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

May 19, 2024, 10 a.m.

Meeting called to order: 10:24 a.m.

Attendees: Tim Eigo (President), Nicole Greason (Vice President), Mark Scarp (Secretary), Kerry Fehr-Snyder (Treasurer). Absent: Teri Carnicelli (board member). Deb Krol (board member).

Opening

  • Secretary’s report/approval of minutes from March 10, 2024 – Board action: Moved (Kerry) and seconded (Nicole). Unanimously approved.
  • Treasurer’s report – Kerry reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of May 19 gained $52.45 in the past quarter, to $19,160.79. Our checking account as of the same date contained $3,387.01, compared to $3,742.37 on March 10, 2024. At the last meeting, Kerry was asked to look into what it takes to transfer our accounts to a different institution and report back to the board. She said she hadn’t done it yet and will.
  • Mark’s Mighty Minute! – Mark told the board that the “Five Families,” actually leaders of 11 Arizona professional media membership organizations will gather for their annual dinner this Thursday, May 23, at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Phoenix. A number of concerns will be discussed, including advocacy, support for the re-emerging First Amendment Coalition, co-sponsored events, dual memberships, and the like. Board members with ideas for the group can send them to Tim or Mark before the dinner. Mark drafted a letter in opposition to House Bill 2038, the “two-party recording bill,” to be shown to the other Arizona media organizations May 23 and will ask them to join SPJ in opposing it, should it re-emerge for legislative action this session. Such a letter would be readied to be sent to state senators and/or Gov. Katie Hobbs urging defeat or veto of the bill. Keri said she’d volunteer to reach out to newsrooms to inform them of the hotline’s existence.

Old Business

  • Update on March 23 Public Records Workshop – Mark reported about 30 participants (our of about 45 RSVPs) showed up, mostly students, members of the public and only a handful of media people. Otherwise the presentations were detailed and quite useful and the discussion went well between presenters and attendees. The San Carlos Room at the old downtown Phoenix Post Office served well, although we think the Concho Room and the Westward Ho across the street was an overall better venue.
  • “Trustworthy” screening possibilities – Mark reported that despite several attempts to connect with the producer about a screening this spring with the Cronkite School, he received no reply. This project should be considered dead, sadly.
  • Update on First Amendment Coalition and the Journalist Hotline – Mark reported that the steering committee will meet again May 31 to discuss expanded promotion of the hotline (so far response has been minimal) and reactivation of suspended social media, as well as funding sources and other topics, including soliciting the cooperation of the Arizona Media Association. Mark will ask the groups about these things and a possible “Mega Mixer” in late September (see below).

New Business

  • Chapter scholarship or other approach to student support. If we follow tradition, the essay question would be publicized soon, responses due by Nov. 1, award(s) given at our Holiday Mixer. Proposed questions or alternative approaches are welcome! Board members talked about how ALMA administers its successful scholarship program as a good example. Tim will reach out to the three state universities’ journalism schools to find out if they each have an emergency fund to assist students in emergency situations affording school expenses and report back to the board in July.
  • Update on cosponsored event with PEN/Arizona: Journalist-author panel and discussion, 3 to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 25, Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale. Tim will moderate the conversation. Register: https://pen.org/event/reporters-and-the-pen/
  • Update on 2024 Publicity Summit – Mark said the Publicity Summit Committee will have its first meeting Tuesday, May 28, and will begin efforts to secure media, donations and event needs earlier this year. We are excited about our new venue for the 20th annual Summit at the Scottsdale Executive Office Park, Hayden and Via Ventura. Nikita Chaturvedi, a now ASU graduate who helped at last year’s Summit as ASU SPJ president, is taking nine testimonial videos Mark received from happy participants (five media, four PR people) and editing them for use on social media to promote the Summit. First meeting of the Summit Committee will be Tuesday, May 28, at which first tasks will be assigned to get ahead of the event more this year.
  • Annual board elections in June, ideas for additional board member(s)
  • Annual Summer Solstice Mixer – it could be on Thursday, June 20, location to be selected, combined with “Beers for Bylines” (In 2023, we met at State 48 Brewery, 345 W. Van Buren, Phoenix). Tim will secure a reservation for the 20th at State 48.
  • Call for chapter award nominations (and possible new up-and-comer award) and plan for fall presentation event. Board members talked about holding an SPJLA-style “Mega Mixer” in late September at Univision on 32nd Street and Baseline, site of ALMA receptions for many years. Nicole will ask Univision if they would allow us to do the same this fall.
  • SPJ annual report: Due to HQ mid-July, covering period from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024 – Tim and Kerry would collaborate on producing the report to national HQ.
  • Chapter Board Retreat – Mark will suggest to the board a few possible dates in late June for a board retreat, which would be held at Nicole’s lovely Chandler home.
  • SPJ International Committee – Tim received a communication from the committee saying 10 fellows are in the U.S. and at least some of them will be coming to Phoenix Oct. 16-22. Board members discussed how to entertain them, including having them speak at the Oct. 19 Publicity Summit, a newsroom visit, roundtable discussion with members and members of other media groups. Tim and Mark will discuss something for them to participate in at the Summit as well as something with other j-groups on Sunday or Monday, the 20th and 21st. Kerry suggested a tour of the Arizona Capitol Times and the State Capitol.

Long-Range Topics

  • 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, July 14, 2024, 10 a.m. (changed in early July to July 21 to accommodate board members’ schedules)

Adjourned: 11:44 a.m. (80 minutes)

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary