CAB MINUTES: APRIL 2018
GUESTS: Jim Schachter, Vice President for News at WNYC
AGENDA ITEMS:
- Presentation from Jim Schachter
- Q&A with Jim Schachter
- Public Comment
- Community Advisory Board business
OPENING REMARKS:
- CAB Chair Barbara Gerolimatos spoke about CAB’s role, which is to get feedback from the community members who attend and relay the feedback to the station. (more)
PRESENTATION SUMMARY:
According to Jim Schachter, his job is twofold: working in an agenda-setting newsroom and covering breaking news. By creating “enterprise journalism” at WNYC, listeners get information that can’t be found anywhere else, thanks in part to the station’s investigative and in-depth reporting.
Podcasts:
- Trump Inc: A joint reporting podcast of WNYC and Pro Publica (which is down the block from the WNYC studio) related in response to the election of Donald Trump. Andrea Bernstein originated the idea of the podcast. It has opened numerous investigations into Trump and his family’s business “entanglements” and Trump’s not relinquishing control of his businesses after taking office.
- Snowmelt: In an effort to prove that climate change is affecting the way snowflakes form, WNYC will solicit listeners, or “citizen scientists” to upload photos of snowflakes to show that snowflakes are changing forms due to changing temperatures in the higher atmosphere.
- Caught: This podcast, just completed, examined the draconian juvenile justice system in New York, begun in the 1970s. This has been the most successful narrative news podcast for WNYC.
- Ask Governor Murphy: A joint reporting podcast of WNYC, WBGO and WHYY, this podcast features the newly elected governor of New Jersey.
Looking ahead:
- Tanzina Vega, the new host of “The Takeaway,” begins on May 7.
- “Midday on WNYC” replaces “The Leonard Lopate Show”, and NYPR currently exploring new hosts.
- Anjali Kamat, investigative reporter on Money and Power, will begin this summer
- Gothamist goes live on April 24. The online daily (weekdays) newsletter represents a joint venture of WNYC, KPCC (Southern California) and WAMU (Washington, DC) has acquired the story archives, internet domains and social media assets from the Gothamist and DNAinfo, another online news publication that closed in November 2017.
- Reports on the asylum system in the United States launches the week of April 23 as a partnership with Pro Publica. Matt Katz reports on immigration refugees and national security for WNYC.
- Beginning in May, “Take Down in the Bronx” will examine the problems of crime and housing the Bronx. As Schachter explained, the enterprise reporting will “…give voice to people in our area who don’t get heard.”
- “There Goes the Neighborhood” examines real estate development in New York City and its relationship to the affordable housing crisis. Schachter said the Hudson Valley doesn’t get enough coverage. He encouraged attendees to contact him with news stories.
PUBLIC COMMENT
- Conflict of interest concerns about Laura Walker, President and CEO of New York Public Radio, continues to sit on the Tribune board while merger with Sinclair Broadcasting, a major right-wing telecommunications company, is under consideration. Given that NPR has a more objective and balanced approach to reporting the news, Walker’s Tribune board membership is troubling.
- The desire to have more diverse, conservative speakers on NYPR. Public attendees expressed concerns that all WNYC programming/guests seem to be anti-Trump people, even Charlie Sykes, a conservative, is a never Trump-er.
- Susie Winkler, a grassroots organizer, asked: Why did WNYC choose to rescue the Gothamist and leave DNAinfo, the more grassroots reporting news site, behind? Does WNYC own the Gothamist? Answer: WNYC acquired the Gothamist along with two other media outlets – KPCC and WAMU and owns archives of both The Gothamists and DnaInfo.
- Request for more coverage on housing affordability, gentrification, and a suggestion that the changing cityscape be covered. Also, a listener said that WNYC needs an environmental beat to cover climate change, not resiliency.
- A listener thanked CAB for communicating listeners’ concerns about issues of sponsorship.
- Cab member Carole Chervin asked: “What’s the best way to contact the newsroom on urgent matters?” Jim Schachter replied that listeners should call the newsroom at 646 965-1864 or tweet @wnyc
- Requests (3 people) for more coverage of climate change issues, especially from an on the ground, neighborhood view of changes.
- Fundraising: There was a question about WNYC’s fundraising efforts. Are its goals being met?
CAB Business
- Kathryn Tornelli reported on CAB’s recruitment efforts. There are three open seats available beginning in the fall 2018 and 86 applications – encompassing listeners from all boroughs and three states. This is a record number of applicants; reasons for this surge was attributed to an improved, more streamlined application process, including a Google application form. A spreadsheet was created from the information gleaned by the 86 applicants. At CAB’s May 9 meeting, there will be a presentation by Grace Clarke, Nominations Committee Chair, announcing the candidates who were selected. The CAB will need to approve candidates, who in will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
- New CAB Officers needed. Jake Wojnas can continue as Vice Chair; other two Vice Chair, Nancy Walcott and Grace Clarke have served the allowed 2 years, and will need to step down. CAB members should let Chair know if they want to be a Vice Chair. Someone to fill the Secretary position is also needed. Barbara Gerolimato will continue to serve one more year as the Chair.
- Carol Chervin asked if the CAB meeting announcement spots can also include an invitation to attend CAB to share feedback. Kathryn Tornelli agreed to look at them to see if within the 15 seconds allotted, some language can be added.
- The Chair asked everyone to consider their schedule and to decide if they are still able to participate and attend meetings in person. This is the only time new members can be added to the CAB, and with so many qualified applicants it is better to fill an opening now then discover later that another CAB member is resigning due to scheduling conflicts.
NEXT MEETING:
- Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 6:30 PM, The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York (Google map)
- Hosts, Kathy Lu and Tobin Low, host off the podcast, Nancy.
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CAB MEMBERS (ALPHABETICAL)
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OTHERS
- 45 members of the public
- Brenda Williams-Butts, Vice President of Recruitment, Diversity & Inclusion
- Judi Williams, CAB Liaison
- Mary White, BOT Liaison
