PACIFICA FOUNDATION RADIO
PACIFICA NATIONAL BOARD IN-PERSON MEETING (OPEN SESSION)
The Aris & Carolyn Anagnos Peace Center, Los Angeles, California
June 13, 2015 -- Draft Meeting Minutes
Twenty members were present, constituting a quorum: Teresa Allen (KPFT),
Rodrigo Argueta (KPFK), Carolyn Birden (WBAI, arrived 9:53), Lydia Brazon
(Chair, KPFK, arrived 9:57), Jim Brown (WPFW), Stephen M. Brown (WBAI, arrived
9:53), Adrianna Casenave (KPFT), Janet Coleman (WBAI, arrived 9:53), Benito
Diaz (WPFW), Brian Edwards-Tiekert (KPFA), Jose Luis Fuentes-Roman (KPFA,
arrived 11:00),
Janet Kobren (Secretary, KPFA), Robert L. Mark (KPFT), Brenda Medina (Assistant
Secretary, KPFK), Tony Norman (Vice-Chair, WPFW), George Reiter (KPFT),
Cerene Roberts (WBAI), Robert Rabin (Affiliate-WVQR), Pete Tucker (WPFW),
Margy Wilkinson (KPFA).
One member was excused: Janis Lane-Ewart (Affiliate-WFAI).
One KPFK Listener-Director seat was vacant.
Also present: John Proffitt (Pacifica Executive Director), Jon Almeleh
(Pacifica Technical Director), John P. Garry III (Recording Secretary Pro-Tem),
Berthold Reimers (WBAI General Manager) and members of the public.
This meeting was live-streamed from several websites, including KPFTX.org. The
agenda and audio for this meeting can be accessed at
http://kpftx.org/archive.php
[Audio Part 1 pnb150613a.mp3]
CALL TO ORDER (9:49)
The meeting was called to order by the Vice-Chair at 9:49 AM.
ROLL CALL (9:49)
An initial quorum of 15 was established.
TIMEKEEPER (9:52)
Medina volunteered to be the timekeeper for individual speakers and the agenda.
A 90-second time limit for speakers was continued from the previous session.
AGENDA (9:52)
Kobren moved to amend: Add an Affiliates Report. Action was deferred without
objection until the arrival of the Chair [not subsequently acted upon].
IV. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT (9:54)
The Executive Director reported. Discussion followed. Casenave moved to extend
five minutes. Diaz seconded. Passed without objection. (10:25) Discussion
continued.
PUBLIC COMMENT (10:31)
Public comment was heard for seven minutes.
The Chair introduced Aris Anagnos, the owner of the Aris & Carolyn Anagnos
Peace Center, who made brief comments. He converted a $156,000 loan made to the
Foundation in September, 2014 into a donation and signed a document to that
effect (on file with the Chair).
Public comment continued at 10:42 AM.
[Audio Part 2 pnb150613b.mp3]
V. PACIFICA NATIONAL OFFICE FINANCE REPORT (10:51)
The document "Financial Highlights, May 31, 2015" was distributed to the Board
and the public. Edwards-Tiekert explained and summarized the report. Discussion
followed.
Kobren moved: The balance of the recent KPFA major bequests shall not be
allocated for unbudgeted items by the General Manager without LSB and NFC input
and approval. Casenave seconded.
Roberts moved to extend five minutes. Second not recorded. Passed without
objection. (11:22) Discussion continued.
Main motion failed by a roll call vote: Yes-5, No-13, Abstain-2.
Yes-Allen, Birden, Brazon, S. Brown, Kobren.
No-J. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz, Edwards-Tiekert, Fuentes-Roman, Medina,
Norman, Rabin, Reiter, Roberts, Tucker, Wilkinson.
Abstain-Argueta, Mark.
Edwards-Tiekert moved to extend 15 minutes. Reiter seconded. Passed without
objection.
