Valley Free Radio » Bill Weye

Prometheus Radio Project meeting with Rep. Neal

Bill Weye — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:59:03 +0000

I just got word that our friends at the Prometheus Radio Project are meeting with Rep. Neal tomorrow in Washington to discuss the Local Community Radio Act – a bill in Congress that would make it possible for thousands of new LPFMs to get on the air.

They could really use your help in letting Congressman Neal know about how important community radio has been to us in the greater Northampton area, and all the good it would do if more communities across the country could be licensed to go on the air. They will be talking about the great work done by WXOJ-LP and other stations in Western Massachusetts. Your support will really help out!

All three presidential candidates support this bill and it has already garnered the support of almost 90 members of Congress.

Congressman Neal’s Office: Phone: (202) 225-5601

Not sure what to say when you call? Try starting with this:

“I am calling to ask Representative Neal to vote for the Local Community Radio Act (HR 2802). This important new legislation will expand low power FM radio and allow locally produced, community radio to flourish.

Expanding low power FM radio will help restore needed diversity to our airwaves, bringing forth new voices and viewpoints that are often overlooked by large commercial broadcasters. Please vote for the Local Community Radio Act. Thank you.”

Feel free to say more – personal anecdotes about the importance of community radio are among the most valuable contributions you can make!

If you want to send an email instead you can send it to Dan Houton in Congressman Neal’s office: dan.houton@mail.house.gov

Please feel free to write me if you have any questions. Thanks for your help in bringing the invaluable resource of local radio to more communities!

For more information on the Local Community Radio Act visit: www.prometheusradio.org or www.freepress.net/lpfm

From — Candace Jeanne Clement

Website Notes and Announcements

Bill Weye — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:06:54 +0000

Here are some things you should know about the new website . . .

If you are programmer and/or member of the station you can now post station news, meeting agendas and minutes, show announcements, play lists, or other program news on the website. AND it’s pretty damn easy. If you aren’t familiar with WordPress or blogging, even you should have very little problem. If you are now blogging on any kind of system, there is absolutely NO reason for you not to be taking advantage of this new resource.

To get started, first watch this video I created to demonstrate the registration process:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Then watch this video (that I didn’t create) on how to write a post:

Click here to view the embedded video.

When you watch these videos you will notice that our system looks different than what you see in the videos . . . it only LOOKS different; there was a major upgrade to WordPress in the last couple of weeks that hasn’t been reflected in the videos. There is little to no change in the nomenclature, just in the appearance and where you will find some of the things. If you have no experience with WordPress it should be no problem (old hacks like me have the problem!).

There are a couple of things you need to know about the VFR WordPress set-up.

First, for your post to appear in the correct places it must have some specific categories selected: Collectives, Collectives > Your Collective, AND Programmer’s Notes. If Programmer’s Notes is not chosen your post will not appear under Programmer’s Notes on the home page, natch. If you are currently a podcaster you must still additionally choose the Podcast category, in addition to the above. PLEASE, if you look at the bottom of the category list and find “vfr” selected, unselected it; it’s the default category and isn’t necessary.

Do not add more categories under any circumstances. For you to further categorize your posts use the Tags feature. You can find more info about Tagging in the video about posting and in this blog post: http://blogs.msdn.com/jmeier/archive/2008/03/10/tags-vs-categories.aspx

If you would like to podcast your program there are some other things we need to discuss and you should contact me directly.

The other thing to note about posting has to do with station news of a more official variety: meeting agendas, minutes, etc. This is stuff that you find under Station News on the home page. If you have such an announcement you also have to choose the right categories to make it appear in the right spots. If you have a meeting agenda you’d like to post you could possibly choose five different categories: Meetings, Meetings > Agenda, Committees, Committees > Programming [for example], and Latest Station News. “Latest Station News” is the kicker in this example; that’s the category that makes the post appear under Latest Station News on the home page.

Other website news . . .

