the evaluation and scheduling processes (especially when there is competition for a slot).  It would be a good idea to have a meeting of the day-captains in the weeks before the new schedule roles out at the end of the term.  Deborah offered her home as a meeting place.

Deadline and Training Schedule

Discussion about how to break-down tasks leading to the next cycle of programs.  Christmas and the holidays need to be considered.  Suggestions of separate due dates for reaps vs. aps.  Again, more thought to training.  Suggestion made that we bring in new people who have some comfort to train particular areas.  Deborah, for instance, can train programmers who are doing talk shows.  Discussion to be continued.

Accuracy in Reporting/Opinion Programs

Ananda relayed Jans concern regarding our adhering to our mission statement in terms of being ғhere to educate and how that relates to programmers offering opinion programs.  Ananda stressed that the programming committee is not an editorial board.  Nick thinks educating the community means enabling them to be proactive listeners.  Ananda said it is the listenerԒs responsibility to be critical listeners. Deborah said that it would be helpful if listeners could find out the expertise/credential/background/affiliation of the programmers who discuss issues to better judge the accuracy of reporting.  Christopher suggested that his information be incorporated into program descriptions.  We agreed that this issue needs to be further addressed.  Ananda stressed the need for balance in programming.

→ Posted by atimpane on 10/02/2007 at 05:28 PM. Filed under "minutes".