Edwards-Tiekert moved: The PNB directs Executive Director John Proffitt to
prioritize working with all units to make any and all cuts necessary to bring
each unit into sustainability. Reiter seconded.
Responding to a point of information from Roberts, the Chair ruled that the
motion was different from the motion referred to the NFC yesterday. Medina
challenged the ruling of the Chair.
The ruling of the Chair was sustained by a roll call vote: Yes-12, No-2,
Abstain-6.
Yes-Allen, Argueta, Birden, Brazon, S. Brown, Coleman, Diaz, Edwards-Tiekert,
Fuentes-Roman, Mark, Tucker, Wilkinson.
No-Mark, Medina.
Abstain-J. Brown, Casenave, Kobren, Norman, Rabin, Reiter.
Fuentes-Roman moved to amend: "and the Foundation's endowment into compliance."
Birden seconded.
Roberts moved to extend seven minutes. Diaz seconded. Passed without objection.
(11:49)
Responding to a request from a Member, the Chair ruled the amendment in-order
for open session.
Amendment failed by a roll call vote: Yes-4, No--12, Abstain-4.
Yes-Brazon, Fuentes-Roman, Kobren, Roberts.
No-Allen, J. Brown, S. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz, Edwards-Tiekert, Mark,
Medina, Reiter, Tucker, Wilkinson.
Abstain-Argueta, Birden, Norman, Rabin.
Main motion passed by a roll call vote: Yes-17, No-1, Abstain-1.
Yes-Allen, Argueta, Birden, J. Brown, S. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz,
Edwards-Tiekert, Fuentes-Roman, Kobren, Mark, Norman, Rabin, Reiter, Tucker,
Wilkinson.
No-Medina.
Abstain-Roberts.
Medina moved to hold a working lunch. Diaz seconded. Failed by substitution.
Argueta moved a 30-minute lunch. Tiekert seconded. Passed without objection.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 Noon and returned from recess at 12:51 PM. The
Chair took the gavel.
[Audio Part 3 pnb150613c.mp3]
VI. PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE REPORT AND MOTIONS (12:51)
Argueta (Programming Committee Chair) brought the following motion to the
floor:
Motion #1 PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS
[Amended main motion included after amendments and debate]
Kobren moved to amend: "The use of audio-video live streaming on station
websites for real-time coverage of actions and events that are news in the
making." Casenave seconded. No vote taken.
Diaz moved: There shall be public comment before any votes on programming
issues. No vote taken. It was agreed that there would be seven minutes of
public comment before each Programming motion vote.
Amendment passed on a roll call vote: Yes-15, No-2. Abstain-2.
Yes-Allen, Argueta, Birden, Brazon, J. Brown, S. Brown, Coleman, Diaz,
Edwards-Tiekert, Kobren, Mark, Norman, Rabin, Reiter, Tucker.
No-Roberts, Wilkinson.
Abstain-Casenave, Medina.
Wilkinson moved to amend: Extend ED deadline to August 1, 2015. Edwards-Tiekert
seconded.
Coleman moved to amend: Add "...the process and problems..." Roberts seconded.
Reiter moved to extend 20 minutes. Mark seconded. Passed without objection.
Edwards-Tiekert moved to suspend the rules, remove all remaining public comment
periods, and allow everyone who wishes to speak for 90 seconds until the ranks
of the people wishing to speak are exhausted. Wilkinson seconded. Rabin moved
to amend: Two minutes per speaker. S. Brown seconded. Passed without objection.
Diaz moved to amend: Allow everyone to speak now. Public comment shall be heard
again wherever it appears in the agenda. Argueta seconded. Passed without
objection.
New main motion:
Edwards-Tiekert (amended by Rabin and Diaz) moved to suspend the rules and
allow all public speakers two minutes to speak. Everyone shall be allowed to
speak now. Public comment shall be heard again wherever it appears in the
agenda. Passed without objection.