You can now comment on posts and subscribe to have email notification when a post has been commented upon after you comment (there is also an rss feed for the post and comments). These comments are unmoderated at this time, though I have installed 3 different spam filters and turned off “trackbacks” (if you know what those are). I am working on installing a “notify the administrator about this comment” feature if we start to have problems.

When writing posts you can embed either YouTube or Google Videos into your posts; you’ll find the buttons when you start to write a post. BTW, for formating purposes, please keep the video near the bottom of your post (write some text first)

Anyone that begins to post will automatically have their own page on the site along with their own rss feed. If you click on the author name of a post you can find that page.

There is a new logo/header in the works; what you see on the website is not the finished product.

If you have any suggestions or comments please let me know. I’m sure I’ll have other news about the site in the coming weeks.

Operations Committee Minutes – 1-30-2008

Bill Weye — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:34:48 +0000

Following is an audio file of the first (new) operations committee meeting that took place on January 20, 2008. Attendance was taken during the meeting. The file can be downloaded below, played below, and will be distributed via the podcast.

This is also a test of sorts: the new podcasting features the web dude is working on, and an alternative way (telephone or Skype conferencing) for VFR committees to conduct meetings.

OPERATIONS COMMITTEE DRAFT NOTES

JAN 30, 2008

Present: Ed Russell[Tech Comm]; Bob Gutowski [Transmitter]; Bill Weye [Website] Tony Shannon [Fundraising, Board, Operations Coor], Bob Gardner [Operations Coord, Finance]; Jose Tolson [Station Managers], Fidel Hildalgo [Board]

No representatives present from: Programming, Training, Studio Committees.

Summary of discussion & decisions:

* We will continue to meet via phone conference. Bill Weye recorded this session using Skype [internet phone technology]
* Since we were expecting the charges for this session to be in the range of $40-60, next time we will try doing a â€œSkypeâ€ option, where Bill will call each participant and link us. To this we will all need to notify him of what number we would like to be connected on.
* A key mandate for OC is to get volunteers plugged into work committees. To do this, we will need: a list of available people from programming, a list from each committee of how many people they need & what skills are required, and somebody(s) to be volunteer coordinators. Bob Gardner has some possible candidates to approach. Fidel has been working on surveying programmers for what they already are doing.; he will continue that work, and send OC a list of people and current tasks.
* We generally discussed the nature and mission of the Operations Committee and how it would operate. My sense from that discussion is that it will continue to be a communication vehicle, with most work being accomplished in member committees. Occasionally, tasks will be performed directly and/or problems addressed and resolutions found in these meetings.

-by B Gardner

Program Proposals

Bill Weye — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:06:35 +0000

The official VFR program proposal form is now live.You can find the form and submission directions here:

http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/programming/program-proposals/Â

Biographies of Board Nominees

Bill Weye — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 12:41:24 +0000

We have posted the biographies (that we have) of the nominees running in the board election.The election is scheduled for Wednesday, October 17 at the monthly general meeting at MEF in Northampton. You can find the biographies here: http://www.valleyfreeradio.org/bios/.

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes 7.10.2007

Bill Weye — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:35:46 +0000

Meeting of the Board of Directors

Media Education Foundation
60 Masonic Street, Northampton, MA
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 7pm

Minutes

Attendance: Lundy Bancroft (BM), Jane Braaten (BM), Matt Dineen (BM), Bob Gardner, Bob Gutowski, Michelle LeBlanc (BM), Tony Shannon (BM), Chris Tinson (BM), Tony Udell (BM), Mary Wheelan (BM).

BM= Board Members

Minutes taken by Chris Tinson

Announcements:

Michelle announced that the Farmerâ€™s Market (Northampton) tabling was successful. She suggested that more VFR members may want to table during the next Farmerâ€™s Market between 9am â€“ 12:30.

Questions from Non-Board Members: None.

1. Fundraising update/Pledge driveâ€¨â€“ August to September: Matt Dineen

Begin: Friday, August 3rd
End: Tuesday, August 7th

Two-year VFR Birthday Celebration on August 7th, 2007 â€“ 7-11pm at the Florence Community Center

Matt D. is in conversation with Florence Community Center management to obtain cost of renting the facility. He will have more concrete estimate at next meeting.

September Events Week

Begin: Friday, 9/7/07
End: Thursday, 9/13/07

September Events include the following:

7th â€“ Film and potluck
8th â€“ Polaski Park
9th â€“ Eddy Bartock
11th â€“ Media Education Foundation
12th â€“ The Basement

Matt also suggested that there be a sign-up sheet to obtain more participation from VFR programmers throughout the September Events Week.

2. License Transfer: Tony Udell reported that the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has a form for LPFM transfers (Application for Consent of Transfers). He is currently researching the FCC regulations and will report to next Board meeting.
3. Volunteer Coordination: report and discussion tabled to next meeting.
4. Membership Defined: Bob Gardner and Lundy will draft a new membership policy
5. Renewal of Rental Lease: Bob Gardner reported that there will be a slight increase in the VFR rental fees. Asked for Boardâ€™s approval to pay for difference whenever VFR is billed for the increase. Board approved.
6. New operations committee and appointing a chairperson: Bob Gardner expressed need to reform the operations committee. Discussion tabled.
7. Studio lock timeline: Ed Russell will install the new mic and begin locking the door as of this Sunday, July 15th, 2007. Programmers must contact Bob Gardner for keys.
8. New Mic Installation: (see Item 7 for related information).
9. Tentative Agenda for Next General Meeting

General Meeting July 18th, 2007, 7pm

Announcements

Report back from grassroots radio and allied meeting conference, US Social Forum

Birthday celebration planning (August)

September events week planning (September)

Recommendations for scheduling subcommittee

Underwriting

Volunteer coordination

Board Meeting adjourned at 8:25pm

General Meeting July 18 Agenda

Bill Weye — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:30:58 +0000

General Meeting July 18th, 2007, 7pm

Announcements
Report back from grassroots radio and allied meeting conference, US
Social Forum
Birthday celebration planning (August)
September events week planning (September)
Recommendations for scheduling subcommittee
Underwriting
Volunteer coordination

Board of Directors Meeting Agenda: 7.10.07

Bill Weye — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:08:01 +0000

Board of Directors Meeting: Tuesday 7.10.07
Agenda

7-9pm Media Education Foundation
60 Masonic St., Northampton
AGENDA
Announcements

-Fundraising update/Pledge drive
-License transfer update
-Volunteer coordination
-Membership defined
-Renewing our rental lease
-Establishing a new operations committee/Appointing a chairperson

General Membership Meeting Minutes 6/20/07

Bill Weye — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:31:21 +0000

VFR General Membership Meeting Minutes
6/20/07 7pm to 9pm

In Attendence: Tony U., Nick C., Michelle L., Matt D., Anthony S., Strong Oak, Mary W., Annalise F., Lila W., Bill W., Dana P., Jose T., Anthony R., Emily M., Steve C., Eddie K., Linda K., Lundy B., Bart E. and Keely M.
Facilitated by Lundy Bancroft, Tony Udell, and Matt Dineen

Introductions and Announcements:

GRC in Lowell and Detroit this weekend, several VFR programmers will attend.

1. Fundraising commitee report:

- For VFR’s August 7th Birthday, we will hold a fundraiser from August 3rd to 7th

- There will be a series of events from September 7th to Thursday the 13th

- Summary of fundraiser at the Farmers Market, call for new participants

- Suggestion of possible Tag Sale for fundraiser in the future.

- Next fundraising meeting on 7/10 at 6pm in MEF

2. Program rescheduling:

Tony U. presented the results of the Programming and Collective Formation Subcommittee:

-Collectives will be reformatted into four clear collectives Music, Public Affairs/Talk, Youth, and “Poly-cultural”

-Each collective will elect a liaison at an all-collective meeting; this liaison will attend programming committee meetings and hold collective-members accountable for upholding their responsibilities

Tabled, Discussion will continue on the 11th at the Programming Committee regarding the new collective designations

Web streaming

The stream is working again, but it is a temporary/unreliable stream right now. We are considering paying someone to set up “one click” streaming in the future.

