Board Meeting Notes 03-26-12

Happy Spring!

MC parades all of his exploits from SXSW: got spots/Station ID from Mac D, maybe also The Flaming Lips.
Events calendar is here! AW designed them, they are various colors. Let’s all hang this stuff up as soon as possible.
Day of Zammuto event: someone(s) can help MC with streaming? DN will be there!
Record Fair: VT is making the event on FB as we speak. [5:52: VT has completed the FB event and has invited folks. Check this ya’ll.]
Wesleying Posts for AI:

Zammuto Concert on Thursday afternoon (include disclaimer that non-students must register)

Record Fair post later

TuneIn talk (MC):

Talks of developing longer-term relationship

How to fix specs: have our events calendar on website? Minimizing ads?

They want to continue to liaise with us — we are guinea pigs for their college programming work (KEXP had a TuneIn banner, which sucks because KEXP rocks)

[I missed the first two paragraphs of this conversation, so it’s not exactly clear what we’re discussing regarding TuneIn]

What relationship ought we to have with corporate entities?

BM says as long as it doesn’t compromise our values, we should have fruitful relationships — insofar as they benefit and do not exploit us.

They don’t seem too displeased with our minimal plugging during Stepkids show.
BM is happy to talk to them? HOW HAPPY ARE YOU, BEN?
MC: KC, How would you feel about being a TuneIn contact?
Katherine: … [TBD]
If TuneIn needs to know who’s going to be around ASAP, Ben will be around this summer. Otherwise, we’ll wait for the fall to figure this out.
BM: An alternative to the TuneIn service would be to have our own app. Is this feasible?
 

Shelving!

LB has (finally) agreed to step up and help us with the shelving project, which CC birthed (and strewn with
 

CL has agreed to fund/approve a work-study position! Folding stuff, checking messages, this person will be put to good use and will relieve Ben of administrative, bureaucratic burden.

Development position: Vice President has absorbed development/fundraising duties.
 

Spring Fundraising Campaign:

From what angle should we approach this thang?
Silent pledge drive? Or could we call it a “Freeform Pledge Drive”? In which we have several models to offer our staff, and marketing it to our stakeholders/donors as an effort to be a gentler fundraising — we will interrupt programming as little as possible.
AT has put together a fundraising draft letter. It resembles a zine.
Other successful tactics: WESU Bunny (if you don’t donate, we’ll kill this adorable radio bunny), etc. Caveat: if this doesn’t work, we’ll have to fall back on heavy on-air promotion.
Still a good idea to pass 3 envelopes on to each DJ, whose job it is to spread among fans/friends/family.
The mailing is going out this week: program guide, Avery’s W-Zine-S-U, and other docs?
Let’s encourage — aka pressure — staff to try and raise $100 particularly if they haven’t raised money before. This is a better way to corral occasional/novice DJ pledgers. “Find three sponsors!”
What would a “WESU Membership” entail? Program guide, something more?
Automatic renewal…targeting parents of students who would be gone after four years. But it is rare for parents to continue donating once their children have graduated.
Special mailings? Other ways to deal with fundraising infrastructurally. Automatic renewal would require a reorientation of thinking about our services and our fundraising programs. Right now our zine and our package focuses on personal touch. Before we go further, we should enlist someone to embark on a longer-term project and do research on fundraising: IZZY! Thanks for volunteering.
Acteva (Activa? Activia?) could include a “do you want to be a return donor?” Yadda, yadda, etc.
 

April 2: Middletown Remix Advisory Committee Meeting at 5 at Nora’s Cupcakes

Unsurprisingly, MC volunteers.

BM reminds us that we should be strategizing about next year’s board. Keep eyes and ears open for interest. Let’s bring this up at the next staff meeting, because there are only two meetings left this year.
 

Training starts this Sunday evening. Thursday is a week behind. Five sessions should suffice. (Will it end May 5?) DB will be Sunday instructor. Adam will send out message soliciting staff instructors shortly. DO THIS, YO.

First homework assignment: identify shows whose content you’d like to imitate

Second assignment: Get your hands on an internship

Third assignment: Content/programming review?

Fourth assignment: Record evergreen show?

Code of Conduct needs to be approved by supermajority at staff meeting. In the meantime, AW can make changes to handbook.
 

DJ Spotlight?


Meeting adjourned.