[Audio Part 4 pnb150613d.mp3]
PUBLIC COMMENT (1:34)
Public comment was heard for 79 minutes. The speakers included KPFK
programmers, past and current LSB Members, and a former Executive Director.
BOARD COMMENT (2:53)
Board members responded to public comment, prompting vocal opposition from some
members of the public.
[Audio Part 5 pnb150613e.mp3]
VI-(Continued) PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE REPORT AND MOTIONS (3:08)
Wilkinson's Motion to Amend was brought to the floor and passed without
objection.
Kobren moved to amend Coleman's motion to amend: Add "if any" after "problems."
Roberts seconded. Passed without objection.
New amendment:
Coleman moved to amend (amended by Kobren): Add "and problems, if any."
Argueta called the question on the amendment. Debate ended without objection.
Amendment passed by a roll call vote: Yes-18, No-1, Abstain-0.
Yes-Allen, Argueta, Brazon, J. Brown, S. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz,
Edwards-Tiekert, Fuentes-Roman, Kobren, Medina, Norman, Rabin, Reiter, Roberts,
Tucker, Wilkinson.
No-Mark.
Birden moved to amend: The PNB directs that each National Board member who
serves on a station Committee of Inclusion shall be responsible for a written
report from the entire committee. Coleman seconded.
Reiter moved to extend 15 minutes. Argueta seconded. Passed without objection.
Roberts moved to amend: Add "...to provide a written report prepared by the
committee." Kobren seconded. Passed without objection.
New amendment:
Birden moved to amend (amended by Roberts): The PNB directs that each National
Board Member who serves on a station Committee of Inclusion shall provide a
written report prepared by the committee. Coleman seconded. Passed without
objection.
Amended main motion passed without objection.
Motion #1 PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS
(amended by Birden, Coleman, Kobren and Wilkinson)
Whereas the Pacifica Bylaws require that each Local Station Board (LSB) "work
with station management to ensure that station programming fulfills the
purposes of the Foundation and is responsive to the diverse needs of the
listeners (demographic) and communities (geographic) served by the station, and
that station policies and procedures for making programming decisions and for
program evaluation are working in a fair, collaborative and respectful manner
to provide quality programming", be it hereby resolved that
The Executive Director (ED) shall be required to direct each station's General
Manager (GM) to provide, by July 15, 2015, a written station programming report
to their LSB and to the PNB that includes the following:
· the process and problems if any by which programs are evaluated, moved,
removed, and added, including how audience support (financial and otherwise) is
measured and incorporated
· the process and problems if any of producer development and training
· the process and problems if any which interns are integrated into
station programming
· the process and problems if any which preemptions are decided upon and
applied
· the process and problems if any which programs are made national
· the process and problems if any which themes and staffing of special
national programs are identified
· the use of the internet in promoting station programming, including
station website innovations, I-tunes, Tuned-in, tumblr, twitter, facebook, and
blogs etc.
The Pacifica National Board (PNB) also requires that the ED direct each GM to
obtain and provide a written report to their LSB and to the PNB, by August 1,
2015, from the station's Community Advisory Board that lists its membership,
describes its functioning, and reprises all work done with regard to community
needs assessments since March 2013; and further, that
The PNB directs that each National Board Member who serves on a station
Committee of Inclusion shall provide a written report prepared by the committee
to their LSB and to the PNB, by July 15, 2015, that lists its membership,
describes its functioning, and reprises work done this year.
These reports and any structured responses thereto, including minority reports,
from local station boards shall be the basis for discussion on the PNB
Programming Committee.
Motion #2
The PNB Programming Committee recommends to the PNB that all action on the
creation of "Program Councils" pursuant to a previous motion from the
Programming Committee to the PNB, be held until after the Committee is able to
receive and review information about station program operations (pursuant to
motion passed by the Committee on 12/19/14) and provides recommendations to the
PNB.
The provision of said feedback to the PNB will be a priority of the Committee
and our expectation is that the report will be sent to the PNB by March 13,
2015.
