WYPR Board and CAB Meet in May

WYPR’s Board of Directors and newly reconfigured Community Advisory Board met on May 27, 2009, at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. respectively. Overall WYPR displayed a reinvigorated management process where multiple voices from the board of directors were heard during the meeting compared to one year ago. The new community advisory board (CAB)–which drew 19 CAB members–also displayed some vim and vigor as the CAB debated with itself and with WYPR Board member John Machen what it’s role could and would be.

The CAB appeared to decide their role would be two things: They would be a diverse representation of the community that could give WYPR advice–as CABs are intended to be in the federal regulations requiring CABs at public radio stations. They also will help introduce community leaders of various types to the WYPR news department, under an initiative proposed by WYPR President Tony Brandon that he calls “ascertainment.” Brandon’s ascertainment sounds like a positive idea, and it includes having the CAB steer in 100 + community leaders per year from around the WYPR coverage area to be interviewed by the news department, in order to expand WYPR’s contacts in the community, as well as voices and topics covered on air. Brandon says this ascertainment process is similar to federal requirements in place before 1996. President Bill Clinton and the U.S. Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that deregulated media; alongside NAFTA, FDA reform, and the end of Glass-Steagall, media deregulation is another corporate-conglomerate-benefiting gift that gift-horse Bill Clinton has foisted upon the public.

The CAB plans to meet in June again, open to the public, and 10 minutes per meeting are reserved for anyone from the public to comment, said CAB Chair and BMA director Doreen Bolger, who is looking to relinquish her position and sail into a less controversial sunset. The 19 members of the CAB included mostly new members (three pre-2009 CAB members attended). We will see if these new members continue to show up to CAB meetings, whether they actually discuss programming and offer advice.

In terms of the board meeting, WYPR is weathering tough economic times pretty well, according to WYPR Board member and finance chair David Bowen and Tony Brandon. Underwriting / advertising revenue is down around 7 %, said Brandon, compared to 20 % to 50 % at various commercial radio stations. WYPR has frozen payroll, but not enforced mandatory staff cuts or work furloughs, said Brandon. The board passed a resolution to praise the WYPR staff for their robust work at WYPR in terms of programming and finances. Bowen and Brandon both say WYPR is building a cash reserve to weather the usual slower summer season and the bad economy.

Brandon told the board that WYPR currently has a $5.2 million debt load, and that 52% of the revenue comes from underwriting. He later told the WYPR CAB that the debt load was $5.3 million, and that 50 percent of revenue comes from underwriting. Brandon emphasized at both meetings that WYPR basically is a stand-alone public radio station, receiving only about 7 % of its revenue from the government, in the form of federal tax dollars funnelled through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Maybe this comment was meant to underscore the commercial bent of WYPR, which relies more on underwriting / advertising than actual membership. In fact, their recent online auction seems like a fundraising tool that does not promote membership, per se. Considering that the original loan to purchase WYPR was $4.2 million in 2002 (according to “Holding Company History and Description: Your Public Radio Corporation” A WYPR Document).  Six years later why has WYPR taken on additional debt? Furthermore, has WYPR only been paying the interest on its loan, not paying down principal?

WYPR’s board voted on two new members–one a local African-American doctor and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins whose name I did not catch–and another, a long-time volunteer and “friend” of WYPR Gary Levine who attended the meeting. Levine has been volunteering with WYPR since it was WJHU in 1991. He joined the WJHU board in 1998, but did not stay on the board when it became WYPR in 2002. Levine says that many people–especially young people–are obtaining their public radio through podcasts, obtaining their news through who knows where. Levine wants to see WYPR become a more robust multi-platform environment, especially using the Internet.

The WYPR board-meeting agenda had time to discuss the recent CPB audit of the station, but they never did. The presenter of that segment–WYPR board member and local attorney John Machen–said in remarks after the meeting was over that he forgot. Considering that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) inspector generals’ office found WYPR in multiple violation of various laws–including open meeting requirements, financial reporting requirements, and not having an existing CAB–well, you would think the WYPR Board might discuss it after the report was released. The report (#903)–published on March 20, 2009 and linked here--naturally would come up at the May 27, 2009 board meeting? Wrong.

Machen did deliver a report on the CPB audit at the later CAB meeting–describing problems found as just a bunch of paperwork in the wrong place. Well . . . that is why CAB and WYPR board members should read things for themselves. Many new CAB members seemed to have done just that. Debate ensued. It was vigorous, multifaceted, difficult to include here without musical accompaniment and the high drama of fictional techniques. That being said, here is Maryland law professor Sherrilyn Ifill’s take on the report (linked here). SaveWYPR.com pontificates also (linked here).

Machen also noted that CPB COO Vincent Curren told him that the CAB regulations that come with the $300,000-plus WYPR receives from taxpayers each year are a “mistake.” This blog thinks that CPB grants (which are backed by taxpayer money) should not come without strings attached that ensure community members and taxpayers have a say. Curren probably wants to be the next U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner–and public radio, the next AIG. If one looks at the financial crisis in the U.S. today, the real “mistake” is believing people like former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan who say financial companies would self-regulate. These financial companies like Citibank and Bank of America recently self-regulated themselves billions in taxpayer subsidies while foreclosing on people’s homes across America. Curren may be a mistake.

Looking ahead, WYPR’s board plans to continue searching for new board members to meet its new diversity goal. WYPR’s new CAB plans to meet in June. WYPR President Tony Brandon’s new ascertainment process is meant to be carried out by the CAB, and sounds promising. Community leaders who want to be involved should contact the CAB (how?) or maybe WYPR itself (www.wypr.org). The next WYPR board meetings will be Sept. 23, 2009 and Nov. 11, 2009.

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Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Tales from the WYPR Community Advisory Board
• Community Advisory Boards and WYPR’s CAB Problem
• WYPR Community Advisory Board Recommendations
• 2/14 from Marc