Agenda

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

September 23, 2018, 10 a.m., First Watch, Tempe

Opening

• EIJ18 (http://excellenceinjournalism.org/) update (out of order because Deb Krol must leave early to attend another meeting)
• SPJ sponsorships from controversial organizations (Koch Bros. etc.)
• Robert Leger and Deb Krol going to EIJ as delegates
• Secretary’s report and approval of minutes from July 15, 2018
• Treasurer’s report
• All but one publicity summit monies have come in
• Checking account is looking healthy
• Investment fund low
• Current cash available: $5,502.29
• Mark’s Mighty Minute!

Old Business

• Publicity Summit update
• Net online sales: $3,620 (48 attendees)
• Net proceeds as of 9/18/18: $3,267.36
• Notes from Terri:
  • If you pull out Eventbrite money in one lump sum at end, there is no fee.
  • Ideas for next year:
    • To help with timing of pitches, use colored tickets
    • Media bring cheat sheets of deadlines etc. to hand out so not always repeating info to PR people
    • Do panel for 60 minutes and then have networking opportunity from 10-10:30 a.m. before speed pitching
  • Target for next year: Get more PR veterans/higher-ups to attend
• First Amendment Coalition: No report
• Disability Communications workshop on Sept. 21
• FOI Awards: To be awarded at the Arizona Newspaper Association reception on Saturday, October 6, Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Chandler
  • Shipping to Tim on 9/26
  • Silver Keys – Phil Boas, Kristin Gilger, Floyd Galloway
  • Phil Alvidrez Award – Randy Wilson
  • Website to be updated
  • Press release?
• SPJ emails
• Robert to look into WordPress back end for SPJ emails for Tim and Chelsea

New Business

• Social media/marketing + member retention/recruitment: Paula Pedene developed a chapter email template: Discussion of costs, frequency, content
• Decide what content is included. Ideas:
  • Brief note from Tim
  • Awards season
  • New hires/promotions
  • Job openings
• Frequency: Once a month, unless something additional comes in that needs to be sent out.
• Cost: Up to $200 to start based on prior quote
• Launch date: Within about a week, so around 9/30

• Scholarship Update:
  • The board selected an essay question (“How can storytelling remain a prime objective for journalists in an era of rapid technological change?”). It will be advertised in late September – submissions due Oct. 15 (or Nov. 1?) – award(s) to be given at annual chapter holiday party – changed verbiage above in blue to what is there now.
  • Website to be updated to include this
  • Submissions due Nov. 1
  • Chelsea to send Terri GCU contact for scholarship
• Decided to open this up to more schools
• Covering and Protecting Your Elections: Tools to detect misinformation, protect yourself and your data online, and connect with voters, SPJ program, Thursday, Oct. 11, 1-5 pm, at the ASU Law School
• Google News training with SPJ trainer Mike Reilley, sponsored by our chapter. To be held Thursday, Nov. 1, 5-8 pm, Burton Barr Library, Phoenix, 4th floor Lecture Room. We have to start marketing it.
• Will go on Facebook page, chapter website, and in an email blast
• It is a free event
• When posting event details, tell people to bring a laptop/device and dinner if they want.
• Choosing a date and location for annual chapter holiday party (last year it was at Bliss/Rebar on Tuesday, December 5, beginning at 5:30 pm)
  • Do same venue – Tim confirmed via email after our meeting that we have the space at Bliss/Rebar.
  • Date/time: Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m.
  • Need to figure out door prizes – Deb to organize list of prizes
• Discuss Spring 2019 programming, including Sunshine Week
• Consider a reboot of our chapter monthly networking mixer
• Additional item: On Nov. 16 and 17, there will be a Pete Souza meet and greet. Terri is working on this and will provide more details at a later date.

Next meeting: Sunday, Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. at First Watch Tempe