Old Program Council Motion approved by 2012 PNB:
The PNB directs the executive director to set up Program Councils as management
committees, at each station.
The composition of the committee shall consist of 1/3 staff, selected by stv
election, 1/3 members of the LSB, also selected by an stv election, and 1/3
listeners, approved jointly by the LSB and the Program Director by a procedure
satisfactory to both. Terms shall be for the maximum of 2 years, or for an LSB
member, the term on the LSB, whichever is less.
The Program Councils shall serve to provide a collaborative nexus between the
board, the listeners, the staff and the management of the station for the
purpose of implementing the programming policies of the LSB and PNB.
Specifically, they shall have the power to review programs and vet new
programs, including for compliance with the mission, and recommend changes to
schedules. They shall also provide for adjudication of programming issues
arising between programmers and management, where no other means of doing so
exists. They will set their own agendas in these regards.
Program directors will serve as non-voting ex-officio members of the Program
Councils. The Programming Councils are charged with making recommendations to
the Program Director. If the program director declines to act on such
recommendations, he/she shall report his/her reasons and respond to dialogue on
the issue from the Council. Such dialogue shall be made widely available to the
listeners. If consensus cannot be reached on a course of action between the
Program Director and a majority of the Council, the Council can appeal the
decision to the GM with a vote of 2/3 of its members.
All meetings of the Program Council will be in public session, with the
exception of those that are required to be in Executive Session by the Pacifica
Bylaws. The Council shall determine by majority vote whether any given meeting
must be held as an Executive session.
(Passed in committee 7-0.)
Reiter moved to substitute: The PNB directs the ED to inform the GMs that they
must establish Program Councils in their stations by August 1 in accordance
with the procedure established in the PNB motion of 2012. Allen seconded. No
vote taken.
Medina moved to table after the time-certain items: PRA, KPFK LSB Officers and
KPFK GM speaks. Passed without objection. (3:51) [Programming Motion #2 was
taken from the table during the next open session, June 14, 2015]
RECESS (3:51)
[Audio Part 6 pnb150613f.mp3]
IX. PACIFICA RADIO ARCHIVES (4:24)
J. Brian DeShazor (PRA Director) reported on PRA activities with the aid of a
digital projection.
Roberts moved to extend 10 minutes (4:50). Passed without objection. Discussion
followed.
[Audio Part 7 pnb1506138g.mp3]
X. KPFK GENERAL MANAGER (5:14)
Leslie Radford (KPFK General Manager) and Alan Minsky (KPFK Interim Program
Director) reported on the station with the aid of a digital projection.
Discussion followed.
[Audio Part 8 pnb150613h.mp3]
XI. KPFK LSB CHAIR AND TREASURER REPORTS (5:50)
Tej Grewall (KPFK LSB Chair) and Michael Novick (KPFK LSB Treasurer) reported.
The document "RS-MonthlyPLAct For the Seven Months Ending April 30, 2015" was
distributed to the Board. A sample membership fee waiver was also distributed
to the Board. Discussion followed.
[Audio Part 9 pnb150613i.mp3]
It was agreed that the second programming motion would not be taken from the
table and the Spanish language programming motion would be brought to the
floor.
Edwards-Tiekert moved an adjournment time of 7:00 PM. Argueta seconded.
Motion passed by a show of hands: Yes-15, No-3, Abstain-0.
SPANISH LANGUAGE TASK FORCE (6:26)
IMPLEMENTATION: MOVED BY SPANISH LANGUAGE TASK FORCE
[See amended text below amendments and debate]
Casenave moved to extend 15 minutes. Argueta seconded.
Motion passed by a show of hands Yes-12, No-1. (6:44) Discussion continued.
The rules were suspended to allow for public comment for ten minutes without
objection.
Casenave moved to extend adjournment one hour (until 8:15). Allen seconded.
Motion failed by a show of hands (2/3 required): Yes-9, No-6, Abstain-3.
