SPJ: Phoenix, Arizona Chapter

Minutes 

Meeting of the Society of Professional Journalists, Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter 

P.O. Box 1488, Phoenix, AZ 85001-1488 

Jan. 14, 2024, 10 a.m. 

Started via Zoom: 10:01 a.m. 

Attendees: Tim A. Eigo (President), Mark J. Scarp (Secretary), Nicole D. Greason (Vice President), Teri A. Carnicelli (Treasurer), Debra J. Krol (board member), new board member Kerry J. Fehr-Snyder (incoming board member). Absent: None. 

Opening 

  • Secretary’s report/approval of minutes from Nov. 19, 2023 – Board action: Moved (Nicole) and seconded (Teri). Unanimously approved. 
  • Treasurer’s report – Teri reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of Jan. 12 gained $918.39 in the past quarter, to $18,868.22. Our checking account as of the same date contained $3,892.37, compared to $4,235.45 on Nov. 12, 2023.  
  • Mark’s Mighty Minute! – Mark told the board about House Bill 2038, which would make it a felony to secretly record anyone without their permission, with no exceptions for things like law enforcement. Hank Stephenson of the Arizona Agenda first broke the story about the bill, sponsored by Coolidge Republican David Cook. It would make Arizona join the 13 “two-party” states requiring knowledge of both recorded and recorder before recordings can be made. This would seriously hinder journalists in pursuing stories by secretly recording sources saying things that implicate them in felonious or otherwise wrongful behavior. Mark suggested SPJ rally the “Five Families” of the statewide media groups to be prepared to speak out against the bill as moves forward. Tim agreed, and he and Mark will confer on drafting a statement for the other groups to read and, hopefully, sign on to. 

Old Business 

  • Recap of Valley Media Holiday Mixer, Dec. 5 – About 35 attended the mixer of a variety of media. Kira Caspers of Scottsdale Community College received the $750 scholarship at the event, held at Fez on Central bistro in downtown Phoenix and co-sponsored by the NLGJA local chapter. This was the third time we’d been at Fez, and it was convenient in location and parking (which was free).  

New Business 

  • Discussion and vote: New chapter Treasurer Kerry J. Fehr-Snyder, KJZZ-FM – Tim introduced Kerry, who had served on our board several years ago when she was at the Arizona Republic. The board was asked to approve Kerry as a new board member and as our new treasurer. Board action: Moved (Tim) and seconded (Mark) to approve Kerry Fehr-Snyder as a new board member, effective immediately. Passed unanimously. Board action: Moved (Mark) and seconded (Teri) to approve Kerry Fehr-Snyder as the new treasurer, effective immediately. Passed unanimously. Kerry will be added as an authorized signer on our Wells Fargo account (savings and checking), and access to the account and an ATM card will be requested for her. Also retaining their authorized access to the Wells Fargo accounts will be Tim A. Eigo (President) and Teri A. Carnicelli (board member). 

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  • Vote commemorating the service of Treasurer Teri Carnicelli – Teri, who is resigning as treasurer, has served the chapter admirably, especially in the years after her move to California. She has also been chapter president and Region 11 director and member of the national Board of Directors. Board action: Moved (Mark) and seconded (Tim) to express the board’s appreciation and to present Teri with a gift as a token of our esteem. Passed unanimously. 
  • Update on First Amendment Coalition and Journalists’ Hotline – Mark heard from Morgan Loew of Arizona’s Family, president of the First Amendment Coalition. Morgan said attorney Peter Limperis of the Tucson law firm of Miller, Pitt, Feldman and McAnally PLC, has officially agreed to be the coalition’s new counsel. 
  • Limperis is counsel to KVOA-TV, Channel 4, in Tucson, and will provide hotline legal services to journalists as Dan Barr of Perkins Coie did. Dan left Perkins Coie in January to become chief deputy Arizona attorney general.  
  • Morgan, Tim and Mark will meet with Peter later in January to begin deciding on next steps. They include finding funding sources for the hotline to replace those formerly funding it when Dan was representing the coalition, benefactors, media outlets themselves (particularly smaller and/or rural ones paying a small, three-figure contribution annually, and of course, SPJ. 
  • A new coalition board would also need to be created; SPJ would have a seat on that board.  
  • The board discussed Tim’s proposal of general plans for the chapter in 2024: 
  • Website refresh – Our chapter website design is several years old and needs updating. 
  • Assist ASU chapter to get reinstated with SPJ – Tim is working on this. 
  • Historical Site in Journalism – HQ has yet to send the chapter the plaque honoring the Hotel Clarendon; when they do, we should hold an event installing it at the hotel. 
  • Prep for spring 2025 Region 11 Conference in Phoenix – (NorCal chapter to host in October 2024, San Diego chapter in spring 2026.) 
  • Deepen relations with other media organizations – We are working on solidifying relationships with the other Arizona media membership groups. 
  • Create more regular programming. 
  • Planning our next public records workshop – Melissa Blasius of ABC15 has asked us to help put it together; she likely will be a panelist, too. Kerry said she would also be a panelist. Late March or early April was discussed as the likely time for such a workshop 
  • Programming ideas needed for: 
  • Spring mixers, educational sessions or student events –  
  • Mark suggested a screening of “Trustworthy” in cooperation with the Cronkite School. The documentary received a warm reception from attendees at the SPJ National Convention in September in Las Vegas. The executive producer, Stephany Zamora, told Mark she would like to show the documentary in Phoenix early in 2024; she just communicated with Mark last week to reiterate that desire. Mark will be speaking with her soon to start planning. We’re looking at a possible February date; Mark will suggest that to Stephany and the Cronkite folks. 
  • Nicole suggested a repeat of an event from the fall involving Deb Krol and a Republic colleague speaking with Barrett, The Honors College journalism students about careers in the profession and how people view their jobs and issues facing the media. Two dates have been suggested: Feb. 23 and March 22 (Wednesdays). Board members agreed on the February date. 
  • Sessions on reporting strategies, ethics or freelance tips –  
  • Sessions on Ethics/FOIA for April – Deb said she would be glad to participate in a program on the possible pitfalls of using AI in journalism. Teri said the student chapter could help provide the venue at Cronkite, etc. Tim said he will take the idea under advisement for now. 
  • Session on style guide for covering LGBTQ+ people and issues – Teri suggested going in with NLGJA on a session, which should include transgender people and issues facing them. No date was set at this point, but it could be at any time in the upcoming year. 
  • Upcoming event, co-sponsored with PEN/Arizona: Journalist-author panel and discussion, April 20, Changing Hands, Phoenix. Nicole suggested Christina Estes, who will publish her book in March. Other journalists who are authors could also be invited. Authors from the Tucson area and from northern Arizona were also mentioned.  
  • Upcoming on Jan. 26: Arizona Media Association luncheon and awards ceremony – Tim received a free ticket from AMA CEO Chris Kline. Tim will attend to support Al Macias of ALMA and KJZZ, who is being honored at the event. 

PROPOSED NEXT MEETING: Sunday, March 10, 2024, 10 a.m. 

Adjourned: 11:54 p.m. (114 minutes) 

Respectfully submitted, 

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary