CAB Meeting Minutes - Fiscal Year 2023
February 24, 2022 CAB Attendees: David Boyd Booker, Carole Chervin, Christopher Bromson, Alex Hu, Hani Omar Khalil, Caroline Pasion
March 24, 2022 CAB Attendees: Marlene Birnbaum, Christopher Bromson, Alex Hu, Hani Omar Khalil, Christopher Metzger, Caroline Pasion
May 18, 2022 CAB Attendees: Christopher Bromson, Alex Hu, Caroline Pasion
June 22, 2022 CAB Attendees: Christopher Bromson, Caroline Pasion
October 17, 2022 CAB Attendees: David Boyd Booker, Christopher Bromson, Alex Hu, Jane Tillman Irving, Hani Omar Khalil, Caroline Pasion
November 17, 2022 CAB Attendees: Christopher Bromson, Alex Hu, Hani Omar Khalil, Caroline Pasion
February 2, 2023 CAB Attendees: Holly Barkhymer, Marlene Birnbaum, Alex Hu, Jane Tillman Irving, Hani Omar Khalil
March 16, 2023 CAB Attendees: Alex Hu, Hani Omar Khalil, Emily Hacker, Yvonne Shortt, Sara Mael,
May 18, 2023 CAB Attendees: Alex Hu, Hani Omar Khalil, Caroline Pasion, Christopher Bromson
June 15, 2023 CAB Attendees: Alex Hu, Christopher Bromson, Caroline Pasion
General Comments & Takeaways
“I liked it when the Station seemed more accessible and democratic”
Listener would like the Station to bring back ways to engage with the organization- i.e. donor lunches and tours, Legacy Circle (still called this?) events.
Increase accessibility of Greene Space programming
“NJPL content seems more difficult to find in the archives than other NYPR content”. “NYPR partners with the New York Public Library but doesn’t partner with New Jersey libraries”
A legacy giver was impressed that she got a gift bag from the Development Staff when they somehow found out that she became sick
WNYC Comments and Takeaways
“My family is left leaning in a deeply Republican part of New Jersey. NYPR connects us and offers solace, and my kids now listen too” (Listener has three kids age 11, 14 and 15)
- The content makes the Station feel like a friend
- Kids consume news at a higher level than adults. They get the news on social media first and then pursue deeper dives elsewhere
- The on-air and podcast talent will never been widely appealing to young people, but social media content might
- Young people love creating content, give them that opportunity
“I have noticed an improvement in coverage of minority communities over the last 4 or 5 years though that coverage still sounds like it is looking in or over those communities, not coming from within”
Question: “Once content is produced, how is it promoted to new and relevant audiences?”
“Coverage of minority and underrepresented neighborhoods shouldn’t just be when there is bad news”
Create podcasts covering news and stories from “outer” communities; content that would otherwise be too narrow for NYPR’s “prime” channels
A former Board member of Rhode Island Public Radio wondered if the only way to truly cover all communities is to establish physical bureaus throughout the city
She also mentioned that increasing coverage of world music increased minority interest in content
WNYC should continue to improve its coverage of minority communities from within
Understanding that there is limited air space and that it must be dedicated for “flagship” programming, is there the ability to develop a secondary, “less professional” stream of news for online only (i.e. produced by kids, amateur broadcasters, etc.)
Can WNYC invest in a training program for younger people and then create space for their content? (see comment above)
Non-professional content can sound more authentic
Kids are not interested in hearing adult voices and can immediately tell how old someone is by their voice and speech
NYPR can play a vital role in bringing awareness to youth initiatives
A listener commented that excess redundancy on AM and FM seems like wasted air space opportunity and asks how the two channels are coordinated
A listener commented that she thought that Alison Stewart is interesting and energetic and enjoyed the Get Lit initiative
A listener commented that WNYC was NOT the first place she went for news when the Bronx apartment fire broke
Old School should get more exposure and Radio Rookies should get their own show
A request for more radio theater and other programming that leverages the intimate quality of radio
A listener wants to hear more positive and joyful stories about the city, country and our culture
A perception of ageism in some of the programming and commentary (gave Wait Wait as an example)
A request for fewer “frivolous” segments and a greater focus on serious stories and news
A listener brought up a Rick Steve’s radio program as show she likes because she feels like she learns a lot about the world and other cultures through it
WQXR Comments and Takeaways
“Young people will become lifelong fans of classical music if they are exposed to it in the home, outside of the home, and in the content they consume”
“Get classical music into the heads of young kids and it’ll stay there forever”
Sample suggestions:
- Create an education “department” to create content that fosters engagement with the music (Met Opera does this)
- Partner with schools (music curriculum is disappearing fast)
- Find ways to get instruments into the hands of kids
- Put more pianos in public places for passersby to play
- Embed activities into the on-air content
- Create opportunities for kids to be on stage
- Find ways to blend classical music with interactive play
“Bring back placement of pianos in public spaces. People WILL play them and inspire others”
“Find a way to give young people an opportunity to perform on a stage”
“Young people need to see themselves in the content we are asking them to engage with”
Feature young voices in content and in marketing
“There’s a timer with young people and we must get classical music in their ear before their minds and preferences are set”
This listener stressed urgency. It would be interesting to figure out what that timer is so that it could inform strategy
“Other institutions like Carnegie Hall and the Met Opera have successfully created educational arms. Public schools lack commitment to music education, perhaps institutions like WQXR can help fill the void”
“Create extracurricular opportunities for kids to participate in music activities”
Can WQXR help in providing kids more opportunities to get into the arts?
The family event held at the Queens Theater succeeded in feeling “very Queens”
Perception of too liberal a tone on WQXR
A request to hear more folk music in the music programming. (cited this program on West Palm Beach Public Radio as an example: https://www.wlrn.org/show/folk-acoustic-music)
Praise for QXR’s addition of background, history and context to the music that is played
Would like to hear more music and less talking
Would like to hear full pieces played more often during prime hours
A request to broadcast more Greene Space programs over the air