Underwriting

Will Hall and others have been working on possible structures for underwriting for syndicated programs. Bob G. presented the proposal:

Collectives, worker-owned businesses, and possibly non-profits would be approached to underwrite Democracy Now and other syndicated shows. Approved via consensus, those working on it should continue to pursue. Currently restricted to just syndicated programs.

Pacifica Radio History

Jose presents a brief overview of Pacifica Radio History.

Board Meeting Minutes 02-07-2007

Bill Weye — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:53:48 +0000

Valley Free Radio Board
Meeting Minutes Feb 07, 2007
Media Education Foundation
7-9pm

present: Jane Braaten, Matt Dineen, Bob Gardner, Bush-I Harvey, Revan
Schendler, Ed Russell, Lundy Bancroft, Dana Prescott, Tony Udell, Eric Nash

notes submitted by Revan

1. Lawsuit update

2. New Treasurer needed: Jane will assume this position until new board
members join following elections in March

3. Board Elections in March
Eric, Lundy and Revan will form nominations committee, seeking suggestions
from general and board members; nominations will taken at Feb. 21 general
membership meeting; all bios to be sent to Eric at endotox1@hotmail.com by
board meeting March 7 for posting on website; elections March 21 (first day
of spring: a good omen!)

4. Publicity and Fundraising
Lundy, Tony U. to discuss volunteer coordination and implementation of
two-hour work requirement for all programmers; will consult with Patti and
Emily about work already done; define tasks, etc.

5. Financial report presented by Bob Gardner
serious cash crunch

6. Linux crash problem, following power shut-offs and surges last year:
board approves $500 for purchase of two Uninterruptible Power Supplies

7. Streaming: Eric to research monthly cost of more efficient streaming from
website

8. Recording Shows: Tech Committee to research legal requirements for having
copies of shows for FCC; costs of a friendlier CD burner

9. Richard Moody’s request concerning Edwards Church connection: Eric, Jane
to clarify request with Richard before sending the question of live
webcasting of religious services back to the Programming Committee with
boardâ€™s recommendation

10. Station security/ recent theft of studio mike and minidisk player: Ed to
research keycards; Bush-I and Ed to solicit donation of a microphone; also
suggestions of volunteer donations

AGENDA FOR GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 2/21/07

1. Nominations Committee presentation/ nominations taken for March elections
2. Report on Volunteer Coordination Effort
3. Report from Scheduling Subcommittee
4. Station Security and recent thefts/suggestions for ways to replace them
5. Volunteers needed for Grievance and Mediation Committee

meeting to be facilitated by Tony U. and Jane B.

meeting adjourned at 9:10

MINUTES FOR THE BOARD MEETING 1-07-2007

Bill Weye — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:40:20 +0000

3 JANUARY, 2007

Executive Session:
Board Members Present: Jane B; Jose T; Cheryl A; Jessica L; and Matt D
Non Board Members: Noemi V; Bob G

Discussed legal matters.

General Board Meeting :
1. PETITION FROM GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING OF DEC. 20.
Brief discussion pertaining to quorum issues.

2. CHECK FOR LAWYER.
A check was required by the lawyer as a retainer for $2000.00. Vote of approval was requested.
VOTE: 5- Yes. Passed

3. PATTY’S PETITION: Patty was not present at meeting and there were no copies of the petition so this item was tabled.

General member asks for a subcommittee to address “conflict of interest” issue raised by Patty’s petition.

4. SUB COMMITTEE TO HANDLE THE LAWSUIT:
General member suggests forming a subcommittee to handle the lawsuit. This group would meet with the lawyer and make regular updates to the Board. The committee would be comprised of 2-current board members and possibly 2-former board members.

One board member objects, stating he would prefer to seek out other, newer members, including self, to be on the subcommittee.

More discussion around subcommittee membership. A preference is expressed that Jose not be on the committee.

More discussion on subcommittee

It is proposed that Jane and Adam be the board reps.

