B O A R D M I N U T E S
Chicago Headline Club
Board of Directors Meeting
October 3, 2005
President Meg Tebo called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m.
Present: Meg, Mary Wisniewski, Casey Bukro, Howard Schlossberg, Art Menke, Jerry Campagna, Deborah Cohen, Jason Jedlinski, Michelle Stevens, Sandy Jones, Julia McEvoy and Abdon Pallasch.
Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
President’s report: Meg said the Town Hall meeting drew about 35 people. Terry Mutchler drew about 15 with an excellent presentation.
CHC has sent in-kind donations to reporters at the Times-Picayune. Most of the donations were from the ABA. Such things as snacks, socks, pens, toiletries and reporter’s notebooks were sent in two large boxes.
Programs: Jason’s report follows:
Monday, September 12: Future of Public Radio: 65 people, cost $924.02, we were reimbursed $800
Tuesday, September 20: Town Hall Meeting: 35 people, 20 of whom were Meg’s students, cost $496, we were reimbursed $221
Saturday, September 24: Nitty Gritty Bus Tour: 35 people, cost $936, collected $954
Monday, September 26: Your Right to Know with Terry Mutchler, 12 people, no cost
Friday, October 7: Lifetime Achievement Awards: 157 attended dinner, cost $11,147, ticket revenue $7,620
Thursday, October 20: First Amendment Forum: 150 people, cost $348, reimbursed $200
Saturday, October 22: Making the Most of It, 35 people, cost $353
Saturday, October 29: Inside the Federal Archives, 15 people, no cost
Jason said Community Media Workshop, our partner in the bus tour, asked CHC for an unrestricted operating grant of $15,000, which CHC would want to see used for journalism-related programs. We will discuss it in depth next month.
Membership: Deb said we have 444 active members.
She is still working on a new logo to heighten CHC’s profile. Jerry recommended linking our mission statement with the logo, and volunteered the help of his strategic marketing team. He will work on this with Deb.
Treasurer: No report this month. Jason said our loss on the Brownlee Series will be about $4,500.
Oct. 22 small newspaper workshop: Art said it will be at the Elmhurst Art Museum, which will charge $200 for the space. He is blitzing DuPage County to attract attendees. He also will invite college newspaper staffs. Most panelists have been lined up.
Ethics: Casey asked all of us to look for nominees, starting right now, for next year’s 10th annual Ethics in Journalism Awards.
Casey also asked for suggestions for marking SPJ Ethics Week next year, which we did not do this year. Jason said he would give Casey his ideas.
AdviceLine has received more than 400 calls since its inception in 2001. Anyone want to join the team? It could use one or two more members. Casey will be asking CHC for additional funding.
Sandy reported the Andrew Leckey API program will be Mon. April 3. It will be on investigative business journalism, CAR, accounting red flags, etc. It may be at the 410 Club. We’ll have to provide Continental breakfast and box lunch. API does all the marketing. The seminar is free.
PRN: Howard Schlossberg said one more session is coming up, on blogging and technology, probably the last week in October. The best-attended session remains grammar and spelling. We’ll raise a lot more money this year for scholarships and internships.
Lisagor: Meg said she asked Molly McDonough to chair Lisagor. Steve Rynkiewicz, former chairman, will help. So will Julia and Sandy. Jason and Meg will help on the dinner, which may be April 28. The Driehaus Watchdog Award, which Molly is overseeing, will be given for the first time.
Ideas for a keynote speaker? Contact Meg or Molly.
CHC Foundation: Meg said Book Bash plans are well under way, with about 35 authors. Wine was donated. Foundation asks CHC to split the estimated $15,000 cost. Profits go to internships and scholarships. Jason moved that the board approve $10,000 for foundation operating expenses, encouraging it to provide grants to Latino and African-American students. Motion passed.
Shield Law: SPJ seeks contributions to its Shield Law Fund. CHC board wants more information about how SPJ plans to spend the $30,000 it is trying to raise. Matter tabled until November.
Here are the exact results of our member survey on the shield law —
Would you support a federal shield law to protect reporters against legal action over their refusal to disclose confidential sources?
Yes – 74%
Maybe – 21%
No – 2%
Don’t know – 2%
Student journalism convention: Linda Jones at Roosevelt asked us for $300. Art motioned that we give that much if they let us hand out materials and have a table. Deb seconded. Resolution passed. Art since talked with Linda who said we can hand out material.
SPJ convention: Meg, Ben, Jason, Howards Dubin and Schlossberg, Barb Iverson and a couple of other CHC members will go. We have nine votes.
Meg recommended our delegation vote for Christy Tatum, who is running unopposed for president, John Hopkins for secretary-treasurer, and Molly for delegate at large. Jason so moved, Howard Schlossberg seconded. Motion passed.
Reporters notebooks: Meg said we are almost out. Board decided to wait to reorder until logo is chosen.
Meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Next meeting: Noon Nov. 2 at Columbia College journalism school, 33 E. Congress, 2nd floor. Enter building on Wabash. Howard Schlossberg will arrange lunch, not at CHC expense.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan S. Stevens
secretary