June 3, 2019
SPJ/LA Board of Directors
Monday, June 3, 2019
7 p.m.
Louise’s Trattoria
10645 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Present: Sarah Favot, Jason Lewis, Elizabeth Marcellino, Navid Nonahal, Kathryn Mora, Lori Streifler, Nathan Solis, Roberta Wax and Natalie Windsor, Joel Bellman
Called to order 7:15 by Sarah Favot
I. Approval of minutes from April 1. Moved by Bellman, seconded by Nonahal, approved with amendment. May 6 moved by Bellman, seconded by Nonahal, approved.
II. President’s report – Bluestein (read by Favot).
The chapter’s annual report was submitted to national. As a requirement of the report, the financial books were reviewed by three SPJ members (who aren’t board members) and everything is in order. Bluestein is very proud of the 12 events and several statements produced by our chapter this year. We have 106 members, down from 138 last year. A total of 22 people had not renewed their membership and were sent an email to encourage them to renew their membership. Also reached out to the people who attended the banquet to become a member. The Membership Committee has a goal of each board member bringing in three members by December. The number of members that we have affects the amount of votes the chapter has at the convention. On May 28, Windsor and Bluestein were at a well-attended panel discussion about non-profit journalism that was held at the Hammer Museum in Westwood. Bluestein has an idea for a panel about the future of local news. Bluestein has been in regular contact with the non-profit that is going defunct that wants to donate its funds to us to be used for scholarships. She does not have the exact dates of when the funds will be available, but she’s confident we will receive the money.
III. Treasurer’s report – Marcellino
Wax motion to receive, Bellman seconded.
IV. Standing/Ad Hoc Committees
a. Awards –Streifler and Wick
No report
b. Banquet – Walton
No report
c. Courts – Marcellino
No repor
d. Diversity – Lewis
No report
e. Ethics – Bellman
Idea for ethics panel: News organizations facing an ethical issue on whether or not to use certain information about perpetrators of mass shootings. News organizations are being pressured by some outside organizations to not release the shooter’s name or discuss manifestos so that the shooter’s ideology will not be promoted. The push is to focus more on the victims. A date has not been set.
f. FOI – Zahniser
No report
g. Generation J – Blaize-Hopkins
No report
h. Membership – Nonahal
No report
i. Nominations – Bray
No repot
j. Scholarships – Mora
Several scholarship applications have already been received. The committee has contacted more schools than last year. Deadline is June 15. Notice has been posted on social media.
V. Old Business
a. Statement on San Francisco Police Department raid on freelance journalist’s home and office – Bellman The chapter issued a statement on May 20 condemning the recent search of the home and office of a San Francisco journalist by law enforcement agencies and the seizure of his reporting materials. We labeled the acts as “outrageous, unlawful and set a dangerous precedent for journalists working in California and across the nation.
b. Racism panel – Solis
We partnered with the NABJ-LA for the “The NewOld Beat: Reporting on Racism” held Saturday, May 18 at SAG/AFTRA. Roughly 60 people attended. It was a candid conversation. NABJ-LA is open to more partnerships with our chapter.
VI. New Business
a. Mega Mixer, Wednesday July 10 at Molly Malone’s. Starts at 6 p.m. Journalism organizations are being requested to contribute to the expenses and publicize the event.
b. National board meeting.
There’s been a lot of friction between SPJ national board president Alex Tarquino with some of the other national board members as well as leadership of the local chapters. Tarquino put herself on the search committee for a new executive director. A longtime SPJ national board member has called for Alex’s impeachment because of her unprofessional behavior at Saturday’s national board meeting.
Adjournment at 8:45 p.m. in memory of Scott Spiro KNBC photographer–motion by Windsor, seconded by Bellman; and Sylvia Teage former president of RTNA, motion by Streifler and seconded by Marcellino. Approved.
Next meeting: Monday, July 8