MISSISSIPPI AUTHORITY FOR EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION
Regular Telephonic Meeting of the Board of Directors
Thursday, September 15, 2016
9:30 a.m.
Board Room
MAET Administration Building
3825 Ridgewood Rd.
Jackson, Mississippi
Directors present: David Allen, Chair, Peggy Holmes and Jennifer O’Neal
Directors present telephonically: Bob Sawyer, Vice-Chair and Andrea Mayfield
Directors not present: Karen Cummins and Pete Smith
Staff present: Ronnie Agnew, Teresa Collier, Scott Colwell, Joel Gatlin, Jason Klein, Paul Moore, Claudia Singletary, Maggie Stevenson, Henry Williams and Tara Wren
Others present: Jay Eads
OPENING OF MEETING
Chairman Allen opened the meeting, and it was established that a quorum was present.
Chairman Allen led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion was made by Director Holmes and seconded by Director Mayfield that the Board approve the agenda, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Director Holmes and seconded by Director O’Neal that the Board approve the minutes of the May 31, 2016 meeting of the board of directors, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A motion was made by Director Holmes and seconded by Vice-Chair Sawyer that the present chair (David Allen) remain in office for Fiscal Year 2017, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
Vice-Chair Sawyer nominated Director Holmes to be Vice-Chair for Fiscal Year 2017, and Director O’Neal seconded the motion. Nominations were closed, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
UPDATE ON FOUNDATION
Ronnie Agnew reported that work is ongoing to establish Mississippi Public Broadcasting Foundation.
Paul Moore stated that the intention is for the new foundation to go live in early November. Paul Moore added that there is much work to be done in training for the new foundation to take on the 9000 members of the Foundation for Public Broadcasting.
Joel Gatlin reported that the desire is to have a symbiotic relationship with the new foundation as is often seen with universities and their foundations. Joel Gatlin announced the following as board members for the new foundation: Darden North, Cissy Foote Anklam, Andrew Mallinson and Grace Lee.
FINANCIAL REPORTS
Paul Moore presented the financial reports
Paul Moore highlighted that MPB has currently received half of the state appropriations for the fiscal year and reminded the Board that further budget cuts are expected from the legislature.
Paul Moore presented the Expenditure Contracts and Purchases over $50,000.
A motion was made by Vice-Chair Holmes and seconded by Director O’Neal that the board approve the payment of $268,387.00 to National Public Radio (NPR) for programming in FY 2017, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
A copy of the financial report is included as a part of these Minutes as Exhibit A.
MEETING SCHEDULE
Chairman Allen presented the proposed meeting schedule for fiscal year 2017.
A motion was made by Vice Chair Holmes and seconded by Director Mayfield that the board approve the proposed meeting schedule, and upon a unanimous vote, the motion carried.
A copy of the schedule is included as a part of these Minutes as Exhibit B.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Ronnie Agnew reported that a new position has been created at MPB – Chief Technical Officer – and that Scott Colwell has been promoted to the position.
Ronnie Agnew stated that he and Director of Communications Tara Wren attended a meeting with staff of National Strategic Planning and Research Center (NSPARC) at Mississippi State University and that NSPARC will help MPB to develop a strategic plan. Ronnie Agnew added that this service is free to MPB and that development of the plan will be a 6-9 month process.
Tara Wren announced that NSPARC will work with data already gathered by the Southern Research Group and MPB Communications staff and compile it to help MPB tell its story.
Ronnie Agnew mentioned that the Communications team is still gathering applications for the MPB vanity license plate and that there must be at least 300 applicants by January for the tag to be made.
Ronnie Agnew announced that plans are underway to work with University of Mississippi to get old shows archived. Ronnie Agnew added that funding for this project will come from a grant and from a donation.
Ronnie Agnew stated that MPB has another show that will be aired nationally – Southern Remedy’s show on breast cancer.
STAFF UPDATES
Ronnie Agnew recognized staff for updates from their departments.
Scott Colwell announced that Public Media Management was the winner of the bid and that the installation and training are scheduled.
Scott Colwell explained the upcoming change in television transmission with 29.1, 29.2 and 29.3 and announced that 29.2 will become the 24-hour PBS channel for children.
Jason Klein stated that there will be a one-day radio drive Friday, September 16, and the goal is to raise $100,000 in that day.
Tara Wren noted that for the first time in many years, MPB will be receiving data from Nielsen ratings. Tara Wren added that they will compile the data also and will train MPB staff to pull the data.
Teresa Collier announced that the news show @Issue is now year round.
Teresa Collier added that MPB News won its first award ever from the National Association of Black Journalists. The award was for a report on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
Ronnie Agnew reported in lieu of John Gibson (Director of TV) that work is being done on interstitials for Mississippi’s upcoming bicentennial year.
ADJOURNMENT
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
