Utah SPJ

Minutes from SPJ Board of Directors meeting

April 27, 2013

KSL Broadcast House—Salt Lake City

 Present: Tom Haraldsen, Sheryl Worsley, Lisa Carricaburu, Shane Farver, Jim Fisher, Don Meyer, McKenzie Romero

AWARDS PROGRAM

Sheryl reviewed the assignments related to the SPJ awards banquet. The date is set at Thursday, June 20, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Officers Club at Fort Douglas. Cost is $25 per person.

Tom will be responsible for posters and judging roundup.

Sheryl and Lisa will handle ordering dinners—banquet style. Lisa said The Salt Lake Tribune will provide wine as well.

Jim will emcee, and both Sheryl and Lisa will help with introductions. A decision as to how the names of first-place winners are presented will be discussed between Sheryl and Lisa.

Linda will coordinate the trophies and prize certificates. Jennifer Weaver will be responsible for the printed program. McKenzie will start sending out emails right away with “Save the Date” information for that night.

Tom reported that he’s only received judging for two photo categories so far, but it’s still two weeks before deadline. He also indicated that board members need to vote for their choices for the five honorary awards categories. Along those lines, there were some categories this year that received only single entries. Don made a motion that next year, if nominations for the honorary awards only total one in a category, we extend the deadline for two weeks so that board members can solicit more nominations. This is ONLY for the five honorary categories. Tom seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. This does not affect this year’s contest.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Sheryl, Lisa and Don all reported on the Santa Fe regional conference, stating much of it was good, with solid information and a couple of good speakers and sessions. Sheryl said the chapter sold reporter notebooks and had a silent auction as fundraising events, something we might try next time we host. She said it is probably Utah’s turn next year.

SUNSHINE/BLACK HOLE NOMINATIONS

Sheryl asked for nominations for these awards. Former records director Betsy Ross and SLC Police Chief Chris Burbank are being considered for Sunshine Awards. Sheryl said the SLPD has implemented its new online reporting procedure for calls (she has forwarded a link to all board members), and while it is not perfect, it is a great step in the right direction. She is hoping for more nominations prior to the next board meeting.

CAMERAS IN COURTROOM

Sheryl reported that the rules have been modified to allow for a pooling of photos for websites to be made available after the supporting participants have the video. An FTP site is still being discussed for pooled video.

NEWSLETTER

Jim is still waiting for articles for the next newsletter. Sheryl reviewed assignments that are due to Jim by May 1. She and Lisa will follow up with those assigned articles. Information on the banquet dinner will be included in the newsletter.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Don met with the national leaders earlier this month. Among developments—approval for chapters to get up to $5,000 in grants from the Legal Defense Fund without national board approval. He also suggested that, regarding the Regional Director’s fun, which is used for both travel and for supporting programs for chapters, that $1 per entry for those in the Top of the Rockies contest be donated to that fund. This would be in addition to any appropriated money individual chapters agree to donate. He said the Colorado chapter will be asked to consider the proposal as well.

NEXT MEETING

Thursday, May 23, 6:30 p.m. at The Salt Lake Tribune.

Minutes from SPJ Board of Directors meeting

March 26, 2013

Fisher home—Salt Lake City

Present: Tom Haraldsen, Sheryl Worsley, Shane Farver, Jim Fisher, Trent Nelson, Don Meyers, Jennifer Weaver, Chad Curtis (via phone).

CONTEST

Judges are working on our contest from Louisiana, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Denver. Trent is contacting his photog friends to see if they will take that category. Our chapter has already judged for both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Louisiana’s entries will be coming our way in early May. Our judging deadline is May 10.

About 800 entries and around $9,000 in entry fees this year, close to totals of the past.

P.O. BOX

The SPJ chapter has been using the post office box in West Jordan paid for by The Valley Journals. The Journals are giving up that P.O. Box, but we feel a need to retain it if possible. Tom was authorized to pursue that if possible. Our yearly rental fee would be $54 if it is the same rate as the Journals has been paying.

AWARDS BANQUET

Date set for Thursday, June 20 at the Ft. Douglas Officers Club. Sheryl has made a deposit to reserve the space. Jim agreed to emcee the event. There will be short intros for major award winners but no speeches. Tom will be in charge of poster signs as last year, Jennifer will coordinate the program which we’ll have printed again at the U. Sheryl and Lisa will coordinate the food and drink (the Trib may provide wine this year).

ANNUAL REPORT

Sheryl will coordinate. Reports on activities will include the Utah Council for Citizens Diplomacy (from Tom), the radio interviews conducted by Jim, and the boot camp (from Sheryl). Treasurer and FOI reports will also be included.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Sheryl, Lisa, Don and Shane Farver will attend from our chapter. It is April 13-15 in Santa Fe.

