WAMU 88.

5 - COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING

Minutes

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

WAMU Community Council Members Attending:

Susan Weiss, Dr. Christine Berg, Armele Vilceus, Don Britton, Navroz Gandhi, Shay Stevens, Gene Sofer,
Peter Tannenwald, Manuel Ochoa, Nakeisha Neal Jones, David Smith, David Nemazie

WAMU/AU Staff Attending:

Geri Mitchell, JJ Yore, Kelsey Proud, Kate McGee, Jeremy Bernfeld, Jeffrey Katz, Carey Needham, Diane
Hockenberry, Andi McDaniel, Patrice Jackson, Monique Curtis, Latesha Smith

Members of the Public:

Gar W. Young, Steve Kaffen, Peter Dewees

I. Welcome – Eugene Sofer, Council Chair

Eugene opened the meeting at 7:02 p.m.

II. Station Update - JJ Yore, David McMullen and Diane Hockenberry

New Staff
JJ began his presentation by sharing new staff information. Geri Mitchell was presented as the
new Midday Anchor beginning on Friday, December 1st. JJ explained that Geri comes to WAMU
from St. Louis Public Radio where she began her career in commercial radio and then public
media. Geri has more than 10 years’ experience as a radio host.

JJ shared information regarding the Chief of Staff search and explained that the COS
responsibilities would entail managing the GM’s office, leading station support staff, helping
leaders be more effective by ensuring they’re prepared for meetings, managing key station
projects, taking notes at meetings, and keeping the Council section on wamu.org up to date. JJ
explained that they are in the finalist stage; Gene/Shay met with leading candidate today and
hope to have the search completed this week.

Sexual Harassment
Diane Hockenberry discussed Sexual Harassment: A Social Revolution, emphasizing how its
sweeping through our culture and industry. Working with colleagues in HR the leadership team
has created steps to ensure a safe workplace and a clear path for staff to report incidents.
Several notices/emails were sent to staff that sexual harassment and bullying will not be
tolerated. Additionally, AU’s Title IX officer will be conducting mandatory training for all WAMU
staff.

Leadership has started to hold small-group and departmental meetings to reinforce zero
tolerance and to hear from staff and focus on opportunities for improvement. Two meetings
have been had, 5 more to go. Some of the feedback included being more visible, more informal
ways to communicate with leaders. We are considering 1:1 meetings with an outside consulting
group.

In collaboration with AUHR, leadership will also issue a larger survey of staff early next year.
Results will be shared as we determine any follow-up actions that are needed.

On-Air Campaign
David McMullen discussed the On-Air Campaign which was held December 8-15, 2017. The goal
is $1.5M. The theme is Stay with the Story

Tactic(s)
On-Air Pitching: December 8-15, 2017
Pitch Practice: December 6-7, 2017
Direct mail drops: November 27 (Ad Gift, Lapsed, Acquisition, Leadership)
December 11 (Ad Gift, Lapsed, Acquisition, LC Lapsed)
Email: December 7 (In-campaign emails begin, sched built on daily strategy)
Social Media December 7 (Facebook and Twitter, schedule built on daily strategy)
Light Box: December 8-15, 2017

Premiums were described:

 15 Meals for the Capital Area Food Bank
 WAMU Sock or 1A Sock
 Sock Combo
 WAMU Tote & 15 Meals for the Capital Area Food Bank
 WAMU Water Bottle
 Ski Passes (Phone Only)

Stunts
1A
Drawing Description: 5 pairs of tickets to watch the 1A’S Friday News Roundup, with lunch to
follow with Joshua and his team.
Date: TBD

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore

Drawing Description: 5 pair of tickets Off The Cuff at Strathmore,
Impressionist Masterworks Fri., Jan. 12 8:15 PM
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists on Sun, January 14 at 3:00 PM.

Ask Me Another
Drawing Description: 10 pairs of tickets to a live viewing at Warner Theater
Date: February 1, 2018 at 7 pm

David played an on-air campaign testimonial from Lucinda Crabtree (audio).