VOTE: 3-Yes; 1-No; 1-Abstention. Passed

OTHER SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS:
After some discussion from members on and off the board, it is proposed that Noemi and Libby also be members on the subcommittee.
VOTE: 3-Yes; 1-No; 1-Abstention. Passed

5. PETITION TO REMOVE CATHY SANTOSUS:
Discussion around the pertinence of lawyer approval to remove Cathy. It is agreed upon that lawyer approval is not a relevant issue in light of most current circumstances, and most recent discussion with lawyer.

A general member suggests that the board could “suspend” Cathy for the duration of the lawsuit. Vote to “suspend” Cathy Santosus immediately for filing a lawsuit against VFR; disruptive behavior; and other reasons. Also suspension from any and all committees radio programs, and other duties she is involved with at the station effective immediately.
VOTE: 4-Yes; 1-No. Passed

Letter to be written and distributed to the Board. Phone call to be made to Cathy tonight and/or tomorrow so that she is aware of the ruling. Certified letter to be sent.

6. STUDIO SECURITY
It is suggested we send it back to the Program Committee.
VOTE: 5-Yes. Passed

7. COMUTER PASSWORDS AND SECURITY
It is suggested we send it back to the Operations Committee to formulate a proposal.
VOTE: 5-Yes. Passed

8. FUNDRAISING:
Board member expressed number of fundraising ideas, including Tee-shirts and Note Cards, etc. Looking for feedback. More details coming.

9. GENERAL MEETING AGENDA:
Past GM notes will be located, and unfinished agenda items will be identified. A suggestion from the floor for an agenda item was “discuss a process for approving minutes”

MEETING ENDED AT 9:05PM

VFR General Meeting Agenda 1-17-07

Bill Weye — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 03:35:31 +0000

Wednesday January 17, 2007
MEF 7-9 pm

1. Introductions
2. Announcement of Board openings/Call for nominations
3. Lawsuit update
4. Volunteer coordination plan (for outreach and fundraising drive)
5. Update on programmer information gathering
6. VFR promotional cards
7. Station security
8. Committee Reports

NOTICE: bylaw meeting cancelled

Bill Weye — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 21:16:36 +0000

Scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 13th at MEF 7:00 PM, to be replaced by a special executive meeting of the board.

New VFR Podcasting Features

Bill Weye — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:57:50 +0000

The following is a test of the new VFR podcasting features. For your amusement I have podcast one of the great moments in “radio history”.

Community in Radio Mural Unveiling for Valley Free Radio Station

Bill Weye — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:28:00 +0000

Over the course of the summer and this school year members of Youth Leadership in the Arts, a media arts and activism program for middle and highschoolers, met to brainstorm a mural for the new community radio station, Valley Free Radio located in Florence, MA. The youth leaders steadily carried out sessions to envision a mural about the importance and symbols of grassroots media democracy. From the ideas generated, the mural was designed, gridded and painted on the walls of the valleyâ€™s emerging community radio station.

On Monday December 5th at 6pm the Peer Leaders who created the mural will dedicate and celebrate with community members their hard work and accomplishments in the completion of the mural this month. The celebration will include storytelling, slide show and more. Please join us in our celebration.

Youth Leadership in the Arts
YLA is a media arts and activism program based at Casa Latina in Northampton, MA. YLA emphasizes how a diverse group of young people can work together to improve their everyday lives and their communities. YLA focuses on educational activities and projects that endorse and strengthen the grassroots leadership skills of young people.

Valley Free Radio
Valley Free Radio is a non-profit, community based and volunteer run radio station for the Greater Northampton area. In accordance with the Media Education Foundationâ€™s mission, we seek to inspire, and entertain through programming that reflects the diversity of the local community.

Monday, December 5th, 6-7:30pm
Valley Free Radio Station at Florence Community Center 140 Pine St. Florence, MA 01032

Contact: Elisabeth (eli) Weaver
Youth Leadership in the Arts
413.320.3243
eli_yla@hotmail.com

VFR Working Agreement Presentation

Bill Weye — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:53:17 +0000

The following was Jay Deacon’s presentation on a VFR Working Agreement (or Code of Conduct) given at the November general meeting.

Weâ€™re all familiar with Valley Free Radioâ€™s Mission statement and its Guiding Vision statement. These are important to us, but we need another piece. Itâ€™s the piece that says what weâ€™re promising to each other, how we are going to treat each other, what our goals and terms and conditions are for working together.

What Iâ€™m describing is a Covenant, but for some, that word has religious connotations. Some organizations call them Codes of Conduct. We propose calling this, simply, our Working Agreement.

A working agreement or covenant statement says how you want to be with each other. It sets out the qualities that will sustain your life together, and it contains the promises you make to each other. It answers the question, what are the qualities we want in our life and work together?

It centers on the values that are held dear in the community that creates it. People come here hoping to find a place where people are valued and treated well, and find a place to work, develop skills, and make a contribution. Wherever people become deeply invested, disappointment runs very high when the organization doesnâ€™t live up to their internal expectations. But those expectations really need to be stated and publicly owned. Weâ€™ve got to articulate them, Written covenant statements can help us all feel safe.

Every organization including this one has its covenants or codes of conduct or working agreements â€” that is, ways in which it is acceptable to interact with one another â€” but very often theyâ€™re not explicit, not written. Theyâ€™re a secret. You have to figure it out and you might get it wrong. Some people seem to know. And you may never really know who determined just what the terms and conditions would be. Shouldnâ€™t we do this intentionally, consciously, explicitly? If we donâ€™t, there will still be terms and conditions, but they seem mysterious and arbitrary.

So we want to make it quite explicit and transparent and we want to know who created it â€” ourselves. Then it becomes a touchstone that people can refer to when times get testy. When tempers get frayed or people get impatient with one another, the working agreement can be recalled to remind people of what they said they would promise one another. By having the membership create the statement, they gain ownership and a sense of authority to call others back to the covenant in difficult times.

A Working Agreement can help us through rough times when they occur, but we donâ€™t want to wait too long to create it, because if we do, everything we put into it will seem to be about somebody in particular, aimed at something that has already happened. But we canâ€™t and shouldnâ€™t create this thing for the past. Itâ€™s for the future.

So we ask also that, in what weâ€™re about to do, you think about the future, about the kind of community we want Valley Free Radio to be. This conversation, now, is not for rehashing old tensions and conflicts. That would be way out of order.

It ought to be a very positive statement, describing the way we really want to be with each other and work with each other, in a way that would make you want to be a part of VFR.

Now, everybody who participates in VFR brings some talents, some abilities, some influence, and yes, some power. And the question we must all ask ourselves and each other is a very simple one. Itâ€™s this: Are you prepared to commit to use that power you have â€” the talents, the abilities, the influence you bring â€” will you commit to use your power for the good of the whole?

Thereâ€™s only one right answer to that question.

The Working Agreement will define what that means. To what are we going to hold ourselves and each other?

Here is the link to the KPFT-Houston Code of Conduct.

You can give comments about the working agreement to the committee at this address: gmc@valleyfreeradio.org

Concert Announcement From StRStC

Bill Weye — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 18:38:35 +0000

“Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child,” a weekly two-hour show on Valley Free Radio featuring great music for kids, is presenting a great live family concert.

Saturday, Nov. 18 – Lunch Money & Uncle Rock will play a live family show at the community arts space Flywheel Collective in Easthampton at 5:00. Lunch Money (http://lunchmoneymusic.com), an indie rock trio from South Carolina featuring members of the Verna Cannon, salutes roller coasters, pet dogs, helium balloons, and dizziness, while Uncle Rock (http://unclerock.com), who toured as part of the Fleshtones, draws inspiration from Woody Guthrie and Shel Silverstein. This family concert is $6 per person or just $10 per pair or family, complete with kid-friendly buffet. This show is part of Flywheel’s “Pancake Mountain” series.

For more information, and more about upcoming family music events, visit the show’s website at http://sparetherock.com or listen on Saturday mornings from 8 to 10 on Valley Free Radio 103.3. Flywheel is online at http://flywheelarts.org.