PUBLIC COMMENT (7:10)
Public comment was heard for 22 minutes.
SPANISH LANGUAGE TASK FORCE (CONT) (7:32)
Mark moved to extend five minutes. Diaz seconded.
Passed by a show of hands: Yes-17. (7:33) Discussion continued.
Argueta moved to amend: 6. "a week" Edwards-Tiekert seconded.
Passed without objection.
Edwards-Tiekert moved to amend: Strike out-dated language in the first
paragraph and change deadline in 4. to October 1, 2015. Reiter seconded.
Amendment failed by a roll call vote: Yes-3, No-14, Abstain-2.
Yes-Allen, Edwards-Tiekert, Reiter.
No-Argueta, Brazon, J. Brown, S. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz, Fuentes-Roman,
Kobren, Mark, Norman, Rabin, Roberts, Tucker.
Abstain-Birden, Wilkinson.
IMPLEMENTATION: MOVED BY SPANISH LANGUAGE TASK FORCE
1. Time: after 6 am and before 9 pm.
2. By the PNB June 2015 meeting to be fully noticed to all radio station
managers and PDs.
3. New Spanish language programming committees to be develop right after, no
later than 1 week after PNB meeting AT ALL radio signals. Managers have to make
the call for the formation of such committees thru PSAs, websites and thru
community forums and organizations.
4. To be implemented no later than Monday, August 31, 2015.
5. Be national, to say each radio station will have it
6. "a week in the Spanish language" at least 5 hours additional to existing
Spanish Language programming (some radio signals do not have any).
7. New programming will vary according to the radio signal demographic and
geographic, conditions, per example, in Los Angeles might be added to the
existing strip of programming, in Washington (if no programming in Spanish is
offered at this time) might have to be only at weekends (strips or blocks of
programming) or at any given best day during the week, so each station will
decide as long as it is after 6 am and before 9 pm.
8. Each radio have to develop a committee (collectives) in charge of such
programming and report to the PNB's task force as to guarantee that such
programming will be permanent.
9. Brief introduction in English might be considered at certain signals.
10. Must take in account women, African descent communities, programming for
youth and by youth, indigenous, activists, alternative music or art
programming, environmental issues, political movements around the continent or
the world etc. alternative Health programming, Chicano Mexicano programming as
well as Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Central or south American issues, immigration
issues, black liberation movements. white supremacy, gender, race, neo
colonialism, culture/art, class struggle, etc. news from all over Latin America
with stringers in the USA.
11. Pacifica outreach committees must develop in coordination with the Spanish
Language task force, management and programming committees a well-prepared
promotional plan for such new programming as to guarantee self sustainability
as much as possible.
12. Management, LSBs and parties involved will develop community forums with
their respective communities to get the word out.
13. IF there is any radio signal that needs programming because no collectives
are formed yet, such programming can be elaborated and provided by other
collectives from sister signals.
14. National meetings to be planned among Spanish language programmers to be in
well coordination and maintain programs improving.
15. Every new programmer and volunteers MUST be totally willing to raise funds,
work in collectives and be part of the of the National Association of Spanish
Language programmers and volunteers which will be created to keep always good
communications among the new and existing programs.
16. Existing programmers to provide workshops as needed for those collectives
in need. The budget of each radio station will allocate funds for such purpose
as well as for promoting new and existing Spanish Language programming.
Amended main motion passed by a roll call vote: Yes-18, No-1, Abstain-0.
Yes-Argueta, Birden, Brazon, J. Brown, S. Brown, Casenave, Coleman, Diaz,
Edwards-Tiekert, Fuentes-Roman, Kobren, Mark, Norman, Rabin, Reiter, Roberts,
Tucker, Wilkinson.
No-Allen.
The meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM due to the expiration of time.
Respectfully submitted by Janet Kobren, Secretary
John P. Garry III, Recording Secretary Pro-Tem
********