Finally, the year-end final push for the campaign would be December 22-31, 2017.
Tactic(s)
Spots: Scheduled to run December 22-31 (excluding Christmas Day)
Direct Mail: December 26 (Ad Gift, Lapsed)
 Emails: Beginning December 22 (Final year-end series of 6 or 7 emails)

III. Content Update – Andi McDaniel, Jeremy Bernfeld, Kate McGee

1A Plus
Andi discussed the background of the daily newspaper using data from the Newspaper
Association of America, a non-profit and publicly-traded global communications company.
Newspapers are an industry in transition. In many instances; changes are on the horizon;
innovate to expand their product portfolio and may cannibalize their flagship print paper. At the
time, digital advertising was not as lucrative as print, and many leaders were unwilling to lean
into the change necessary to maintain their revenue projections.

WAMU, I see a different mindset – one that is willing to make the hard decisions, to take risks
and to seek ways to constantly innovate = for example, 1A Plus. Conversely, media organizations
and companies in highly competitive industries have to be agile, swift, and have the ability to go
to market quickly. In journalism we say “Don’t just get it first, get it right.” But there is no
mistake that time is of the essence.

As a media organization owned by a University, we receive many benefits via rigorous structures
and protocols to help protect and train our staff from situations like discrimination and sexual
harassment. But those same structures and protocols can sometimes stand in our way from
moving quickly – whether it’s something as simple as getting a contract approved or responding
quickly in the face of a crisis. We need to create an operating rhythm better aligned to the needs
of a media organization, and that’s something we’re working to develop.

Finally, there is a lot of opportunity in terms of increasing our engagement with our listeners,
which includes working with our staff, volunteers and Council members differently and in more
meaningful ways. I’m eager to start that conversation, which I believe we’ll begin later.

1A Event

JJ announced that plans are underway for a 1A Marketing Event to commemorate the 1st
anniversary of the show. The event will build on the buzz and showcase what is unique about
the show garnering so much attention. Media, elected officials, heads of industry and key
leadership at AU will be invited to a reception in early February at District Winery. Save the
Dates were sent early in the week.

Gun Violence Initiative

Jeremy Bernfeld, joined WAMU in October as director of collaborative reporting. Jeremy is
launching a new reporting project focused on 1 thing: the role of guns in American life.
WAMU is the lead station, with a lead team of editors. 10 partner stations will participate across
the country. Each station will host a reporting fellow. The project is supported by a $5.3 million
grant from the Kendeda Fund, a family foundation based in Atlanta. Reporting starts on June 1
and will run for two years. The team is building a foundation now.

There are 3 main elements: 1. Lead team of editors and journalists at WAMU 2. Network of
partner public radio stations across the country. Each station hosts a Reporting Fellow dedicated
to the project. Selecting partners now, looking for different kinds of communities. Rural-urban,
 geography, diverse communities, political ideas; and 3. Launching a public media journalism
fellowship to nurture a diverse generation of public media journalists equipped to do great work
with all the digital tools of the 21st century.

The gun violence issues is an important topic ripe for public media.
 Deep dives.
 Human-focused.
 Exploring how these issues (urban homicides, mass shootings, suicides by firearm,
domestic violence, accidental deaths, gun supply chain, and concealed carry laws)
impact different communities in different areas of the country.

Ultimately: Greater visibility of how guns impact our lives, Stronger collaborative relationships
among public radio stations, Robust pool of public media journalists,

What does it mean for WAMU?

 Develop expertise.
 Commit to deeper understanding.
 Leadership in an important new project.
 New training opportunities and hiring a bunch of new journalists.

Education
Kate McGee talked about her coverage at Ballou High School. Played 2 short clips, explained
genesis of stories, basic issue, NPR partnership, and what your stories have instigated.

IV. New Business – Navroz Gandhi, JJ Yore

Nominations for 2 new Council members were accepted. Paula Jimenez and Huda Asfour will
join the council at the February 2018 meeting

V. Community News Briefing – Gene Sofer, Council Chair

VI. Old Business

The minutes from the previous meeting, September 13, 2017 were read and approved.

VII. Adjournment/Announcements
An announcement was made that WAMU’s annual holiday party would be December 18, 6:30-
9:30 at Arena Stage.
Also, the dates were presented for 2018 quarterly meetings: February 14, May 9, September 12
and December 12. Meetings begin at 6:30pm.