Promo-Cast: You’re Here

Bill Weye — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:24:21 +0000

YOU’RE HERE is produced by EE Miller and co-hosted with Revan Schendler. Both artists and oral historians, EE and Revan broadcast creative and critical voices that help us imagine the “here” we want. YOU’RE HERE is free-form and cross genre, devoted to conversation, oral history, challenging arts and artful activism. Tune in, and you will hear voices of the dead and the living, music, poetry, experimental writing and radical histories.

For more information www.yhradio.blogspot.com.

YOU’RE HERE is broadcast every other Tuesday 1-2pm on Valley Free Radio.

VFR retreat – a proposal

Bill Weye — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:35:02 +0000

The following proposal was presented by Emily Miller at the general membership meeting on September 20, 2006.

The VFR Retreat Proposal was developed in conversation with several VFR volunteers from the Operations and the Programming Committees. It is responding to the ongoing volunteer crisis and communication problems at the radio station. It is also inspired by VFR’s one year anniversary, and a strong desire to improve the overall culture at VFR: to build a bridge between programmers and the organization as a whole. There are several important details that will need to be worked out if this outline is approved by the general membership. The Retreat’s success depends on participation and support. If you think this idea is one worth trying, I invite you to share your ideas and critical feedback between now and the next general meeting in October.

Feel free to email me with questions too.

thanks,
Emily
emilyemiller@earthlink.net

What will happen?

• VFR will suspend live programming for 2 full weeks.
• Programmers can put their shows, new or old, into automation for their regularly scheduled show times
• Programmers will come to station during their program time (unless they make arrangements to come at another time) to participate in ongoing “retreat”.

Goals?

• To build a bridge between programmers and the organization as a whole.
• To improve communications and studio management
• To support the timely and efficient follow thru on the volunteer task force plan.
• To create better conditions for everyone at VFR.

Why?

• We have a volunteer crisis and very low meeting attendance.
• There are over 100 programmers who have agreed to volunteer 2 hours a month.
• Everybody who has a show on VFR can show up for this–it makes it easier for programmers to connect and find positive ways to contribute to the station.
• The programming committee needs up-to-date contact info from programmers, both to communicate effectively and to fairly review and respond to scheduling requests.
• The Volunteer Task Force plan depends on being able to communicate with all current programmers. This retreat ensures that the connection with the people who need to be reached will be made within 2 weeks.

To Do

• update programmer information for Programming Commitee and Volunteer Task Force
• Create database for both committees (see VTF plan)
• All programmers connect to a volunteer team (see plan)
• Collect program information/descriptions for the entire schedule and create materials to distribute through out listening area.
• Studio clean-up — systems improvements
• Skills sharing

Off-air station activities

Everything happens at the station when programmers can show up.

• Programmers will connect with organization providing info:
• contact info (sign up for programming list?)
• program info (descriptions for written materials, promos)
• volunteer info (what are they doing/ do they want to do?)
• skills (production, automation, tech ?, podcasting)

• And working together to get things done:
• Database creation
• Studio improvement projects
• Planning fundraising and outreach efforts
• Skills sharing
• (Add your project here)

On-Air

• pre-recorded or archived shows playing from automation
• Regular syndicated programming
• PSAs and PROMOS
• Automated music
• frequent announcements to public about what we are doing and when we will be returning to our regular schedule of live programming.

Facilitation Resources

Op-com
Programming Committee, and
Volunteer Task Force
studio managers
collective liaisons

Week 1 focus on data collection and communication systems
Week 2 : volunteer teams and skills sharing

Promo: Writer’s Voice

Bill Weye — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 03:06:43 +0000

Writer’s Voice is a weekly radio show about writing, books and the book trade. Join Francesca Rheannon and Daisy Mathias on Thursdays at 8:00 am.

Writer’s Voice features author interviews and readings, as well as news, commentary and tips related to writing and publishing. We also talk with editors, agents, publicists and others about issues of interest to writers.

Valley Free Radio » Bill Weye

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