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 

March 10, 2024, 10 a.m. 

Started: 11:00 a.m. (after informal discussions with (1) NorCal’s Lila LaHood about upcoming regional conferences, see “Update on regional conferences,” below, and (2) SPJ Region 11 Coordinator Ankita Kumar about national and regional issues; Ankita is training a deputy regional coordinator to assist her – Deb Krol was present for these discussions but left the gathering just before 11 a.m.) 

Attendees: Tim Eigo (President), Mark Scarp (Secretary), Kerry Fehr-Snyder (Treasurer), Teri Carnicelli (board member). Absent: Nicole Greason (Vice President), Deb Krol (board member). Visitors: Ankita Kumar, SPJ Region 11 coordinator; Lila LaHood, NorCal SPJ chapter 

Opening 

  • Secretary’s report/approval of minutes from Jan. 14, 2024 – Minutes were amended to include more information at the request of Wells Fargo Bank, such as the P.O. box address, middle initials of board members, and a detailed description of access to our accounts to be provided to Kerry Fehr-Snyder, our new treasurer. Plus: The first name of our 2023 scholarship recipient was corrected to “Kira.” Board action: Moved (Kerry) and seconded (Teri). Unanimously approved. 
  • Treasurer’s report – (Teri completed the report as Kerry has yet to be added to chapter accounts.) Teri reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of March 10 gained $240.12 in the past quarter, to $19,108.22. Our checking account as of the same date contained $3,742.37, compared to $3,892.37 on Jan. 14, 2024.  
  • Wells Fargo update – Officials at Wells Fargo Bank initially would not add Kerry Fehr-Snyder to the account without the chapter being registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission as a foreign corporation (subsidiary of national) or an Arizona corporation. After some pushback, the bank withdrew its request but only required minutes of Kerry’s selection with some changes (see secretary’s report above).  
  • Board action: Kerry was asked to look into what it takes to transfer our accounts to a different institution and report back to the board. 
  • Mark’s Mighty Minute! – Mark told the board that a Committee of the Whole of the state House of Representatives passed House Bill 2038, which would make it a felony to secretly record anyone without their permission, the only exception added was for legitimate law enforcement activity. No exceptions were added for journalists pursuing stories or whistleblowers seeking to catch guilty parties by secretly recording sources saying things that implicate them in felonious or otherwise wrongful behavior. The bill, sponsored by Coolidge Republican David Cook, would have Arizona join the 13 “two-party” states requiring knowledge of both recorded and recorder before recordings can be made. The bill has not passed the whole House, nor has it been assigned a hearing in the Senate. But it might resurface as a “strike-all” bill late in the session. At our January meeting, 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 planned to confer on drafting a statement for the other groups to read and, hopefully, sign on to. This hasn’t been done, and Mark said we should start readying to do so in case the bill reemerges.  
  • Board action: Mark will draft a letter in opposition to the bill to be shown to the other Arizona media organizations and ask them to join SPJ in opposing the bill. Such a letter would be readied to be sent to state senators and/or Gov. Katie Hobbs urging defeat or veto of the bill. 

Old Business 

  • Arizona Media Association luncheon and awards ceremony, Jan. 26 – Tim provided a brief update. Awards were presented. 
  • ALMA journalism speakers at ASU Barrett downtown, Feb. 23 – Tim provided a brief update. The session went well. 
  • Leap Day chapter mixer, Walter Studios, Feb. 29 – Tim provided a brief update. About 10 people attended. 

New Business 

  • Update on cosponsored event with PEN/Arizona — Journalist-author panel and discussion, now on May 25, 3 to 5 pm, Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale (formerly at Changing Hands, Phoenix, but Changing Hands backed out).  
  • Public records workshop, “Getting Access 2,” March 23 – As of today (March 10), the event has 29 registrations with a maximum capacity of 45 or so. ALMA is co-presenter as they were for October’s workshop, “Getting Access.” We are expecting $100 from them as well as from each of NLGJA’s local presence and from PEN/Arizona. The contributions will help pay for a continental breakfast and light lunch. SPJ is paying for SPJ coffee mugs as thank-you gifts for speakers and one as a door prize. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/getting-access-2-public-records-open-meetings-more-good-journalism-tickets-845595126787 
  • Update on First Amendment Coalition and the Journalist Hotline – The steering committee for the revitalization of the coalition met via Zoom on Feb. 23. Attorney Peter Limperis has begun to manage media access calls on the coalition hotline. Members discussed regaining the cooperation of the Arizona Media Association, whose leaders said they are interested in promoting the hotline, as well as sources of financial support, and taking initial steps to organize the coalition board. The structure of the Nevada Open Government Coalition (https://www.nevadaopengov.org/) was brought up as an example for emulation. The committee’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 24. 
  • Update on 2024 Publicity Summit – Tim joined Mark and the Publicity Summit Committee in touring the Ventura Gateway office complex at Hayden Road and Via de Ventura in Scottsdale, where committee member Josh Weiss’ 10to1 PR firm has offices, as the site of the 20th annual Valley Publicity Summit in the fall. (It is more than likely that Barrett, The Honors College, at ASU in Tempe will not be available.)  
  • The committee unanimously approved of the site, which includes either a spacious patio and indoor atrium for an outdoor or indoor panel discussion before the Summit’s pitching period. The site is also only ¾ mile from the Via de Ventura exit from Loop 101 and parking is plentiful, free and a short walk to the meeting space. The committee recommends that the board approve it as well as set the date as Oct. 19, 2024. Some modifications are necessary, such as finding a portable microphone/speaker and renting chairs and tables for the panel discussion. Josh’s large office suite can be modified to handle pitching conversations. 
  • Board action: Moved (Mark) and seconded (Teri) to hold the 20th annual Summit on Oct. 19, 2024. Unanimously approved. 
  • Board action: Moved (Mark) and seconded (Teri) to stage the 20th annual Summit at Ventura Gateway/10to1 PR, 7975 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. Unanimously approved. 
  • “Trustworthy” screening possibilities – Mark reports no reply from documentary producer Stephany Zamora on a possible April screening of her documentary about public faith in media, “Trustworthy,” which was shown at last fall’s SPJ National Convention in Las Vegas as well as in Tucson in October 2023 (KVOA-TV, Channel 4 in Tucson was one of the film’s featured media outlets). 
  • UA student journalism issue – Former student members of the Arizona Daily Wildcat’s opinion desk write to complain that their desk was eliminated from the staff, the reason given being budget cuts in the wake of the university’s well-known financial shortfall. Board members agreed not to get involved as opinion is not likely to be stymied in the Wildcat as a result of the desk being eliminated, even though a lessening of quality is likely to occur. 
  • Update on regional conferences, in order: NorCal, Phoenix, San Diego – Tim contacted the NorCal chapter to ask if they would be willing to forego a 2024 regional – they had planned to hold one in December — and hold in spring 2025 conference instead. Lila LaHood of NorCal joined the board for this meeting to tell us they agree with this plan, and so each chapter will plan and host regionals in 2025 (NorCal) and 2026 (Valley of the Sun). San Diego would be next in line in 2027. 

Long-Range Topics 

  • FYI: SPJ annual report — It’s due this summer, covering from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. 
  • Scholarship approach — strategy, topic, amount, timing 
  • Annual award approach — brainstorming an up-and-comer award 
  • Ideas needed for — (1) summer and fall mixers, educational sessions or student events, (2) sessions in reporting strategies, ethics or freelancer tips 
  • For 2024 —  
  • (1) Website refresh 
  • (2) Assist ASU student chapter to get reinstated 
  • (3) Historic Site in Journalism 
  • (4) Prep for possible 2025/2026 Regional Conference, 
  • (5) Deepen relationships with other journalism organizations 
  • (6) Create more regular programing 

PROPOSED NEXT MEETING: Sunday, May 19, 2024, 10 a.m. 

Adjourned: 12:05 p.m. (65 minutes) 

Respectfully submitted, 

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary