Community Advisory Board Meeting Minutes May 8, 2019

Krys Lynam (CAB chair) called the meeting to order at 6:03PM.

CAB members present: Collin Alexander (vice-chair), Jeremy Boone, Carol Campbell, Doug Chatham, David Gregory, Krys Lynam (chair) and Jeanette Tesmer.

CAB members absent: Katelyn Clark (secretary), Shayla Ring.

MSPR staff present: Paul Hitchcock (MSPR general manager). Hitchcock to take meeting minutes.

There were no guests or guest comments to be shared.

OLD BUSINESS

CAB minutes from February 6, 2019 were reviewed and approved (Tesmer/Alexander).

Hitchcock presented MSPR’s Quarterly Reports (January – March 2019). CAB reviewed the reports and approved (Tesmer/Alexander).

MSPR’s Spring Fundraiser and Membership Drive was discussed. Hitchcock said as of May 6, there were 154 members and $17,135.00 dollars raised and/or pledged. A call-out campaign has recently concluded by MSU’s Office of Development and those numbers will be added to the totals. CAB suggestions included: sustaining memberships, staff appeals to Faculty Senate and Staff Congress, offer incentives for members (t-shirt, coffee mug, newsletter), and focus the on-air on specific needs (student work-studies, audio board). Tesmer suggested a possible grant opportunity by the Kentucky Colonels. Lynam volunteered to research the grant.

Hitchcock provided an update on WMKY’s Inez translator (W202BH), which has been (officially) off the air since July 2018. MSU recently ended an open bid to offer for sale the purchase of the license and related translator equipment. Announcements of the open bid were sent by e-mails and letters to specific and potential bidders, as well as print notifications (WMKY website, Morehead News) and through the Kentucky Broadcasters Association. There were a couple of inquiries, but no official bids were received. The translator has been offline (off the air) for a year with no listener feedback or business support to sustain operations of the broadcast license. Cost to repair electricity to the site is estimated at $2,000 and then monthly electric fees moving forward. Securing business partnerships to support the operations were unsuccessful. An inquiry with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) reaffirmed that losing the translator would have no significance on WMKY’s grant funding. MSPR (WMKY) may still be heard in the Inez region through 90.3FM, internet and cell phone app, so the need for a translator is not essential to receive the programming. MSPR’s proposal to MSU will be to relinquish (return) the license to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), collect the related equipment (translators, antenna and cables) and offer the equipment to surplus. The translator is currently off the air and MSPR has until June 15 to notify the FCC or it will automatically revert back to the FCC pending no notification. CAB approved a motion to support MSPR’s decision (Alexander/Lynam).

MSPR CAB Meeting Minutes (May 8, 2019) cont.

NEW BUSINESS

Hitchcock announced that MSPR news staff and students recently earned 13 Kentucky Associated Press 2018 Awards including 6 first place (3 professional and 3 university). Members of the CAB congratulated the MSPR news staff for their hard work in receiving the awards.

Programming adjustments for the summer (May – August) include “World Café” replacing “Audio Visions” Thursday evening (8pm-10pm), The Reader’s Notebook on hiatus (June – July) and Health Matters running encore programs in July. Local news reports including “Midday” and “Mountain Edition” will be pre-empted during holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day).

CLOSING COMMENTS

Chair Lynam reviewed the roles of the CAB-elected positions (chair, vice-chair, secretary).

Tesmer mentioned the Gateway Regional Arts Center in Mt. Sterling will be hosting an ongoing SouthArts Film Series.

Hitchcock asked the CAB to consider alternative (SPAM-related) food options for MSPR’s booth at the upcoming Morehead Arts & Eats Festival.

Next CAB meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 6:00pm at MSPR’s studios.

Motion (Alexander/Tesmer) to adjourn the meeting and approved. Chair Lynam called the meeting adjourned at 6:56PM.