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Board Minutes: Feb. 5, 2005 Feb. 5, 2005 Medill School of Journalism Washington Office
Attendees:
Not present:
Others present: Discussion: The board discussed the organization's plans for the 9.5 hours of video taken at the 2004 MRE annual conference by Don North. He videotaped Seymour Hersh's keynote speech and six conference panels. Options included putting the sessions on the MRE website in a member's only section that is being readied for use or selling the videos as VHS tapes or DVDs to defray Mr. North's costs and raise money for the organization. A combination of both ideas was approved. Working with our website staff, MRE plans to put a short snippet of Hersh's speech on the public side of the MRE website. A longer version will be placed in the MEMBERS ONLY section when it is up and running. In addition, the website will advertise videotapes of the sessions for sale. Price to be determined after further research by Mr. North into production and duplication costs. The board also suggested that future conferences be videotaped but be limited to the keynote speech and how-to sessions. Also, the how-to sessions should have transcripts made for posting on the MRE website. A committee was appointed to discuss plans and features for the MRE website. The panel is chaired by Vince Crawley and includes James Crawley, Chip Somodevilla and Ed Offley. The committee expects to report to the entire board by April 1. Ideas discussed included examination of different hosting schemes to reduce dependence on news organizations of board members; an online discussion forum for members; daily updates to the website via a staff of member-correspondents. James Crawley told of plans to put a limited MEMBER ONLY section online within the next few weeks. The section initially would offer documents, an experts directory, links and other information about BRAC to members. Plans include member forums and other online services. James Wright reported on the group's financial situation. Currently, the organization has $15,374 in the bank. The next discussion was about plans for this year's annual conference. The board discussed having the convention in late September or early October. The officers also agreed to set up a BRAC conference for reporters and editors soon after the Defense Department announces the list of prospective closures and realignments in May. The conference would be a "how-to" session for reporters covering the process. As soon as a final decision is made on holding the conference, a mailing will be sent to all newspapers and TV stations near military bases. Regional reporters based in Washington also will be targeted as potential attendees. Tentatively, the conference would be held in Washington, D.C. in early June. Tom Bowman will head a committee to determine feasibility and to organize the sessions. The board also started planning for the Second Annual MRE Journalism Awards. The categories were tweaked based on lessons learned from the first awards. Categories were streamlined to print, photo and broadcast. The print category will be split between large and small markets; photo will be divided between international and domestic subject matter; and broadcast will have networks and local stations competing separately. An April 30 deadline was set. Notification of the contest, rules and fees will be forthcoming. The board also decided to offer special merit awards on a case-by-case basis for special recognition and granted at the board's discretion. Nominations and criteria are to be determined in coming months. Michelle Pendleton, who has assisted the organization through the Medill School, will be hired on a daily basis for tasks, duties, conventions and conferences at a day rate of $175. Her first assignment is developing a membership database for use in communicating with members and accounting for dues. MRE counsel Charles Tobin sent the organization a letter describing potential problems with the Army Department's newly released Freedom of Information Act regulations. The Army has totally rewritten its regulations and Chuck said the changes could be problematic for journalists. The board decided to draft a letter opposing the changes. Regarding the development of an MRE-DOD embedding policy, the board suggested the organization should limit itself to developing informal contacts between the group and the public affairs organizations of each regional combatant commander to determine each command's embed policies and to examine how those policies might affect members and news organizations. The board adjourned after deciding to meet again at the BRAC conference in June.
Secretary James W. Crawley
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