SUNSHINE/BLACK HOLE AWARDS

There is an April 30 deadline for nominations, which Sheryl asked for from the Board. Don suggested Betsy Ross for a Sunshine Award. Sheryl also suggested Eric, formerly of the Sanpete Messenger, for a Sunshine Award. Many thoughts on potential Black Hole recipients, to be narrowed down.

CAMERAS IN COURTROOMS

Sheryl and Chad chimed in on this, as broadcasters have banned together for pool coverage going forward. The new rule took effect April 1. Chad offered an FTP site as a potential password protected server where video/audio could be posted. Board agreed to further investigate this, which Sheryl will do. This will be an ongoing work in progress, and Sheryl will report on how the program is working going forward.

NEWSLETTER

Several assignments for the newsletter are still outstanding and need to be submitted to Jim. They include Shane on social media, Sheryl on President’s column, Nate on computer assisted reporting and Rent on taking quality pictures. The deadline is April 10 to get those to Jim.

NEXT MEETING

Saturday, April 27, 9:30 a.m. at KSL

Utah Headliners Board Meeting  2/28/13 Minutes

6 p.m. Salt Lake Tribune

In attendance:

Chad Curtis, Sheryl Worsley, Jim Fisher, Tom Haraldsen, Lisa Carricaburu, Don Meyers, Linda Petersen

1.     Contest

Contest deadline is March 15th. Only one entry received so far but Tom assured everyone that most come in at the last minute.

Tom has contacted other chapters and is waiting to hear back on whether they’ll swap judging with us.

He said he needs help with photography. Lisa said she would ask the Salt Lake Tribune’s director of photography, Jeremy Harmon, if he will help.

All present agreed to help judge entries when they come from the other chapters.

2.     Awards

The board felt the response among attendees to last year’s reception was mixed. It was clear we lost money on providing alcohol but not on the rest of the event. Lisa said she thought the Tribune would donate the alcohol for this year’s event. She is going to check on it and get back to the board.

After discussion of the pros and cons, the board decided to hold the event at the Ft. Douglas Officers Club if it’s available June 6 or 20. (The board felt like Fridays in June are often used as first days of long weekend vacations. Also, there were concerns that Fridays might be booked up already, so Thursday possibilities were chosen.) Jim will check on those dates and get back to the board.

The board decided on a dinner format with a limited presentation of winners, along with programs and posters of winners like last year.  (No video)

Chad made the motion to have the event in a dinner format at the officers club one of those dates. Jim seconded the motion. All aye.

Awards: Linda will get the awards from the same company that has done them for several years. Linda’s husband Boyd, who has printed up the certificates in past years, will only do so if he gets the list of winners in an Excel spreadsheet. (With that spreadsheet he can print them all in an hour vs. several hours of doing them manually.)

3.     Boot Camp

Response was very positive and all were pleased with the attendance numbers. The board will schedule a second boot camp later in the year.

4. Regional conference Santa Fe, NM April 13-15

Chad will be taking a vanload of BYU students.

Linda made the motion for Utah Headliners to cover the costs (airfare, rental car, hotel and conference registration) for Sheryl and Lisa.  Jim seconded the motion. All aye.

If any other board members are interested in going, they are to let the board know and some kind of partial compensation can be considered.

5. IRE workshops will be held March 15-16 at the Salt Lake BYU campus.

6.     Sunshine /Black Hole Awards

Linda reported that since the League of Women Voters no longer holds a Sunshine Week  (March 10-16) event where we have given out these awards, they will again be given out at the June awards banquet (like last year). She will send out the call for nominations during Sunshine Week with a deadline of April 30. She indicated that in the past we have had few nominations and that primarily the nominations come from the board. There was no shortage of possible candidates presented for the Black Hole awards and a couple of good possibilities for Sunshine awards. Linda asked the board members to think of other possibilities and will revisit the subject with the board in our April meeting.

7.     Cameras in court

Sheryl reported that she is on the Bench-Media Subcommittee  to determine how footage of court cases will be distributed. The committee is meeting next 3/6/13.

Sheryl expressed concern that the rule is written so that a judge is the person who determines what is newsworthy during coverage.

8.     Newsletter

Content for the newsletter is due right away for the March 15 issue.

Sheryl will submit an article on cameras in the court room and a president’s column.

Linda will write up something on the Sunshine and Black Hole awards.

Tom will submit a piece on the contest and awards.

More content is still needed.

9. Next meeting Thursday, March 28 at Jim’s house, 331 Argyle (642 West)

Adjourned at 7:30 p.m.